Cherry Hill Councilwoman Enters County Freeholder Race

The first Korean-American woman elected to public office in New Jersey is running for Camden County freeholder.

Susan Shin-Angulo made history when she was elected to Cherry Hill Township Council in 2009. She will again attempt to make history when she attempts to become the first Asian-American to serve on the Camden County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

She has been nominated by the Camden County Democratic Committee as its candidate in the race for the freeholder spot that became vacant when Camden County Freeholder Michelle Gentek-Mayer became the Democratic nominee for County Surrogate, the committee announced on Thursday.

She joins Camden County Freeholders Jeffrey Nash and William Moen on the Democratic ticket. They will run against Republicans Winston Extavour, Ian Gill and Rob Stone.

“We are very pleased that Susan will be a candidate for Freeholder this fall,” Camden County Democratic Party Chairman and State Senator James Beach said. “Susan will be an outstanding candidate and I’m sure the voters of Camden County will be most impressed by her enthusiasm, professional background, and commitment. We take great pride in our very diverse county government and the quality of our elected leaders with a track record of fighting for taxpayers.”

She doesn’t have to vacate her seat on council to run for freeholder. However, if elected, she would have to vacate her council seat.

Shin-Angulo, whose father fled Communist North Korea for South Korea as a child, came with her family to the United State at the age of four and became a citizen in 1986.

Her parents, who started out running a dry cleaning business, began her professional career at the University of Pennsylvania, Institute for Human Gene Therapy and at the Kimmel Cancer Institute. She has also worked in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries across the region.

Shin-Angulo is also a member of the Cherry Hill Zoning Board of Adjustment, the Human Relations Council, and the Food Bank of South Jersey. She has a Bachelor’s of Science from Wilkes University and a Post Baccalaureate in Cytogenetics from Thomas Jefferson University. She resides in Cherry Hill with her two daughters and husband, E. Michael Angulo.

Election Day is Nov. 3.