Maureen Edelson: Interview

Maureen Edelson reflects on what it was like running for the Montclair Council and her work with Montclair Physical Therapy.

Former Third Ward Council Candidate, Maureen Edelson, Heavily Involved in Montclair Community.

maureen edelson
Photo courtesy of Maureen Edelson.

Maureen Edelson, former third ward council candidate, took the time to describe her experience of running for public office.  She is heavily involved with Montclair Physical Therapy and is an active member of her community. Edelson participates in several organizations including Redeemer Montclair Presbyterian Church and Boy Scout Troop 4 as a Scoutmaster. She also has founded and created Montclair Scout Institute. Her and her husband have continuously supported the YMCA of Montclair and Partners for Women and Justice.  A graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University with a B.A. in Economics, Edelson is a Chartered Financial Analyst who has demonstrated success in her career.

Edelson is co-owner of Montclair Physical Therapy along with her husband, who is the owner.  It was founded in 1991 with two offices located in Manhattan and Cedar Grove. She enjoys assisting patients’ well-being by soothing their pain through their outstanding physical therapy techniques.

“We hear the word ‘miracle’ at least once a week,” said Edelson. “Watching this happen is awesome.” Both of these facilities are the only two that are certified McKenzie Clinics in the area. This may contribute to their significant customer satisfaction. “We help 92 percent of our patients in an average of five visits or fewer, and then teach self-management for future prevention and management of pain episodes.”

Edelson’s passion of helping others in the community led her to run for third ward council and make an impact on Montclair. Fortunately, she was generous enough to elaborate on her professional experiences. Read below for an interview with Edelson:

Q: What was it like running for Montclair Council?

A: Running for elected office was like learning a new business, creating a startup and running the small operation. There are laws, systems, a body of knowledge and etiquette that are necessary to learn, manage and perform. So many people were very helpful in this effort. I encourage Montclair’s citizens with leadership skills, personal capacity and concern for the greater good, who want to see a healthy, safe and prosperous Montclair, to consider doing the same in 2020.

Q: Why did this type of work interest you and how did you get started?

A: I merely wanted to comply with the obligations of mounting a campaign in order that my results might be the best possible. However, the important element was giving voters a choice.

Q: Why did you decide to work for Montclair Physical Therapy?

A: My husband, Todd Edelson, is a gifted and highly accomplished physical therapist, and a global leader in his McKenzie Method skills and body of knowledge. At an early stage in our lives, when I was at home full-time, establishing our family and making a home, he expressed that he would like to open a private practice in order to serve patients directly instead of through the hospital outpatient department where he was head of rehabilitation services. I was very happy to use my business skills to help establish and grow a small business.

Q: What things did you do prior to doing what you do now?

A: My first role after college was as a securities analyst at Smith Barney, Harris Upham, where I worked for seven years and had an excellent experience. Then, I was a full-time parent and homemaker for seven years before helping establish Montclair Physical Therapy. Seeing a pattern, I eased myself out of our small business after seven years, handing the management reigns over to a skilled administrator. After a few years of taking care of elderly family and volunteering in the community, I created a career that combined youth management and the outdoors. During this time, I worked in management for both the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference and the Boy Scouts of America.

Q: What is a significant project or accomplishment that you are most proud of?

A: I’m most proud of creating, guiding and maintaining a healthy family that now includes independent adult children who are prepared to do the same. Based on my experience, the family is the basis of a healthy society and a healthy economy. External to family, I’m most proud of creating a business in a difficult operating environment, and then using those skills to re-develop Newark Boy Scouts and offer positive, life-changing experiences to hundreds of the less-chance children of New Jersey’s largest city, just seven miles away.

Q: What do you think will be the next step in your career?

A: I believe it will involve helping people empower themselves with information and experience in order that they might live the healthiest, safest, most prosperous lives possible.

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