Publisher's Section
The 2025 Long Island Trailblazers
The innovative leaders of Suffolk and Nassau counties.
City & State presents the 2025 Long Island Trailblazers. Long Island University; Kris Qua; Rita Thompson
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Long Island isn’t your average American suburban landscape. Nassau and Suffolk counties are home to nearly 3 million residents, many of whom commute into New York City and are closely tied to the broader downstate economy. But Long Island boasts a vibrant economic ecosystem of its own, featuring world-class corporations, thriving financial institutions, highly rated colleges and universities, and top-tier hospitals, law firms, real estate developers and cultural institutions. The region is bolstered by nonprofit and philanthropic organizations and advocacy groups that ensure a baseline quality of life for residents across the socioeconomic spectrum.
City & State’s Long Island Trailblazers list features dozens of the key players and game-changers who have the region on the upswing. The list, which was researched and written in partnership with journalist Lon Cohen, includes innovative thinkers who are tackling the most pressing issues of our time: combating climate change, mitigating future pandemic risks, building affordable housing and protecting water quality. It tracks local power brokers on the move – including the new CEO of the Long Island Power Authority, a former NFL player turned lawmaker and a recently elevated municipal labor leader – and others who are stepping aside after decades in leadership.
We’re pleased to present the inaugural Long Island Trailblazers.
Leonard Achan
Leonard Achan draws on his experience as a critical care nurse and former health system executive to drive innovation in organ donation policy. Under his leadership, LiveOnNY became one of the top organ procurement organizations in the nation, with a 70% increase in donors across the New York metro region over the past three years. Last fall, LiveOnNY also launched a facility called the Donate Eight Simulation Center to improve organ donor care through training for staff and health care professionals as well as community members.
Sol Marie Alfonso-Jones
As Long Island grapples with a worsening housing crisis, Sol Marie Alfonso-Jones is helping direct resources where they’re needed most. At The New York Community Trust, one of the region’s largest charitable foundations, she oversees grantmaking focused on youth development, community revitalization and affordable housing. She supports a regional response to homelessness and helped establish an emergency response fund for immigrants. Amid growing national backlash to diversity initiatives, she has defended grassroots, equity-driven work and has aimed to ensure that funding continues reaching those confronting injustice firsthand.
Phil Andrews
A former barbershop owner who sharpened both fades and futures by giving haircuts along with health and business advice, Phil Andrews now heads the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce. Under his leadership, the organization has grown from 20 to over 400 members and also launched a Suffolk County chapter, giving it a presence across both Long Island counties as well as Brooklyn and Queens. Andrews also founded and leads 100 Black Men of Eastern New York and serves on boards across the region.
Linda Armyn
Guiding her credit union through a bold rebrand this year, Linda Armyn led Bethpage Federal Credit Union into its new identity as FourLeaf Federal Credit Union, a name meant to signal growth, innovation and community. As the first woman to serve as its president and CEO, she led FourLeaf’s growth to $13 billion in assets. She also helped carry forward the new branding to the FourLeaf Air Show at Jones Beach, a Memorial Day tradition that draws nearly 400,000 attendees annually. Armyn co-chairs the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council and serves on the Long Island State Park Commission.
Vanessa Baird-Streeter
Vanessa Baird-Streeter’s Health and Welfare Council of Long Island has championed Medicaid advocacy and maternal health equity and launched a regional Social Care Network connecting thousands of Long Islanders with food, housing and mental health support. Decrying medical emergencies as financially devastating for families, she has led efforts to negotiate down medical bills so patients can resume care. The former Suffolk County deputy executive helped launch an early childhood development program and advanced equity in procurement. She was a founding member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women’s Suffolk County chapter.
Stanley Bergman
At the helm of Long Island’s largest public company, Stanley Bergman has led Henry Schein through decades of global growth, ethical leadership and innovation in health care distribution – and he’s set to go out on top, as he’s retiring at the end of the year. During his tenure, the company exceeded $12.7 billion in sales and recorded a 13-year streak on Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies list. In February, Bergman received the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors’ Dirk Van Dongen Lifetime Achievement Award for industrywide leadership. A vocal advocate against hate, he co-chairs the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council and champions business as a force for social responsibility.
Phil Boyle
Phil Boyle is overseeing a $210 million expansion of Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel on Long Island that will double gambling capacity, add union jobs, and introduce new dining and event spaces. This year, the former Republican state senator was named chair of the New York Gaming Association, shaping casino policy statewide while pushing to add an in-person sportsbook at Jake’s to attract younger patrons. Boyle has touted the high payout rate to players at Jake’s and the revenues it raises for education funding in New York.
