Commissioner Germaine Ortiz

Biography

Commissioner Germaine M. Ortiz was first elected to the Bergen County Board of County Commissioners in 2016. Since then, she has proudly served alongside her fellow Commissioners and, in 2019, made history as the first Latina to lead the Board as Chairwoman. This milestone was particularly significant for Bergen County, as it marked the first time in its 304-year history that the Board was led entirely by women. Most recently, she served as Chairwoman again in 2024, continuing her leadership on the Board.

A first-generation American born to Colombian parents, Commissioner Ortiz earned a dual Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish and Communications from Seton Hall University. She also completed a certification in Securities Analysis at the New York Institute of Finance. After completing her education, she spent over 20 years at Dinsmore Capital Management on Wall Street, ultimately rising to the position of Vice President.

In 1997, Commissioner Ortiz moved to Palisades Park to start a family with her husband, Willie Ortiz. Two years later, in 1999, she welcomed her first daughter, Alex, and began her public service career as a member of the Palisades Park Board of Education. She not only served on the Board but later won a seat on the Palisades Park City Council, further expanding her dedication to community service.

She also served as a Commissioner for the Bergen County Utilities Authority for two years before moving to her current hometown of Emerson in 2004, where she welcomed her second daughter, Daniella. She later joined the Board of Trustees at Bergen Community College, where she served for 12 years, advocating for students and their success.

In 2020, Commissioner Ortiz was appointed Chairwoman of the Bergen County Complete Count Committee, where she successfully led efforts to ensure a thorough and accurate count for the 2020 Census. Thanks to her leadership, Bergen County achieved its most successful Census count in 20 years, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Commissioner Ortiz remains committed to leveraging her financial expertise to ensure that Bergen County residents’ investments are maximized for the benefit of the community. She has always championed a “people-first” approach to governance and is dedicated to upholding that tradition on the Board of Commissioners.