Born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, Joel Torres grew up in various areas of Jersey City from Bergen-Lafayette, to West Side, to Downtown, to where he resides now in the Western Slope section of the Heights along with his wife and their three children. His parents, both born in Puerto Rico, moved to Jersey City in the late 1970’s.

Joel graduated from St. Mary’s Grammar and High School in Downtown Jersey City. In 2011, Joel graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Public Health and a minor in Latin American & Latino Studies with Summa Cum Laude Honors from Montclair State University (MSU). In May 2014, he received his Masters of Arts in Public and Organizational Relations from MSU.

Joel previously served as the President of the Jersey City Board of Education and completed a three-year term in December 2017. He is currently serving his first three-year term as a Hudson County Freeholder representing Hudson County’s 4th District, containing parts of The Heights, Journal Square, and Downtown Jersey City.

Joel is currently the Manager for the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team (ADAPT), a countywide organization focused on decreasing and preventing underage drinking and substance abuse in Essex County, based out of Orange, New Jersey. In addition, he is involved in issues including, but not limited to, education, quality of life issues, Autism awareness, health and senior services, and support services for residents in our local area.