Suzanne LaLena
Candidate for Berlin Borough Council
Berlin is home. Growing up here, I spent my days walking the neighborhoods, enjoying the park, exploring the auction, and counting down the days to the Fourth of July. That sense of belonging never left me, and after living in other cities, I chose to come back. That says everything about what Berlin means to me.
As a Senior Vice President in Technology for a global bank, I bring strategic thinking and problem-solving to complex challenges every day ~ but my heart has always been in community. I'm an active volunteer with local youth organizations, a wife to a dedicated local business owner, and a loving mother invested in the future of this town.
If elected to Council, I'll focus on three things: deepening our relationship with the county so our residents see real benefits, strengthening and growing the small business community that gives Berlin its character, and ensuring community perspectives shape the decisions I make.
Our borough has residents who pour their own time and energy into building community and shared spaces ~ that spirit is what makes Berlin, Berlin. I want everyone living here today to grow up with the same love for this town that I did.
I'm running because this town gave me something special. I want to give that back.
John McPeak
Candidate for Berlin Borough Council
Growing up in the beautiful town of Berlin shaped who I am today. I was fortunate to experience attending Our Lady of Mount Carmel School and Eastern Regional High School. From playing in the town recreation baseball league, riding bikes to the Berlin Mart, and playing pickup basketball behind the Berlin Community School, I couldn’t be more thankful to grow up in Berlin.
I'm a student at Rutgers Camden studying political science with plans to attend law school. I work with the Camden County government, including the County Counsel's office, public works department, and parks department, where I gained hands-on experience serving the community, learning the legal mechanisms of policymaking and the decisions that shape our community.
Yes, I am young at 21 years old, which is why I am the perfect advocate for the next generation of Berlin residents. I promise to be proactive, energetic, and responsive while addressing issues you may have in Berlin. If you experience potholes after a bad snowstorm, you can reliably contact me to get it fixed.
Ultimately, I have two main goals:
1. Help provide the younger generations of Berlin residents the opportunity to experience the great Berlin our parents had.
2. Be a responsive public servant for the neighbors in this town who helped foster a great environment to grow up in.