As MoreThanTheCurve.com (our sister site) predicted on January 28th, the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas has voted to appoint Jamila Winder of East Norriton to fill the vacancy on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. The vacancy occurred when then Governor-elect Josh Shapiro appointed Dr. Val Arksooh to serve as secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. The term Winder has been appointed to fill concludes at the end of the year. Her appointment makes her the first female African-American to serve as a county commissioner in Montgomery County.

“I am extremely proud to welcome Jamila as our next Commissioner and I look forward to serving alongside her this coming year,” said Kenneth E. Lawrence, Jr., vice chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. “I know that Jamila’s ties to our community run deep, and I am confident she will work every day in service to our residents to continue to make Montgomery County one of the best places to live and raise a family.” 

Winder is moving to the county board from the East Norriton Township Board of Supervisors, which she has served on since 2020 She was elected chair of the East Norriton board in 2023. She had previously served on the school board of the Norristown Area School District. The East Norriton Board of Supervisors will have 30 days to make an appointment upon Wilder’s resignation.

Winder is a graduate of Norristown Area High School and holds a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University along with a master’s degree from Eastern University. She lives with her husband and son in East Norriton. According to her Linkedin page, she is a vice president with Lecturio, an online learning platform for healthcare professionals.

An article in The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Montgomery County Democratic Committee has lined up behind Winder and current State Representative Tim Briggs in the election to be held this year for the county board of commissioners. What is not yet known is whether the over dozen other people who applied for the appointment will run in the May primary.

The official swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, February 1st at 3:30 p.m. at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Courtroom A.

Photo: Jamila Winder