ophthalmology as a cornea and
was more he could do. So he decided
to run for the township council of
Livingston, New Jersey, in 2015. Dr.
Klein won the election and was unan-
imously elected mayor by the council
members in January 2017 because of
the hard work and dedication he had
exhibited as a council member.
greater good that is served in this kind
of role--and because he truly loves
the town he grew up in. "You're lim-
ited by the number of people you can
see in a day as a physician," Dr. Klein
says. "When you get involved in pub-
lic policy, taking on the work of run-
ning a small town, you can touch
more people."
went on to the University of
Pennsylvania and then to Robert
Wood Johnson Medical School. His
ophthalmic training took him to other
points in New Jersey as well as to
New York and Chicago. Marriage
and parenthood changed things. Dr.
Klein and his wife, Cindy, decided to
come back to Livingston to raise their
children, Jack and Leo. The move also
put them closer to family: Dr. Klein's
parents, his twin sister, and her family
also reside in Livingston. Dr. Klein
practices medicine with his father,
who is also an ophthalmologist.
seven closest friends have come back
to Livingston," he says, adding what
he believes to be reasons for the
town's popularity: "It's a wonderful
place--great schools and proximity to
New York." A town of about 30,000
people in southwestern Essex County,
governor of the state, William
Livingston. The town's school system
has been nationally recognized, and
the community has a reputation for
volunteerism that has helped it main-
tain a reputation for giving back.
He served on the Vision 20/20
Committee, which was established
with the goal of creating a strategy for
the Township of Livingston to
improve the quality of life for the
community, its residents, and busi-
nesses. Dr. Klein was responsible for
implementing plans for a shuttle to
New York City and holding electronic
recycling events. He's a big believer in
communities becoming sustainable--
particularly ensuring climate security
through reduced dependence on fossil
fuels. Each year, the town profits from
the sale of solar energy while it uses
alternative sources. Conserving water
is another ecological concern that he's
added to his agenda as mayor.
turing a revolutionary type of turf
that reportedly provides a safer sur-
face for young athletes than earlier