Dawn’s Bio
February 6th, 2007 by Dawn Zimmer
Dawn Zimmer and her husband Stan Grossbard, moved to Southwest Hoboken almost five years ago, along with their two young sons Jacob and Alex, and their dog Julia. Each chose this part of Hoboken as the perfect place to stay and raise a family. Dawn, who grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, loved Hoboken’s warm, small town feel. For Stan, born and raised in Brooklyn, Hoboken just felt like home.
Dawn is a family portrait photographer, and does marketing work for Stan’s family business. “I feel lucky to have a ‘work from home’ job” says Dawn. “This enables me to be active in my town, and still pick my kids up after school.” Dawn has served on the Board of the Kaplan Cooperative Preschool for two years, currently volunteers as the secretary of the PTSO for Elysian Charter School, and played left wing for the Nations United team in the adult Hoboken soccer league last year. She plans to play in the new women’s league this spring.
Stan’s parents moved to Hoboken over two years ago. Tragically, Stan’s dad was killed by a hit-and-run driver shortly after moving to Hoboken, but thankfully his mom Gertrude, lives just a few blocks away. “She enthusiastically enjoys all our town has to offer while having the chance to spend time with her grandchildren,” Dawn says. “The Zimmer/Grossbard family is in Hoboken to stay, and we want to do everything we can to make our neighborhood, Southwest Hoboken, the best place that it can be for all of its residents.”
Over the last year Dawn has been a principle member of the Southwest Parks Steering Committee. Hobokenspc.org has fought to bring Southwest Hoboken balanced development with places to shop, places to eat, and a large active park space. She is as surprised as anyone to be running for council, but after talking things over with her family it seems like the right step. “When the politicians forget who they’re supposed to represent, it’s time for regular people to step up,” says Dawn.
Dawn traveled far from New Hampshire before settling here in Hoboken. After graduating Cum Laude in 1990 from the University of New Hampshire in Durham, NH, where she rowed crew for four years, Dawn set off to experience the world. She lived and worked in rural Japan for two years on Kyushu Island, and traveled throughout Asia for nearly a year afterwards. “Living overseas you learn people are people no matter where you go. We all love our homes, and want the best life for our children. There is so much more that unites us than divides us.” Dawn says.
Dawn’s previous work experience includes four years of internal and external communications for Sumitomo Corporation of America. She began her career in public relations at Edelman Public Relations, where she worked for nearly three years.
