Bio for Town Clerk Dr. Maria W. Cruz.
Dr. Maria Cruz was officially appointed to the position of Town Clerk for the remainder of the 2021-2025 term, following the untimely passing of Darryl E. Thames, Sr.
Dr. Cruz has worked closely with the Manchester community for many years in various capacities. She served on the Board of Education in 2009 and was re-elected twice, serving through 2015.
Dr. Cruz’s professional career includes nearly thirty years working for the State of Connecticut in various human services roles; most recently, Dr. Cruz worked as Assistant Child Advocate for the State of Connecticut Office of the Child Advocate. Previously, she worked at the State Department of Children and Families where she served as a Social Work Supervisor of ongoing services for 28 years, advocating for the preservation of children with their families as well as the safety, well-being and permanency for children served by the Department.
She serves on the Town’s Redevelopment Agency and Advisory Board of Health and has volunteered on various other local commissions, including the Manchester Arts Commission; the Manchester Commission on Human Relations, Elderly Service and People with Disabilities; the Charter Revision Commission; and the Ethics Commission. Dr. Cruz founded the Manchester Latino Affairs Council in January 2007 and, in 2019, she created an event that has become a tradition in Manchester — Hispanic Heritage Day.
Dr. Cruz is Manchester’s first female, first woman of color, and first Latina to serve in the role of Town Clerk.
Dr. Cruz holds degrees from Springfield College (B.S.), Springfield College School of Social Work (M.S.W.) and Capella University (Ed.D).