Biography:

Dina Matos McGreevey is the Executive Director of the Columbus Foundation in Newark. Before joining the Foundation, she held the position of Director of Patient and Public Relations at Columbus Hospital, also in Newark. Dina Matos McGreevey was First Lady of New Jersey from January 2002 through November 2004. As First Lady she dedicated herself to childrens issues and healthcare initiatives. She was active in many campaigns to support children by visiting schools to speak about literacy and distribute books, as well as to address childhood obesity. She actively participated in public service announcements for Verizon’s “New Jersey Reads’, National Poison Prevention Week, NJN’s “Reading Rainbow”, Sesame Street’s “New Beginnings’, and the Abbot Preschool Program among others. From promoting the Governor’s Book Club to a unique childhood obesity initiative, her active advocacy for children was a hallmark of the McGreevey administration. Prior to becoming First Lady, Ms. Matos McGreevey was a dynamic member of her community for many years, demonstrated by serving on a number of local organizations. Her community activities grew significantly as she continued to maintain her full time job at the Columbus Foundation. She also continued her previous commitments as an active member of the Portuguese American Congress of New Jersey, Trustee of the Ironbound Association and the Salvation Army Ironbound Boys’ and Girls’ Club and Senior Center. McGreevey served on the board of the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation and D.A.R.E. She was Honorary Chair of the following organizations: Special Olympics Complex Committee, The Drumthwacket Foundation and United Way’s Annual “Night of Miracles” Benefit. Mrs. McGreevey has also participated in the United Way’s Celebrity Read Program, and the Boys and Girls Club’s “Concert for Kids”. She was also affiliated with Habitat for Humanity, Bernard W. Gimble Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center, New Jersey Reads, One Book New Jersey, Scholastic, the Women’s Heart Foundation, and the C.J. Foundation for SIDS. While her involvement in various causes has been extremely rewarding, Ms. Matos McGreevey is particularly proud of her role as spokesperson for the March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign. Although she had previously supported the March of Dimes’ fundraising efforts, her involvement became more significant after experiencing complications with her own pregnancy and giving birth to a premature child. She has participated in numerous press conferences, taped PSAs, and has supported many endeavors of this fine organization. Dina Matos McGreevey has received numerous awards, among these are; the City of Hope’s “Woman of the Year”, Portuguese American Women’s Association’s “Outstanding Public Service” and the Boy Scouts of America’s “Hispanic Good Scout Award.” In 2004, Ms. Matos McGreevey was knighted “Lady of the Order of Santiago”. As a member of the Portuguese American Congress of New Jersey, she coordinated many naturalization and voter registration campaigns during the organization’s first twenty years. The campaigns helped thousands of immigrants become naturalized citizens and registered voters. Throughout her career, Ms. Matos McGreevey has incorporated health and wellness programs with many organizations to truly reach the people. At Columbus Hospital, Ms. Matos McGreevey developed the Senior Health Improvement Program (S.H.I.P.), a free health and wellness program for adults age 55 and over. The program was aimed at helping seniors stay healthy and informed about health care issues through screenings and educational programs. Ms. Matos McGreevey also served as Commissioner of the Planning Board of the City of Elizabeth and Treasurer of the Portuguese American Scholarship Foundation, member of the Northern New Jersey Maternal/Child Health Consortium’s Planning Committee, and a member of the New Jersey Health Care Public Relations and Marketing Association. Her commitment to promoting health care for seniors and children has been steady for almost two decades. Dina Matos McGreevey was raised in the Ironbound section of Newark. She attended Wilson Avenue School, East Side High School and Rutgers University in Newark where she majored in Political Science. She is a fellow of the United Way of Essex and West Hudson Project Leadership Class of 1999. Ms. Matos McGreevey is a member of the Cancer Institute of New Jersey’s (CINJ) Leadership Council. She currently chairs CINJ’s Gala Publicity Committee. She continues to work with the March of Dimes and is currently serving a chair of the Mission Families. Ms. Matos McGreevey was recently awarded the prestigious Jonas Salk Award from the March of Dimes for outstanding leadership. Dina Matos McGreevey is the best selling author of Silent Partner which was released on May 1, 2007. She lives in Union County with her daughter, Jacqueline.