Dean Dafis proudly serves as Maplewood’s first openly LGBTQ+ representative on the Township Committee. Born in working-class, downtown Philadelphia to immigrant parents who fled poverty and political turmoil in Greece, he grew up learning the value of hard work and the importance of community.
He spent his childhood working alongside his brother in his parent’s diner which introduced him to the value of service. Watching his parents struggle to climb the economic and social ladders and being the person who had to translate for them and speak up and stand up for them inspired Dean to become an advocate.
Dean served as a legal aid attorney in Richmond, Virginia, where he went to law school. After that, Dean battled economic injustice and corruption on Wall Street as a securities litigator during the accounting scandals of the dot-com bubble. After the crash of 2008 and stints in Big Law, Dean turned to non-profit advocacy, community, and political organizing on local issues and later in national issue campaigns. As a conversion therapy survivor, he became a leading voice in the campaigns to ban conversion therapy. An early advocate for marriage equality, he lobbied the New York Legislature in legalizing same-sex marriage, and then advised equality groups across the country in their respective campaigns laying the foundation for what later became the Supreme Court’s landmark decision.
As soon as he moved to Maplewood with his husband George, Dean rolled up his sleeves to volunteer in his new community. A couple of years later he was elected to serve as Maplewood’s first out, gay representative, quickly becoming Mayor in 2022. He has served on various community boards over the years, and worked with local, state, and federal officials to address key issues including pedestrian safety, affordable housing, and small business support. In partnership with community-based organizations, advocates, and experts, Dean saw through NJ’s first suburban Community Police Board. He transformed local zoning and land use to dismantle barriers to economic development and entrepreneurship, centered public health in all government policy and decision making, created opportunities for youth engagement, successfully advocated for missing middle housing and aging in place initiatives along with affordable housing development, and became a leading voice for student athletes and strong public education.
As a Director in the Division of Housing and Community Resources at the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), Dean oversees programs and policies aimed at supporting those facing housing instability. His comprehensive integrated statewide network in homelessness prevention has been 90% effective in keeping at-risk residents housed, while also expanding their access to legal advice or representation. Inspired by his own lived experience, Dean is always fighting for leveling the playing field, for justice.
Dean is ready to take the fight to the federal level and protect his constituents from the impact of budget cuts and policies that line the pockets of billionaires while cutting off vital programs and services for working families.