Gillen Creates Transition Team For Supervisor Takeover

Laura Gillen, the supervisor-elect for the Town of Hempstead, named her transition team on Monday. Her choices include experts in areas such as politics, labor, business, law, religion, education and civil rights. The transition team will help identify qualified people to serve in her administration. She also set up a website to accept applications from all individuals who want to apply for positions to serve the residents in the Town of Hempstead.

“The members of my transition will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience,” said Gillen. “I have said it’s a new day in the Town of Hempstead, and I am proud that my transition team reflects this.”

Gillen also announced her trusted former colleague — John Westerman, managing partner of the Long Island legal firm of Westerman, Ball, Ederer, Miller, Zucker & Sharfstein LLP — as her transition team chair.

“I am honored that Laura has asked me to head up her transition,” Westerman said, “and she has been crystal clear that we are to identify and bring into the mix only the best, most experienced people to serve the residents of the Town of Hempstead.”

The transition team is:

• John Westerman, Chair – Attorney at Law, Westerman Ball Ederer Miller Zucker & Sharfstein, LLP
• Kevan Abrahams – Minority Leader of the Nassau County Legislature and Legislator, District 1
• Robert Kennedy – Mayor, Village of Freeport and President, Nassau County Village Officials Association
• Eric Alexander – Director, Vision Long Island
• Linda Armyn – Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Bethpage Federal Credit Union
• Marianela Casas – Regional Representative, Office of the Governor
• Richard Conniff – Chief Operating Officer, RXR Realty
• Vincent DelCastillo – Former Chief of Department, New York City Transit Police
• John Durso – President, Local 338 and Long Island Federation of Labor
• Luis Figueroa – Former Deputy Mayor, Village of Hempstead
• Dr. David B. Gates – Senior Pastor, Miracle Christian Center
• Dorothy Goosby – Senior Council Member, 1 st District, Town of Hempstead
• Susan Gordan-Ryan – Former Regional Director, New York State Parks and Founder of the Games for the Physically Challenged
• Mark Herbst – Executive Director, Long Island Contractors’ Association
• David Kilmnick – President and CEO, LGBT Network
• Erin King-Sweeney – Council Member, 5th District, Town of Hempstead
• Mark Lesko – Vice President of Economic Development, Hofstra University
• Vincent LeVien – Director of External Affairs, Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn
• Julie Marchesella – Former President, Nassau Council Chamber of Commerce and Vice President, Elmont Chamber of Commerce
• Donna Milrod – Former Deputy CEO, Deutsche Bank North America
• Jim Montes – Assistant Dean for Career and Professional Development and Director of Diversity, Touro Law School
• Malik Nadeem Abid – Ambassador and Secretary General, International Human Rights Commission
• Gil Ricotta – Senior Vice President of Not-for- Profit Banking, Bank United
• Thomas Tweedy – Former Mayor, Village of Floral Park
• Lisa Tyson – Director, Long Island Progressive Coalition
• Esther Zelmanovitz – Founder, Esther Schwartz Zelmanovitz, PLLC
• Counsel: Keith M. Corbett, Esq
• Executive Director: Brian Muellers

The transition established a website, GillenTransition.com, for those wishing to submit an application for employment or to share suggestions or ideas.

Photo: Laura Gillen