On Friday, July 25th, U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill announced Dale Caldwell as her running mate in the 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial race.
Caldwell, who became president of Centenary University in Hackettstown in 2023, is the first Black leader in the school’s history. He also serves as pastor at Covenant United Methodist Church in Plainfield and has spent decades working across education, public service, and nonprofit sectors.
Sherrill cited Caldwell’s record of advocacy and leadership as central to her decision, stating the pair shares a commitment to inclusive, community-driven governance.
A longtime figure in New Jersey’s education system, Caldwell served 26 years on the New Brunswick Board of Education—six of them as president. He also held leadership roles in charter schools in Trenton and Asbury Park and was named the state’s Charter School Administrator of the Year in 2015.
Caldwell has held senior roles in both the private and public sectors, including at Deloitte Consulting and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, where he was appointed Assistant Commissioner in 2002 and later promoted to Deputy Commissioner.
Beyond government and education, he became the first Black president and CEO of the USTA Eastern Section in 2006. He helped establish the Black Tennis Hall of Fame and has championed adaptive tennis programs for players with disabilities.
In a statement, Caldwell said the campaign represents “a different kind of leadership” focused on lowering costs and broadening opportunity for New Jersey families.
