Vinita Jethwani

Vinita Jethwani has served on the Borough of Metuchen council since 2023. As a participant of the Ready to Run program in 2023, Vinita was fortunate to be well-equipped for the campaign adventure!

For almost 14 years, Vinita worked at the Guttmacher Institute -- a research and policy organization committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) worldwide. Vinita most recently worked at the Council of State Governments Justice Center, a national nonprofit organization providing guidance on strategies to advance public safety and strengthen communities. 

Vinita’s commitment to improving services and institutions is reflected in her volunteer efforts. From 2018 - 2024, Vinita served as a board member of Planned Parenthood of Northern, Central and Southern New Jersey (PPNCSNJ), which provides essential reproductive and health care services across the state. She also served on the Board of Trustees for Middlesex College, which is committed to ensuring an affordable and quality educational pathway for a diverse student body. In 2022, Vinita was appointed to the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Commission, established by former NJ Governor Phil Murphy to address challenges faced by the AAPI community in accessing services and resources in the state. Her past volunteer roles include serving as a board member of Manavi, a New Jersey-based nonprofit organization providing services and support to South Asian victims of gender-based violence.
Vinita received her BA from Douglass College at Rutgers University, during which time she interned at the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at the Eagleton Institute. She completed her Masters’ degree in women and public policy from the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.

Vinita is a resident of Metuchen, NJ, where she lives with her husband and their 14-year-old daughter. In her capacity as a Council Member, she serves as a liaison to the Metuchen Public Library, the Metuchen History Advisory Committee and the volunteer Emergency Medical Service (EMS).