Robert Budd
Robert Budd is behind two of the most innovative human services initiatives on Long Island: a tech-enabled smart home expanding independence for residents with disabilities, and a new facility delivering personalized substance use recovery care. Since 1985, Budd has grown Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, or FREE, into a $150 million network structured to combine the agility of smaller nonprofits with the strength of a unified system. A national voice in disability rights, he also mentors future advocates as a Stony Brook University adjunct professor and certified leadership trainer.
Lisa Burch
Since taking the reins of EPIC Family of Human Service Agencies in 2024, Lisa Burch has prioritized expanding the public visibility of the organization while mobilizing Long Island nonprofit leaders in response to Medicaid cuts, noting that many are “frightened” of what’s ahead. Earlier in her career, Burch launched Northwell Health’s first sustainability and social responsibility program and served as chief operating officer of the Family and Children’s Association, one of Long Island’s largest nonprofits. Burch is also a champion of women navigating complex careers in human services.
Noah Burroughs
First-term Assembly Member Noah Burroughs won the District 18 seat by the widest margin of any Assembly race on Long Island in 2024. A former NFL player with the New York Jets, he later served as a Hempstead Village trustee, where he secured federal funding to overhaul the village’s water system and backed new mixed-income housing. In Albany, he has pushed to restore Foundation Aid – the state’s primary funding formula for school districts – and demanded accountability in charter school funding and greater transparency at the embattled Nassau University Medical Center.
Sammy Chu
At Edgewise Energy, Sammy Chu has led one of the nation’s largest community energy rollouts, saving customers thousands of dollars while advancing ambitious climate goals. A former Suffolk County commissioner and Superstorm Sandy recovery lead, Chu also founded Caltech Electric and helped develop the Long Island Green Homes program in Babylon, the first in the nation to operationalize property assessed clean energy financing for residential energy upgrades. He was appointed to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board by Gov. Kathy Hochul last year.
Kim Ciesinski
A veteran of Long Island’s family law landscape, Kim Ciesinski reimagines divorce as a restructuring while prioritizing dignity, clarity and long-term healing. A pioneer in collaborative divorce, she blends legal strategy with therapeutic insight to avoid courtroom trauma. She co-founded Empower Divorce Transitions, a support initiative that helps women navigate the emotional and financial challenges of post-divorce life and hosts the podcast “Happily Even After.” An adjunct professor at Hofstra University, she also serves on its Women in Leadership Initiative, supporting the development of women leaders across industries.
Kimberly Cline
Kimberly Cline has led Long Island University through a dozen years of transformation, elevating its enrollment and national visibility while holding tuition increases to just 2%. The first woman to lead LIU in its history, Cline brought the university to national audiences this year through “The College Tour,” an Amazon Prime series showcasing campus life through student voices. She’s a member of the Long Island Association and a current co-chair of the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council.
Allan Cohen
With over 200 mergers and acquisitions completed, Allan Cohen has built a reputation as a trusted adviser across Long Island – from family firms to startups. As managing partner of Nixon Peabody’s Long Island office and a member of the firm’s national policy committee, he brings business-minded counsel to sectors like life sciences, insurance and consumer products and is a go-to attorney for serial entrepreneurs. Cohen serves on the Long Island Food Council advisory board and has been recognized by Chambers USA, New York Super Lawyers and the Long Island Business News.
Corinna Creedon
Corinna Creedon has spearheaded finance, strategy and digital innovation across sectors, most recently heading national advisory and outsourced accounting practices at Forvis Mazars before stepping away in June. At her former company, she led the New York office’s CARES Act Taskforce, helping clients navigate Paycheck Protection Program funding and forgiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic. She later became national lead for Forvis Mazars’ nonprofit digital strategy team, modernizing systems and strengthening internal controls for mission-driven organizations. Now on sabbatical, she continues to selectively consult while contributing nationally as a speaker and author.
Christopher D’Amato
Christopher D’Amato has spent nearly a quarter century guiding clients through corporate partnerships, government affairs and regulatory hurdles at Park Strategies. A former Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement attorney and Manhattan prosecutor, he now leads engagements across health care, real estate, energy and procurement. He helps anchor the firm’s Long Island presence through its Uniondale office while serving as general counsel and chief compliance officer. The son of Park Strategies founder and former U.S. Sen. Al D’Amato, the younger D’Amato guided medical interpreter Voyce from startup in 2017 to its acquisition by Cloudbreak Health last year.
