Westfield Ward 1 General Election 2025: Reshma Adwar

NEW JERSEY - The general election season is in full swing in the Garden State and Patch has asked local candidates to share their thoughts before Nov. 4.

Editor's Note: Patch sent out emails to all candidates to the email addresses listed for their campaign provided to the office of the clerk. The responses received will be published between now and the general election. Contact edward.callahan@patch.com with any questions regarding coverage.

Name: Reshma Adwar

Age: 43

Town of residence: Westfield, NJ

Position sought: Town Council - Ward 1

Party affiliation: Democrat

Family: Married with 2 children

Education: Doctor of Physical Therapy, Registered Dietitian

Occupation: Medical Sales Training and Leadership Development

Previous or current elected or appointed office: N/A

Why are you seeking office?

My decision to run for Town Council is a continuation of my lifelong commitment to serve. Meeting residents has been the highlight of my year! As councilwoman, I will make decisions keeping their best interests in mind and serve with compassion and listen with intention to help build a community where everyone belongs.

Here in Westfield, I’m already part of the fabric - my values in action - always ready to contribute! I’ve been an active volunteer at my children’s schools and at community events such as the Tour de Westfield.

I’ve met with residents at their doors, at local events such as the Pride festivities, Juneteenth celebrations, Diwali, and National Night Out, listened to their concerns, brainstormed solutions, and learned how best to be their voice and their representative.

What's your reaction when you see businesses, etc. vacate downtown? What do you look for in new tenants?

Westfield has a truly unique downtown where our community comes together and where we support small businesses. I’m a huge champion of our downtown! You’ll often find me working at a cafe, buying gifts, or having a meal with friends and family at one of our lovely restaurants.

Our downtown hasn’t always been as bustling as it is now - we’ve seen periods of high vacancies and we want to keep it as thriving as it is today. To that end, within my scope on Town Council, I will partner with our Downtown Westfield Corporation and Chamber of Commerce to attract a wide mix of businesses, including retail, housewares, restaurants, etc., and support their success.

What's your approach to overdevelopment concerns in Westfield?

Like most residents, I want to preserve the charm and character of Westfield. With regards to development currently approved, I’m committed to holding developers accountable and activating safeguards if they cannot meet their obligations, finding solutions to mitigate traffic, and supporting businesses that may be impacted during construction.

I would approach any additional development with a tremendous amount of restraint.

Talk to me about public safety, whether it's your idea on how to help prevent vehicles being broken into around Westfield, or some other concern, where do you see an opportunity to improve?

When it comes to safety, where I see we have an opportunity to improve is road safety. I’ve heard from many residents who are as heartbroken as I am by recent tragedies on local roads.

I will champion and prioritize keeping everyone on our roads safe. This begins with safe street design which includes daylighting intersections, lowering speed limits in school zones, enhancing crosswalks, visually narrowing streets to naturally encourage slowing down and increasing driver alertness, and education, enforcement, and advocacy around e-bikes.

What do you believe is the most important concern to address when implementing a project such as the multi-million dollar proposed improvements to Houlihan-Sid Fay Fields?

I attended the Town Council meeting when this project was recently discussed. I heard firsthand from representatives of the Westfield soccer and lacrosse programs, who are key partners in this project.

This is a good example of collaboration and making much-needed safety and facilities improvements - specifically to the field house, parking, accessibility, and traffic flow. Given the number of stakeholders involved, I believe communication and sound project management will be of utmost importance as we see it through to successful completion.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

My professional background is rooted in healthcare and advocacy. I earned my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Columbia University, and along with my background as a Registered Dietitian, I worked with patients to improve their health and quality of life.

Having a science background means I assess situations objectively and collaboratively, make evidence-based decisions, and continually monitor for effectiveness, making adjustments when needed to optimize outcomes. Today, I work in leadership development, where I support the growth of future leaders, modeling how teamwork and collaboration are cornerstones to accomplishing great things.

Alongside my professional life, I’ve advocated for healthcare policies at both the New Jersey State Legislature and on Capitol Hill. This gives me the unique perspective of knowing how policy affects residents' everyday lives, which I will keep at the forefront of all decision-making.

My most cherished achievement was supporting new moms by advocating for private lactation spaces in colleges and universities in New Jersey, and the successful creation of such spaces at Montclair State University. This required demonstrating an unequivocal need, building champions, collaborating with university administration, addressing logistical concerns, and guiding everyone assertively toward the finish line.

What's a motto you live your life by?

Whatever doesn’t challenge you doesn’t change you.

What does it mean to you to represent Westfield?

Living in Westfield was a long-held dream since I was a teenager. That dream became reality when my husband and I moved here with our two children.

The warmth and connection we felt since arriving are why I’m excited to give back to this community we call home.

To me, Westfield is not just a town on a map; it’s the people. We are neighbors and a community first.

I will represent all of Ward 1 and work to build a community where every resident feels heard, valued, and fully at home. A Westfield that reflects the very best of who we are - for each other, for our children, and for the generations to come.

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