As a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Pennsauken Township Committeeman Vince Martinez and healthcare leader and advocate Margarita Santiago were honored alongside eight other prominent Hispanic citizens by the Camden County Commissioners. Held from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to champion and highlight diversity, leadership, and the contributions of Hispanic citizens.

Recognized for her decades of service, advocacy, and leadership in the fields of healthcare, business, and community engagement, Margarita is the founder and CEO of STARS Adult Medical Day Care Center in Camden, a facility she and her partners opened in 2015. Through her bilingual leadership, Margarita ensures that STARS provides culturally inclusive care to a diverse population, enhancing the lives of seniors and families across Camden and beyond. Her 40-year professional career includes impactful work with the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers, where she achieved a nationally recognized 98 percent enrollment rate in a landmark study conducted by MIT and Harvard. Margarita has also uplifted community voices as a former radio host on LaMega in Philadelphia and as the founder of STARSRADIO.FM and the Girl Power Hour Podcast. Her service has earned her numerous honors, including Camden Unsung SHEROE; Business Woman of the Year; and the Camden Woman of Purpose Award, among other accolades.

Vince Martinez was elected to his first three-year term on Pennsauken Township Committee in 2020. The lifelong Township resident and member of Pennsauken High School’s Class of 2002 grew up by Carson Elementary and now lives in the Bloomfield section of town with his wife, Ellie, and two sons, Vince, Jr., and Lincoln. Martinez is the first Hispanic male to serve on Township Committee; and in 2023, he was sworn in as Pennsauken’s first Hispanic male mayor. He also served as the town’s public safety director in 2024. His current responsibilities include Parks and Recreation, Youth Programing, and the Pennsauken Shade Tree Commission. Vince is a member of International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 21 Local 2011. He is also involved with Merchantville-Pennsauken Little League and organizes yearly youth baseball clinics for Pennsauken and Merchantville children.

“On behalf of Pennsauken Township, I’m proud to congratulate Committeeman Vince Martinez and healthcare leader Margarita Santiago on receiving this well-deserved recognition from the Camden County Commissioners during Hispanic Heritage Month,” said Pennsauken Mayor Nicole Roberts. “Both Vince and Margarita embody the values of leadership, service, and community that make Pennsauken such a vibrant place to live. Their dedication not only uplifts our Hispanic community but also strengthens our entire Township. We are honored to celebrate their achievements and the positive impact they continue to make on the lives of our residents.”