Howard Fensterman
Long tied to Brooklyn’s Democratic establishment and Nassau County’s power circles, Howard Fensterman co-founded the law firm Abrams Fensterman in 2000 and built it into a 115-attorney practice with six offices statewide. He is often the connector across partisan divides, such as when he brought New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman together over dinner this year. As politics grows more combative on Long Island and beyond, Fensterman pens pointed op-eds decrying the “hyperpartisan political environment.”
Jaime Franchi
Jaime Franchi has become one of Long Island’s most vocal advocates for infrastructure investment and equity in the trades. At the Long Island Contractors’ Association, she championed the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act and is now helping to oversee the $8.8 billion wastewater plan. She is calling for the creation of a Nassau Suffolk Metropolitan Planning Organization to upgrade transportation infrastructure on the island. Franchi also founded FOREWomen Long Island to unite women working in construction and frequently appears on panels and at industry events.
Carrie Meek Gallagher
Just chosen to lead the Long Island Power Authority, one of the region’s most scrutinized agencies, Carrie Meek Gallagher brings over 25 years in public service, including a decade in utility oversight and earlier roles shaping Long Island’s environmental policy. She managed a $2 billion state energy portfolio and 12 agencies as deputy secretary for energy and environment, and led COVID-19 testing efforts at Stony Brook University as incident commander. With deep relationships across labor and government, she’s tasked with charting the next chapter at LIPA.
Thomas Garry
A fixture in Democratic politics on Long Island, Thomas Garry is vice chair of the Nassau County Democratic Committee and an election law expert who has served as counsel to the Harris, Biden and Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaigns. He chairs Gov. Kathy Hochul’s judicial screening panel for Long Island, the Hudson Valley and parts of New York City. As managing partner of Harris Beach Murtha’s Uniondale office, Garry advises municipalities and developers on complex infrastructure, health care and energy projects across the region.
Vito Giannola
With decades of experience in retail banking in the region, Vito Giannola is leading Provident Bank’s community-focused expansion. Under his leadership, the New Jersey-headquartered bank now oversees a network of more than 140 branches, opening its first Long Island location in 2022. As digital platforms reshape the industry, Giannola has become an important voice on the role of in-person banking in serving communities where people live and work. Giannola previously held senior roles at SB One Bank and TD Bank before joining Provident in 2020.
Rob Gitto
Rob Gitto is reimagining Upper Port Jefferson as a walkable hub, guiding a wave of mixed-use and multifamily developments to meet demand from employers like Stony Brook University and local hospitals. Another new mixed-use project began leasing late last year backed by a Restore New York grant and two additional multifamily projects in the village are entering the approval pipeline. Based in Port Jefferson, Gitto’s firm also leads retail and commercial developments across Long Island and has earned Smart Growth Awards from the advocacy group Vision Long Island for its community-focused approach.
John Gordon
Guiding some of the region’s most complex redevelopment deals, John Gordon helps secure industrial development agency benefits and local incentives for projects that reshape Long Island’s landscape. He played a central role in Brookfield Properties’ Nassau Logistics Center, a LEED-certified warehouse built on a remediated Superfund site. Based in Uniondale, Gordon also supports the firm’s Suffolk County expansion, reflecting a growing portfolio that spans industrial, medical and mixed-use developments. Gordon’s work is grounded in broad legal fluency, including estate planning and corporate law.
Ani Halasz
Ani Halasz has helped turn Long Island Jobs with Justice into a forceful voice for workers and immigrant communities, leading campaigns on wage theft, transit access, deportation defense and union solidarity. He joined the organization in 2010 as a part-time administrative assistant and rose through the ranks to become its first immigrant executive director. A longtime organizer, his activism began as an undergraduate at Stony Brook University, where he led a successful campaign for the school to cut ties with Coca-Cola over labor abuses. Last year, he stood alongside Peconic Bay Medical Center nurses demanding a fair contract.
Adam Hornbuckle
Adam Hornbuckle’s path from college intern to Long Island regional director for U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer reflects a deep-rooted commitment to public service. Raised on the East End and now living in Glen Cove, he has worked in local, county and federal government, including for Nassau County and then-Rep. Kathleen Rice. The Long Island University graduate also worked at the Threshold Group in the private sector. He champions funding for research institutions like Stony Brook University, mentors young Long Islanders and connects regularly with nonprofits like The INN and Project Most.
