Maria Connolly is the Mercer County Planning Director, a licensed Professional Planner, and a LEED Green Associate with over 20 years of planning experience. As Director, she oversees the county planning board process, the county master plan, and key initiatives in open space and farmland preservation, transportation, sustainability, and water resource planning. She also serves as a member of the New Jersey Clean Water Council. Prior to joining the County in 2024, Maria served as a Principal Planner for the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA). She holds a Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) from the E.J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. Maria resides in Lawrence Township, where she is active in local community life, serving as Vice-Chair of the Township Planning Board and as a member of the Growth and Redevelopment Committee. When not working or volunteering, she is tending to her native plant garden or exploring the outdoors with her husband and four children.
