HOLMDEL, NJ — This year’s Republican primary race for Township Committee is packed in Holmdel with five candidates running for two of the party’s open spots.
Candidate Kristin Celauro is running for election to the committee with running mate Ronald Emma.
The pair is running against challengers Thomas “TJ” Mann and incumbents Gary Vanderham and Joseph A. Romano.
No one has filed a petition to run for committee in the Democratic primary race.
Ahead of the Primary Election, Patch posed several questions to Celauro about her campaign platform, experience and what sets her apart from other candidates running. Her replies are below.
Editor’s Note: The following article contains information about one of the candidates running for the Holmdel Township Committee in 2026. Responses are written as received by Patch and only edited for style.
Patch has contacted all other candidates in this race with the same questions and will post replies as they are received.
Are you running for the Holmdel Township Committee? Contact Sara Winick at sara.winick@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Patch.
Age: 50
Town Of Residence: Holmdel
Education: Smith College, BA with a double major
Occupation: Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer at a financial consultancy
What drove you to seek public office?
There are so many issues in Holmdel that tell me the current Township Committee and their chosen candidates don’t have their priorities straight, and they don’t know who they serve. I want to bring back accountability and transparency, and show Holmdel what it means to put Holmdel First.
Most recently, residents are watching Big Ugly Utility Poles go up across the town, ruining property values and Holmdel’s beauty. The TC denied that anything could be done, but JCP&L publicly stated that they have been working with the TC on the plan since 2023. We also know Holmdel and other towns have successfully fought other giant utility plans in the past, and we also know that these wires could have been put underground, which would have increased the beauty and value of our town.
I witnessed the TC take in millions through PILOT programs every year, yet never offer tax breaks. It’s just spend, spend, spend.
I have witnessed the TC starving our schools of funds by intercepting the money via PILOT programs. This enriches the TC, gives them political talking points, and chips away at our schools and all of our futures, as our children and our property values suffer. The elimination of courtesy busing puts our children in danger.
I witnessed firms hired by the Township be derelict in their duties, yet TC members continue to take their donations and give them contracts using taxpayer money.
We exposed the lack of transparency with the Potters purchase. The TC knew Potters is on lists of Known Contaminated Properties, yet they funded the purchase with taxpayer money and never bothered to tell residents. They also forgot to tell residents that Holmdel is now responsible for remediating the property, which could cost millions; the town has to pay a fine every year it is not remediated, and the town is liable for the contamination. Instead, the TC used it as a political talking point and ran victory laps for spending taxpayer money on the purchase.
The contamination of Holmdel’s drinking water with the Vonage redevelopment was just the tip of the iceberg. Throughout that process, we met other concerned residents, and we started a grassroots movement. I hired a lawyer, a hydrogeologist, and an engineer to prove to our own Township Committee just how dangerous the plan was.
Unbelievably, the TC turned around and gave the developer yet another PILOT program, letting them skip out on taxes, starving our schools, and leaving residents to pick up the slack.
Exposing the truth is all part of our plan to stop reckless spending, and return to Holmdel First priorities, serving taxpayers, seniors and children.
What sets you apart from the other candidates?
Together with my running mate, Ron Emma, we believe in putting Holmdel First, not developers, special interests, or our political careers. I have proven that I believe in this town by buying a local farm, keeping it active, restoring one of the oldest homes in town, and then stepping up to fight for public health and safety and against contamination and the misuse of taxpayer money.
I have worked with some of the world’s most successful businesspeople, who have trusted me for my guidance, skills, and work ethic, and I also served as the spokesperson for Donald Trump’s 2017 Inaugural Committee.
My answer to Question 1 above shows examples of issues threatening Holmdel, but our opponents have been silent, complicit, or have condoned the TC's actions.
Ron Emma and I have proven to be advocates for Holmdel and will put Holmdel's interests first!
What are past accomplishments or experiences that make you qualified for this position?
I led a grassroots group called “Save Holmdel Water,” comprised of scores of people who were deeply concerned about the dangers the Vonage redevelopment posed to Monmouth County drinking water. I hired a lawyer, as well as a hydrogeologist and an engineer. Together, we packed Town Hall, and our experts testified about the dangers of the wastewater treatment plant at Vonage.
I am a Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer at a New York-based advisory firm. I have more than 25 years of business experience, and for much of my career, I led high-profile financial communications. I also served as the spokeswoman for Donald Trump’s 2017 Inaugural Committee.
I am a mother of three and have lived in Holmdel for 15 years. My family and I own an active farm in Holmdel. I graduated from Smith College, where I also played softball. I currently coach Holmdel Hornets travel softball, and I’ve also coached HYAA softball and basketball.
If elected, what will be your top priorities in your new role?
Our plan is to show the town what it means to put Holmdel First, starting with clear priorities, including accountability and transparency, putting taxpayers, children and seniors first.
Holmdel residents deserve the full truth about development. What we’ve seen is the TC using half-truths to score political talking points and scare tactics to stop taxpayers from asking questions.
Our plan would be, for any major initiatives, to present options, renderings, costs, timelines, and pros and cons. We would also listen to concerns from residents and not ignore them, especially when it comes to public health and safety issues.
Many families choose to live in Holmdel because of the bucolic nature of our town and our schools. We must keep this at the forefront when making decisions about Holmdel.
We need to expose reckless spending and eliminate any instances of pay-to-play politics and nepotism, which have no place in our town.
The preservation of Holmdel’s open space has been a hot topic in the local community. If elected (or re-elected), how will you address residents’ concerns about preservation?
Preservation must be done with proper planning. I’d like to see every part of Holmdel benefit from preservation and the prudent use of our Open Space Fund.
Rather than knee-jerk reaction purchases, I’d like to see a clear, accessible open space plan developed, with priorities, goals, and honest reporting of short and long-term financial implications, and pros and cons for each and every purchase.
Name one thing about Holmdel that always makes you smile.
While I have been out canvassing and talking to as many people as I could, I always smiled at the beauty of our town.
The beauty is comprised of many things: the incredible landscape is the backdrop; the children – running at Cross Farm, at the Earth Day celebration, streaming out of our schools; our seniors, many of whom I had the pleasure of talking to in May; and the wonderful people I have met along this journey, hardworking people who want a safe place to live out their stories and raise their families.
Holmdel has so much to offer, and I’m proud to live here and be a part of this wonderful community.
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