Frank Korzekwinski
Frank Korzekwinski has shaped Flushing Bank’s real estate portfolio for over three decades, building one of its most profitable divisions and helping the bank expand into other sectors like multifamily and construction. He oversees both commercial and residential lending operations, including servicing, and played a lead role in onboarding a lending team from Signature Bank in 2023. A Long Island University graduate, he remains active in civic life through roles on the Holy Cross High School board and the Real Estate Board of New York’s Finance Committee.
Steven Krieger
Steven Krieger has reshaped Long Island’s housing landscape through $3 billion in real estate transactions, from luxury rentals to senior living communities. A founding partner of Engel Burman before launching B2K Development, he helped establish The Bristal brand, securing entitlements for over 3,000 assisted living beds. He also led The Boardwalk project in Long Beach, a $369 million waterfront development with over $100 million in condo pre-sales. A former real estate attorney, he helped pioneer industrial development authority-backed assisted living in New York state and once chaired the Long Island Builders Institute.
Evan Krinick
Overseeing Rivkin Radler’s expansion to six offices and 240 attorneys, Evan Krinick has guided the law firm’s growth while litigating high-stakes matters that shaped Long Island’s energy landscape. As longtime counsel to the Long Island Power Authority, he played a pivotal role in resolving major disputes tied to the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant, Superstorm Sandy, Tropical Storm Isaias and the 2% property tax cap litigation with Suffolk County and local towns. He also serves on the Long Island Association’s board and formerly chaired the Long Island Mentoring Partnership’s Leadership Council.
Gary Lewi
Gary Lewi is a trusted crisis communicator and longtime Rubenstein executive. He also serves as a founding trustee and spokesperson for the Museum of American Armor, where he recently helped steer public response to two high-profile incidents: the return of a stolen replica World War II pistol and backlash after reenactors in German uniforms appeared at a local restaurant. This spring, he supported PSEG’s effort to retain its Long Island Power Authority contract by helping craft a high-profile op-ed targeting a rival utility – shaping the narrative in a high-stakes fight over the future of Long Island’s electric grid.
Lorna Lewis
After 47 years in education, Lorna Lewis has just retired from Malverne having broken barriers and established legacies. An immigrant from Jamaica, she was the first Black woman to lead two majority-white Long Island districts. She later brought that same drive to Malverne, where she championed student voices in the campaign to rename a street honoring a Ku Klux Klan leader. A past New York State Council of School Superintendents president and founding member of its diversity commission, she also served on the board of ERASE Racism and the state’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures.
Daniel Liberty
With nearly four decades in commercial banking, Daniel Liberty now leads not-for-profit banking at Webster Bank in its Jericho regional headquarters, supporting the financial needs of mission-driven organizations. Under his leadership, the bank recently delivered $19 million in financing to the Capital District YMCA during a tight credit market. A familiar presence at sector events, he lent his expertise at the 2025 Nonprofit OpCon panel on financial compliance. Liberty has served on numerous Long Island nonprofit boards, several of which have formally recognized his contributions to community-based care.
Seymour Liebman
Marking 50 years with Canon USA last year, Seymour Liebman remains a driving force behind the Melville-based company’s leadership. He not only helped launch the in-house legal department but also played a key role in relocating Canon’s corporate hub to Suffolk County. He became the first non-Japanese executive officer of Canon in 2009. A vice chair of the Long Island Association, he is also a member of the board of advisers for the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts at Long Island University.
Jason Lipiec
Jason Lipiec leads M&T Bank’s $3 billion commercial banking portfolio on Long Island, where 42 branches support key industry sectors. A Deer Park resident and former youth coach, he spent 15 years on the sidelines and nearly a decade as treasurer of the Deer Park Soccer Club. He helped launch a financial empowerment initiative with SUSA FC, New York’s largest youth soccer academy based in Central Islip, and backed the bank’s expansion with a new Melville branch under its Wilmington Trust banner, M&T’s wealth and institutional services division.
Joel Lipsky
A third-generation builder with deep Long Island roots, Joel Lipsky is the leader of the family-run Lipsky Construction. He’s reshaping the construction management and general contracting firm into a commercial construction leader on Long Island, whether it’s restoring the historic Montauk Manor or delivering a 300,000-square-foot FedEx site. A former employee at Turner Construction Co. and The Haskell Co., he also founded Virtual Construction Assistants to modernize staffing in the industry. Lipsky chairs the Next Generation Construction Council and serves on the Associated General Contractors of New York State board, and recently testified before Congress on the challenges facing small contractors.
