Harriet E. Derman (born November 4, 1943) is an American lawyer and Republican Party politician who was elected to two terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, where she represented the 18th Legislative District from 1992 to 1996.
[4] Derman and Warsh won re-election in 1993, defeating former Assemblymember Thomas H. Paterniti and his running mate Matthew Vaughn.
[5] After Christine Whitman took office in 1994, she named Derman to head the Department of Community Affairs, where she was responsible for a $1 billion budget and some 1,000 employees.
Derman stepped down after 18 months as chief of staff, announcing in November 1997 that she would be leaving to spend more time with her family.
[8][9] In July 2003, Chief Justice Deborah T. Poritz elevated Derman to be the Presiding Judge of the Civil Division of Superior Court in Somerset County.