Democratic Primary — Schnirman, Yawson Face Off For County Comptroller

Two candidates are squaring off in the Democratic primary on Sept. 12 to run for the seat of Nassau County Comptroller, as seat that current comptroller George Maragos is vacating to run for county executive.

A Harvard graduate, Jack Schnirman is the current city manager for the City of Long Beach. He has helped rebuild the city in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Before coming to Long Beach, Schnirman was the Town of Brookhaven's deputy town supervisor, where he says he helped end much of the corruption that was plaguing the township.

Schnirman lives in Long Beach with his wife, Joan, and their daughter, Sage. He is a member of the New York Conference of Mayors, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, and the Truman National Security Project’s Partnership Program. He is also a member of the New York State Government Finance Officers’ Association, the Energeia Partnership, the Regional Economic Development Council’s infrastructure working group, and has served on the board of the Long Island Chapter of the New York League of Conservation Voters.

Also a Harvard graduate, Ama Yawson is challenging Schnirman. Running as an "outside candidate," Yawson is a lawyer and small-business owner. She owns and operates Milestales, a boutique publishing house and education consulting practice that provides student assemblies and adult training programs about leadership, bullying prevention, diversity and more.

Before she started her business, she worked for Citigroup Inc. and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP as senior counsel. She also hosts a weekly radio program for small-business owners called "How to Make It in the City" on WBAI.

The mother of two boys, she lives in Freeport with her husband. She has been endorsed by Maragos to take over his seat.