Dan Lloyd
Dan Lloyd is reshaping civic power on Long Island through Minority Millennials, the organization he founded to equip young people of color with tools to build careers, generational wealth and political influence. His We Are the Future Summit at Nassau Coliseum has connected over 5,000 emerging entrepreneurs and civic leaders with leadership training and economic opportunity. As a former lead on Babylon’s economic inclusion plan, he advanced financial, legal and technical support for minority- and women-owned businesses. He also serves on the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council board.
Neela Mukherjee Lockel
Neela Mukherjee Lockel began her Long Island career at EAC Network in 2006, and 15 years later she returned to lead it as president and CEO. At the helm of the human services nonprofit, she oversees over 100 programs that serve 65,000 people annually. A former Red Cross executive and founding director of Girls Inc. of Long Island, she has prioritized equity at EAC through internal diversity, equity and inclusion reforms. In an op-ed in the Daily News this year, Lockel advocated for the statewide school smartphone ban that eventually was signed into law.
Stuart Lubow
A veteran of community banking with over four decades of leadership, Stuart Lubow helped transform Dime Community Bank into a relationship-driven commercial bank with more than $14 billion in assets and the top deposit share among Long Island-based banks. On his watch, Dime launched residential lending and a philanthropic foundation supporting hundreds of local nonprofits. He guided expansion into New Jersey and added $2 billion in core deposits over the past two years. Lubow previously founded and led Community National Bank and Community State Bank.
Terry Maccarrone
Terry Maccarrone took the helm of Suffolk’s largest municipal union after defeating the incumbent by a more than 2-to-1 margin in a closely watched March election. His term began July 1, with a focus on restoring transparency and securing a long-overdue contract for more than 6,000 active members. A longtime county official, he criticized past leadership for poor communication and neglecting fiduciary duties. Previously, Maccarrone managed capital projects for the Suffolk County Department of Public Works, led long-term planning for the Suffolk County Parks Department and ran the Sayville Farmers Market.
Syra Madad
After being appointed as chief biopreparedness officer at NYC Health + Hospitals last year, Dr. Syra Madad carries out a critical role for the nation’s largest public health system. She directed a full-scale H5N1 response exercise and spearheaded front-line training to confront high-consequence threats. A fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center and board member of Project HOPE, she also serves as public health editor-at-large for the New York Academy of Sciences and authors Critical Health Voices on Substack, amplifying expert perspectives. Featured in Netflix’s “Pandemic,” the Roslyn Harbor resident merges science strategy with public advocacy.
Monica Martinez
A former educator and Brentwood schools assistant principal, state Sen. Monica Martinez has emerged as a key voice for the region in the state Senate. Now in her third term, she chairs the Local Government Committee and has championed legislation including the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act, a “revenge porn” law and a measure expanding access to mammograms. The first woman and first woman of color to represent the 3rd state Senate District, she previously led anti-gang and anti-violence programs in the Suffolk County Legislature.
Robert McBride
A trusted strategist to Fortune 500 companies and local developers alike, Robert McBride brings 40 years of experience in policy, infrastructure and public-private partnerships. His Melville-based firm helped advance major initiatives like Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind. Known for a rigorous client vetting process (he turns away up to 70% of potential clients), McBride prioritizes impact over volume. McBride helped raise $1.5 million in one night for Operation Healing Forces and played a role in restoring Montauk’s iconic lighthouse.
Matthew McDonough
Newly appointed board chair of Jovia Financial Credit Union, Matthew McDonough now helps guide one of Long Island’s largest financial institutions with over $4.5 billion in assets. A longtime adviser to local governments, he serves as special counsel to the town of Babylon, where he drafted the region’s first cannabis zoning code and launched a pioneering economic inclusion plan to support minority- and veteran-owned businesses. In a recent op-ed, McDonough argued that solving the housing shortage is essential to reversing Long Island’s brain drain, saying “housing is economic development.”
Carl Mills III
A key force behind Stony Brook University’s recent funding milestones, Carl Mills III draws on nearly 15 years in the state Senate to advance the institution’s academic, medical and research priorities. His portfolio spans two campuses, four hospitals, over 200 outpatient facilities and the Long Island State Veterans Home. Mills helped secure $300 million in research capital, legislative approval for campus housing and $6.5 million for a quantum internet testbed. He also played a key role in positioning Stony Brook as the anchor institution for the New York Climate Exchange.
