The Mayor
Dr. Jody Veler is a public sector professional with over twenty years of experience in the field of community economic development. Dr. Veler holds a B.S. in Nonprofit Management, an M.S. in Community Economic Development, and a doctorate in Transformational Leadership.
Dr. Veler has worked in a wide range of nonprofit organizations, gaining knowledge in a variety of subject matters, including human services, housing development, urban agriculture, youth services, and grant writing and management, and has called Salem City her home since 2015.
In 2021, Dr. Veler was the first woman, and the first Black woman, elected to the position of mayor in Salem City in its 350-year history.