PARSIPPANY — In a significant leadership shake-up for the new year, Councilwoman Judy Hernandez was selected by her fellow council members to serve a two-year term as Council President, while Councilwoman Diya Patel was elected Council Vice President during the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council’s annual reorganization meeting on January 6.
The appointments mark a new chapter in local government following a consequential November 2025 municipal election that saw Democrats gain a majority on the five-member council for the first time in decades. In that election, voters elected Pulkit Desai as mayor and sent Hernandez, Patel, and fellow Democrat Matthew Kavanagh to the Township Council, reshaping the political landscape of Morris County’s largest municipality.
Hernandez, a civil engineer and long-time Parsippany resident with experience on township boards and committees, narrowly won her council seat in 2023 and has since been a prominent figure in local leadership. Her colleagues tapped her to preside over council meetings and help guide legislative priorities, including infrastructure improvements and collaborative governance.
At the same meeting, her council colleague Diya Patel was named Vice President of the council — a leadership role that reflects both her supporters’ confidence and the council’s shared vision for the coming term. Patel, 24, was sworn in earlier in January after voters elected her in November 2025. A law school student and Parsippany Hills High School graduate, she has emphasized civic engagement and community representation since taking office.
Republican council members Paul Carifi Jr. and Matt McGrath also continue to serve, along with Kavanagh, forming a governing body that includes voices from both sides of the aisle as the township moves into its next chapter.
As Council President and Vice President, Hernandez and Patel will lead the council through key decisions on municipal services, economic development, and community priorities — working closely with newly sworn-in Mayor Desai and township departments to reflect the priorities of Parsippany-Troy Hills residents in 2026 and beyond.
