About Martin & Lauren

Martin Slayne and Lauren Spirig were drawn to run together for Mendham Township Committee by a shared commitment to listen to Mendham Township residents and authentically represent their interests in an open, responsible, and collaborative manner.

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Martin and Lauren want to connect with you and your neighbors about the issues that are important to you. They will use their professional expertise and community service experience to support and sustain our thriving community, and strive to preserve all that makes Mendham Township a uniquely wonderful place to live.

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Martin and Lauren share a vision for Mendham Township that prioritizes the needs of all members of our community, and a belief that the Township Committee must balance fiscal responsibility with the quality of life within our community.

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Mendham Township is well known for its close-knit community, outstanding schools, and beautiful outdoor spaces. The Township Committee should be charged first and foremost with thoughtfully listening to its residents, openly and transparently providing relevant information, and responsibly stewarding a budget that ensures that our town thrives. (See the Issues page for more!)

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Lauren Spirig has lived in the township since 2017. She and her husband, John, have two children, Luke, 7, and Zoey, 4, who attend Mendham Township Elementary School (where Lauren is an active volunteer). She loves living in the Drakewick neighborhood and seeing everyone in the township on Halloween!

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Lauren has a master’s degree in public administration from New York University and is a graduate of Boston College. She has spent 16 years in nonprofit management, and currently serves as director of development for The Markup, a tech-focused digital newsroom, where she builds and executes strategies for sustainable fundraising. Prior to joining The Markup, she spent nine years in independent schools in Manhattan and New Jersey, focusing on capital campaigns and endowment fundraising.

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​Martin Slayne moved to the township in 2012 with his wife Ella, and their three children, Oliver, Nia, and Leo (the family moved to the U.S. from the United Kingdom in 2005). Ella co-owns the Harmony Brookside gift shop and gallery next to the Brookside Post Office. Oliver is a senior at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin, majoring in economics and environmental studies, while Nia is in her freshman year at Berklee College of Music, in Boston, Massachusetts. Leo is a freshman at Mendham High School.

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​Martin has served as Chair of the Mendham Township Environmental Commission for two years, gaining strong commitment from volunteers and community support on environmental matters that impact our local community.

Martin is senior leader for global food industries, heading global scientific and regulatory affairs, food safety, and nutrition departments for Fortune 500 food companies. He has a doctorate and master’s degree in microbiology from the University of Wales, Cardiff, U.K., and a bachelor of science degree with honors in applied biology from the University of the West of England. He previously established a global food consulting business, supporting organizations on food regulation, policy and strategy, scientific risk analysis, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and government advocacy.