Candidate for
State Representative; District 150

A Business Woman of "Firsts" - Dedicated to Responding to Constituent Needs

A lifetime Montgomery County resident, Andrea Baptiste grew up in Norristown, attended local schools and earned a BA degree in History in 1973 from Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio. She followed up her college studies at the University of Madrid, Spain, with a program to increase her Spanish fluency. She also holds an Associate's Degree in Paralegal Studies from Johnson & Wales University, in Providence, RI.

Andrea has over 34 years' experience in the commercial real estate and retail sectors, first in retail as a buyer or store manager for Lord and Taylor, The Hecht Company, Banana Republic and TJ Maxx--providing her with the valuable skills of understanding and anticipating peoples' needs. To further her knowledge of the commercial sector and its impact on communities, she took a job with Adams Bickel Construction in Collegeville for several years, then Liberty Property Trust--a Pennsylvania REIT, and Kravco, the owner of the King of Prussia Mall Complex and six other regional malls. She is also qualified as a professional Realtor.

In 2001 Andrea joined the Goldenberg Group as an executive administrative assistant in the Construction Department. She is still with the Goldenberg Group, working as a Realtor and Marketing and Advertising Assistant Development Director.

Convinced that her skills could help the residents of Collegeville, and ever the leader, Andrea ran for and won a seat as the only Democrat on the Collegeville Borough Council on Nov. 2, 2007. A tireless worker on behalf of her constituents, Andrea uses her knowledge of the retail business and construction and commercial industries to chair the Borough's Business Liaison Committee, chair the Parks and Recreation Committee and staff the Finance Committee.

She also has served a prominent role on the Board of Directors of the Collegeville Economic Development Committee since 2008 and Chairs the Economic Restructuring Committee.

With the economic downturn, her efforts are especially appreciated. She is well known in Collegeville for her efforts to help bring in new businesses, revitalize Main Street, and create jobs in Collegeville. Her goals have been to sustain and grow a vibrant commercial community and increase the quality-of-life of all residents. Andrea, who is currently single, resides in Collegeville and supports two senior citizens--her mother and uncle, who live with her.