Melissa Enriquez-Rada
Melissa Enriquez-Rada – Candidate for Bayonne City Council At-Large
Melissa Enriquez-Rada is a lifelong community servant, nonprofit leader, and small-business professional running for Bayonne City Council At-Large. She is proud to be running as part of the Loyad Booker team, united by a shared vision of transparent, accountable leadership and a Bayonne that puts residents first.
As Bayonne continues to grow, Melissa believes City Hall must focus on the issues residents feel every day—rising taxes and cost of living, responsible development, public safety, quality of life, and ensuring longtime residents are not left behind. She is committed to leadership that listens, communicates honestly, and makes decisions with the community, not behind closed doors.
Melissa currently serves as Director of Operations for The Artists Avenue / Blessed to Bless CDC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit she helped build from the ground up. Working alongside a dedicated executive board and generous donors, she ensures no child is turned away because of an inability to pay.
Rooted in the arts and faith community, Melissa has spent decades organizing food drives, toy drives for children with special needs, and community fundraisers, while producing benefit concerts that support local families, global mission work, and the Blessed to Bless orphanage and ministry home her team helped build in the Philippines. She also serves on the Executive Board of the Filipino American Business Club, where her team helped host the City of Bayonne’s first Filipino American Music and Food Festival in 2025, celebrating culture, small businesses, and community unity.
In addition, Melissa is a board member of the Bayonne Heritage Association, which hosts beloved citywide events such as the Italian Festival, Italian Parade, Pride Festival, and the Bayonne Hometown fair while partnering with and supporting numerous community organizations throughout Bayonne.
Her leadership record in Bayonne includes serving as Past President of the Bayonne Rotary Club, Past President of the J.M. Bailey PTA, and Past President of the High Tech High School Performing Arts Parent Council. Professionally, Melissa has worked as a Realtor for over 24 years and currently serves as Broker Manager for Keller Williams City Life in Bayonne, giving her deep insight into housing affordability, neighborhood stability, and responsible growth.
Melissa is running for City Council to advocate for:
● Fiscal responsibility and transparency
● Smart development that respects Bayonne’s neighborhoods
● Support for families, seniors, and small businesses
● Safe, clean streets and strong community services
A devoted wife and mother of four—three grown and one in her final year of college—Melissa is proud that her family shares her commitment to service. Her children volunteer alongside her at The Artists Avenue, using their talents in dance, musical theater, and sound engineering to give back to the community. Melissa is deeply grateful for the unwavering support of her husband, Adel, and the entire Enriquez-Rada family. Guided by her faith and a lifelong commitment to service, she believes true leadership means showing up, listening, and doing the work.
Melissa Enriquez-Rada is ready to serve—working alongside Loyad Booker to move Bayonne forward with integrity, compassion, and common sense.