Kevin Mulry
With a litigation portfolio spanning trade secrets, employment discrimination, medical malpractice and environmental law, Kevin Mulry brings a balanced approach, favoring mediation but always fully prepared to go to trial. As a partner and general counsel at Farrell Fritz, he draws on his experience as a former assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, where he tackled fraud in health care, finance and government contracting. The former St. John’s University law professor remains active in legal discourse, writing on health care and federal civil litigation.
Ana Oliveira
After starting as a part-time teller at Penn Federal Savings Bank, Ana Oliveira steadily advanced to regional manager before taking on executive roles at Investors Bank and, ultimately, Valley Bank. Now senior vice president overseeing 41 New York branches, she guides the bank’s strategy in deposit growth, customer experience and staff development. Oliveira has garnered recognitions and awards for her work and also demonstrates her commitment to the community by chairing the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce board and serving on the board of Futures in Education.
Gwen O’Shea
Long Island’s housing landscape is shifting toward data transparency, policy reform and inclusive development – and Gwen O’Shea is at the fulcrum of that tilt. Under her leadership, Community Development Long Island co-created the Long Island Zoning Atlas, showing how restrictive codes limit multifamily options. With an $85 million annual budget, the group pairs advocacy with action, offering energy efficiency programs, direct lending and support for accessory dwelling units. Recent projects like Baldwin Commons, Peconic Crossing and Wyandanch Village are the result of O’Shea’s ability to bring developers, lenders and residents to the same table.
Paule Pachter
Recently retired from leading Long Island Cares, Paule Pachter remains president emeritus while the nonprofit searches for a successor. Over 17 years, he transformed the food bank into a statewide model for innovation and outreach, expanding it to nine locations and distributing 16 million pounds of food annually to over 318,000 Long Islanders. He launched mobile units, veterans initiatives, a pet pantry and a farmers market on wheels. A national leader in the Feeding America network, Pachter kept singer-songwriter and activist Harry Chapin’s legacy at the center of the organization’s mission.
Frank Palma
A lifelong Long Islander, Frank Palma started on the front lines and now oversees Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages’ operations across Nassau and Suffolk counties. He has forged partnerships with the New York Army National Guard, Special Olympics and Girls Inc. Under his leadership, Liberty has deepened its local ties, inking a deal with the Long Island Ducks baseball team and piloting sustainable packaging efforts expected to cut 200,000 pounds of plastic annually. He also serves with the Long Island chapter of the Red Cross.
Daniel Pearl
Amid a mayoralty marked by tragedy and national headlines, Daniel Pearl remains a steady figure at the helm of Massapequa Park, reelected this year without opposition. He oversaw a $7.9 million budget passed within the state tax cap and led major infrastructure upgrades while navigating the Gilgo Beach serial killer investigation, the tragic death of New York City Police Department Officer Jonathan Diller and the district’s high-profile mascot fight. Despite the tumult, the village was named the best place to live in New York – an honor Pearl credits to the community’s resilience and commitment to its identity.
Elaine Phillips
A former Wall Street executive and state senator, Elaine Phillips now serves as Nassau County’s fiscal watchdog, a role in which she has pushed for transparency and accountability in spending at the Long Island Rail Road and in county government. She led a county overhaul of an outdated financial system and spearheaded audits across multiple departments. In Albany, she chaired key state Senate committees on banking, infrastructure and ethics. Phillips has criticized Manhattan’s congestion pricing program and payroll tax hikes, arguing they punish Long Island commuters while LIRR stations across Nassau County remain in disrepair.
Susan Poser
Since becoming Hofstra University’s ninth president in 2021, Susan Poser has ushered in a period of transformation, launching the Hofstra 100 strategic plan and unveiling a new brand identity ahead of the university’s centennial. Under her leadership, Hofstra achieved R2 research status, posted record student retention and secured the largest gift in its history for undergraduate education: $35 million to support business scholarships. She also created the Hofstra-Uniondale Pathway Program, offering local high school students college credit and scholarships. Poser serves on the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council as well.
Stuart Rabinowitz
Appointed to chair the Nassau University Medical Center board amid sweeping state-led reforms, Stuart Rabinowitz is tasked with steering Long Island’s only public hospital through a period of political and financial upheaval. A former Hofstra University president who launched a medical school and hosted three presidential debates, he brings decades of experience in public service, including previously serving on the state’s Gaming Facility Location Board. Calling NUMC a “critical safety net institution,” he aims to restore public trust and implement long-overdue reforms despite opposition from Nassau County officials.
