Danette Onofrio Endorsed for 108th State Representative

Danette Onofrio of New Fairfield has become a contender for the State Assembly District 108 in a seat left open by the retiring Rep. Richard Smith. During the Democratic Convention held on May 18, 2020, she received the full endorsement of New Fairfield, Sherman, New Milford, and Danbury Democratic Town Committees.

Joshua Beckett-Flores, New Fairfield Democratic Town Committee Chair, says that “With 20-years’ experience working for a legislative body, Danette Onofrio is a strong candidate. Hands down, she knows the ins and out of crafting and adopting legislation to meet the needs of people. We are excited to have such a qualified candidate”.

“Danette Onofrio is all about solutions and is not afraid of challenges”, says Andrea Gartner, Chair of the Danbury Democratic Town Committee, “She has already started on her goals as the District’s future legislator”.

Onofrio is ambitious in her goals for the district. “I want to make sure our children and families are safe, and folks have affordable healthcare. I want to strengthen working families, build the economy and improve our infrastructure,” says Onofrio. David Silvay, Chair of the Sherman Democratic Town Committee adds, “As an avid learner, Danette wants to enhance schools and libraries. And, as a kayaker, she is strong on preserving the beauty and health of Candlewood Lake, Ball Pond, and other natural and recreational resources”.

Onofrio’s background highly qualifies her for State Representative. Her education took a non-traditional route because she could not afford college after high school. As a single parent in her 30s and living paycheck to paycheck, she knew that she wanted something better. She wanted to help people. She began to study and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree of Professional Studies and a master’s degree in Public Administration.

Onofrio’s career included not only work that improved the lives of others, but also teaching government and nonprofit leaders how to better serve their clients. One of her proudest moments was when Marist College invited her to become an Adjunct Instructor in their School of Management. “I’ve had the honor of teaching dedicated people who worked in every level of government and nonprofits, including the New York State Police.

As a small business owner in New Fairfield, a volunteer for Western Connecticut SCORE, and a candidate for a Doctorate in Management and Organizational Leadership, she knows the challenges businesses and workers face, especially during the current economic crisis. “Now more than ever, if we are going to keep people from moving out of Connecticut, keep businesses going and restarting them, we need a representative in Hartford who has that experience. I do,” Onofrio states. New Milford Democratic Town Committee Chair MaryJane Lundgren added, “It is not enough to say you will improve the economy and want higher paying jobs. You must have an education in it, have experience in running a business and skills. Danette has a strong blend in all three”.

In addition, Onofrio’s background includes managing a public health crisis. “I worked for a public health agency during the HIV/AIDS epidemic and worked with public health officials and providers to seamlessly support and treat patients in a four-county region” says Onofrio. She increased access to healthcare and worked with small business to offer affordable health insurance.

Onofrio believes in a strong community and is passionate about volunteering. Recently, she rolled up her sleeves making hundreds of masks for local healthcare providers and the community. She is a Library Director for the New Fairfield Public Library and a member of the Friends of the Library. As a member of the Woman’s Club of Danbury/New Fairfield, she has collected items for the food pantries, warming stations, projects for Regional Hospice and participated in Safe Walk for The Women’s Center of Greater Danbury. She was a 4-H Leader for 15 years, co-founder and director of a nonprofit for individuals living with learning disabilities and president of the board of the Art Empowerment Project She is also the Secretary for the New Fairfield DTC.