Pakistan American Sadaf Jaffer sworn in as Mayor in New Jersey, first ever South Asian in history

Pakistan American Sadaf Jaffer sworn in as Mayor in New Jersey, first ever South Asian in history

ISLAMABAD - Pakistani-American woma Sadaf Jaffer has been sworn in as the mayor of the Montgomery Township, becoming the first South Asian-American woman mayor in New Jersey.

Jaffer was sworn in on January 3 and previously served as a Montgomery committeeperson. She has been a resident of the area of five years and was elected to the committee last year.

The new mayor is a scholar and activist. She has worked for the United States Marine Corps Centre for Advanced Operational Culture Learning and the US Department of State’s Bureau of South Asian Affairs.

She is currently a postdoctoral research associate in South Asian studies at Princeton University where she teaches courses on South Asian, Islamic and Asian American Studies.

Jaffer earned her bachelor’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University and obtained her PhD in near eastern languages and civilisations with a secondary field in studies of women, gender and sexuality from Harvard University.