Ankita Rathi
Ankita Rathi, a champion of mobility from VHB’s Hauppauge office, is helping reimagine how Long Islanders get around. She has led initiatives ranging from Suffolk’s 1,200-mile bike network proposal to downtown safety planning and SUNY campus mobility upgrades. She helped local governments secure federal Safe Streets funding and guided Suffolk County’s Microtransit Pilot and Reimagine Transit efforts. Her partnerships with Suffolk County, the town of North Hempstead and the state Department of Transportation reflect her regional impact, bolstered by international training and dual graduate degrees in planning and environmental systems.
Jeffrey Reynolds
As Washington, D.C., slashes funding for opioid treatment and cancer research, Jeffrey Reynolds has emerged as one of Long Island’s most forceful voices in protest. In recent op-eds, the leader of the nonprofit Family and Children’s Association warned these rollbacks would devastate recovery networks and derail medical progress – threats he takes personally as a two-time cancer survivor. At FCA, he launched a peer advocate program, secured funding for Nassau’s first Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic and expanded Thrive centers across Long Island, including a new East End site in Riverhead.
Stacey Rosen
This month, native Long Islander Dr. Stacey Rosen took the helm as national volunteer president of the American Heart Association, stepping into the role after a career spent transforming women’s health. At Northwell’s Katz Institute for Women’s Health, she helped build a 900-member network of women’s health experts, led the creation of gender-specific cardiac testing protocols and co-founded a national support network for women in cardiology. She recently expanded access with Northwell’s new Women’s Specialty Care Center in Deer Park and moderated panels at the 2025 Women’s Health Lab alongside national advocates and celebrities.
Hassan Salameh
Hassan Salameh is playing a role in one of Long Island’s most ambitious construction efforts: the $210 million, 300,000-square-foot expansion of Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel in Islandia. As senior project manager for Aurora Contractors, he’s overseeing a near doubling of the facility’s size, with new features including a VIP terrace lounge, a conference center, an expanded gambling floor and a multilevel parking garage. The project is expected to generate over 800 union jobs. Known for guiding complex projects from design through occupancy, Salameh also helped deliver Brookfield Properties’ award-winning Nassau Logistics Center.
Timothy Sams
Timothy Sams has led SUNY Old Westbury’s transformation into a full-fledged university, completing its transition in 2023 after more than 50 years as a college. He expanded partnerships with Brookhaven National Laboratory, broke ground on a $200 million STEM facility and helped relaunch the Stay on Long Island Scholarship with Nassau and Suffolk community colleges. He also launched the ACE program to boost graduation rates for students with financial need. Under his leadership, the university introduced new degrees in Healthcare Management, Black Studies and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies.
Michael Serao
One of Long Island’s most visible LGBTQ+ banking executives, Michael Serao blends community leadership with bold institutional change. At First Central Savings Bank, he modernized operations while reinforcing a neighborhood-first mission, from ADA-compliant tools to renovated branch spaces that preserve the personal touch. He led the rollout of mobile and business banking upgrades, introduced remote deposit capture and hired business development officers to expand access. He has personally donated generously to nonprofits, including the Long Island Crisis Center.
Tammy Severino
With a focus on access, equity and imagination, Tammy Severino has helped make Girl Scouts of Suffolk County one of the fastest-growing councils, with membership growth in the top 5% nationally. She has expanded scouting into 53 schools and seven shelters, specifically to include girls who might otherwise be left out. At Camp Edey, she brought back a beloved holiday light show that helps fund scouting programs and scholarships and also launched the new EmpowerHER Festival, two events that celebrate leadership and creativity. Severino is also president of RPC Development, a business consulting firm.
Todd Shapiro
Todd Shapiro recently celebrated his 60th birthday while also marking 30 years of his PR firm, pulling together a spectrum of politicians with events in multiple cities, including one at the tony Bryant Park Grill. From his start as press secretary in Suffolk County to founding his eponymous firm with offices in Jericho, Port Jefferson, Manhattan and Albany, he has built a business on relationships, not releases. He owns the bipartisan watering hole, Albany War Room Tavern, and pens a column for Dan’s Papers. He’s also a spokesperson for New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ independent reelection campaign.
Stacey Sikes
A connector across sectors and a builder of coalitions, Stacey Sikes has leveraged roles in government, academia and business to advance Long Island’s economic future. At the Long Island Association, she shapes the business group’s annual advocacy agenda and oversees major outreach efforts, including a small-business grant program supporting 90 local companies. She has convened top leaders like U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer and Gov. Kathy Hochul to engage directly with members. She was honored this year with the Girl Scouts’ Legacy Award for her mentorship and civic commitment.
