Ms. Cristina Cutrone—who has served on the Tenafly High School staff for 18 years, first as a teacher of social studies and then as supervisor of the social studies department, and who is co-founder and president of grassroots organization WE DO (Women Empowerment Democratic Organization)—recently earned a new and impressive position when she was elected the mayor of Fair Lawn on February 27, after former mayor Gail Rottenstrich stepped down.
From a young age, Cutrone has always been drawn to politics. “I was always involved in student government in high school. I got involved in student government in college too,” she said. Cutrone graduated with a degree in government and politics, alongside secondary education, which drove her to teach AP Government until 2024. “I grew up in a family that emphasized the importance of giving back to your community,” she said.
After Cutrone moved to New Jersey and started involving herself with the community, she was asked whether she wished to run for town council. Cutrone explained that she ran twice for a spot, in 2011 and 2013, but lost both times. But in 2017 she was appointed to the council to fill a vacant seat, and in 2018, she reran and eventually won, being “to date, the highest vote getter,” she said.
As the new mayor, Cutrone beams with excitement, claiming “the most exciting part is that everything now starts with me.” In addition, she “truly [believes] that representation matters. Throughout our history, women’s voices have too often been missing from the rooms where decisions are made,” she stated, “so I think it’s so important for women to be equally represented in our government. Each time a woman steps into a leadership role, it helps ensure that our government truly reflects the community it serves. It shows our daughters—and our sons—that leadership knows no gender and that diverse perspectives make our democracy stronger.”
Cutrone has begun that leadership role by starting an initiative to ensure clean drinking water in Fair Lawn and by prioritizing the needs of citizens from all age groups. She explained that there is an initiative in Fair Lawn with the goal to ensure that older adults can ”age in place,” she explained. Cutrone hopes the seniors “can live in the town that they have lived their whole life in and not be pushed out because they can’t afford it or because there aren’t services that help them.”
How does Cutrone manage the task as both a local mayor and a high school supervisor? “Luckily, the mayor’s position is considered a part-time position, not a full-time position,” she explained. “And because I don’t run the day-to-day operations of the town, most of what I do is after school hours anyway. So all of the meetings … occur at night, [and] even when I meet with residents, they all have jobs, so they don’t want to meet with me in the middle of the day.”
In fact, Cutrone remarked that her job at THS has given her “a lot of really important people skills … that have really helped [her] solve some pretty big issues.” She added that she “deals better with residents when they come … with their concerns and issues.” Being an educator assisted her in becoming a better elected official.
Yet, Cutrone’s responsibilities don’t end with politics and education. “Once four o’clock happens, then I always wear my mom hat,” she laughed. “I have two kids, so I go home, take a break, hang out with them for a little while, and then I answer all of my emails.” Balancing roles as an educator, a politician, and a mother, Cutrone finds time for both her career and her family, proving that leadership isn’t just about policy—“it’s also about managing everyday life.”
An inspiration to our school, Cutrone encourages any student who shares passion in politics to never get discouraged. “Do it,” she says. ‘“I always think about Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote… it’s what I kind of live by. It states that ‘you must do the thing you think you cannot do’ If something seems like it’s out of reach and it’s too hard and too challenging…those are the things you should push yourself to do. And I think politics and being in government is something that is often viewed as, ‘oh no, I can’t do that.’ And it’s the people that are so quick to say that, that are probably the ones that are best suited to do it. So get involved in your local town, and stay involved wherever you go beyond that.”