Anthony Simon
Anthony Simon has spent 35 years rising through the ranks of the Long Island Rail Road and its largest labor union. Now general chairperson of the SMART unit representing LIRR workers, he oversees thousands of front-line employees and negotiates national contracts on wages, benefits and safety. He was the first labor leader from a passenger railroad elected to his position as general chairperson. Simon helped organize Superstorm Sandy relief and has organized fundraisers in Bethpage to support families dealing with autism.
Doreen Spagnuolo
At the helm of one of the nation’s largest Realtor associations, Doreen Spagnuolo has guided the Long Island Board of Realtors through a period of major industry transition. After 15 years as general counsel, she was promoted to CEO in 2023 and quickly launched initiatives including a consumer education hub, a Home for All of Us fair housing campaign aimed at equipping agents with stronger tools to combat housing discrimination and a relocation to a modern Melville headquarters in June.
Christopher Storm
Christopher Storm was recently appointed interim president of Adelphi University following Christine Riordan’s departure after a decade of service, as the school conducts a national search for a permanent successor. A mathematician turned administrator, Storm joined the faculty in 2007 and became provost in 2021, spending nearly two decades shaping the university’s academic direction. He helped guide Adelphi through pandemic-era transitions, secured a new faculty contract and launched the SPARK Center to expand undergraduate research. Storm also led the relaunch of the Innovation Center as a hub for interdisciplinary collaboration.
Morgan Taylor
Morgan Taylor has turned the Long Island Nets into a case study in grassroots sports marketing, doubling attendance and driving a 30% spike in ticket revenue since 2022. Taylor also led the team’s first international series in Quebec and built momentum through hyperlocal theme nights – like Chinese New Year and Town of Babylon Night – as well as a Big Brothers Big Sisters mentorship program and an inaugural youth basketball camp in 2024. She also serves on the board of the Long Island Association.
Gordon Tepper
Gordon Tepper is a linchpin connecting Long Islanders to Albany. As Gov. Kathy Hochul’s regional press secretary, he shapes messaging on issues from infrastructure funding to hospital board shakeups, most recently calling out “scare tactics” in the Nassau University Medical Center debate. He also served as spokesperson following the governor’s Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump, framing key state priorities from congestion pricing to offshore wind projects in local waters. A former Long Island school teacher and government IT specialist, he brings a personal investment to the place he still calls home.
Gozde Ustuner
Before age 30, Gozde Ustuner made history as the youngest acting department chair at Farmingdale State College, where she taught engineering and automotive technology. Now an assistant professor at Hofstra University and a researcher at Brookhaven National Laboratory, she develops low-platinum electrocatalysts to improve fuel cell performance, work funded by the Department of Energy and National Science Foundation. She also advanced hydrogen production technologies at Stony Brook’s Institute of Gas Innovation and Technology. A TEDx speaker and mentor, Ustuner is helping to shape the minds of the next generation of scientists.
Anthony Villa
A third-generation union carpenter, Anthony Villa rose from apprentice to foreperson on major downstate job sites while finishing his degree at Fordham University by taking night classes. At Local 290, he has been a vocal advocate for state investment in infrastructure, including the ongoing Belmont Park redevelopment project, a $455 million initiative generating thousands of union construction jobs. He helped launch a pre-apprenticeship program to open the trade to more women and now represents Long Island labor at the executive board level of the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters.
Robert Werner
With more than four decades in health care finance, Robert Werner plays a pivotal role at the Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation, guiding strategy and operations across finance, IT, facilities and internal controls for a team of over 1,000 employees. He helped secure pandemic-era funding to support aging Long Islanders and oversees finances for the Queens-Long Island Renal Institute. At a facility known for high-acuity care, Werner ensures services remain fiscally sound. He also serves on the board of LeadingAge New York, which represents nursing homes, adult care facilities and other similar care providers.
Sharon Wyman
With over two decades driving Long Island’s $7.5 billion visitor economy, Sharon Wyman has been central to the tourism agency Discover Long Island’s transformation into a year-round engine for jobs and investment. She helped guide the organization through two financial crises, the COVID-19 pandemic and a staff expansion. As operational anchor during a pivotal leadership transition after former President and CEO Kristen Reynolds left for Chicago, Wyman ensures continuity amid change. A recent graduate of the Destinations International’s Certified Destination Management Executive program, Wyman continues to champion Long Island as a destination in every season.
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