Joye Brown, Columnist, Newsday: Ms. Brown has worked at Newsday for more than 20 years as a reporter, editor, administrator and editorial writer. Before coming to Newsday, she worked as a reporter for the News and Observer in Raleigh, N.C. and the Chicago Tribune. She grew up in Washington, D.C., and now lives in Suffolk with her husband, two children, two kittens and a tortoise. Back to top

Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, President of State University of New York College at Old Westbury and Pastor of the nationally renowned Abyssinian Baptist Church in the City of New York . A native of New York City , Dr. Butts earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Morehouse College in Atlanta , Georgia . He returned to New York and earned a Master of Divinity Degree in Church History from the Union Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry in Church and Public Policy from Drew University . He has taught Urban Affairs and served as an Adjunct Professor in the African Studies Department at City College , New York . He has also taught Black Church History at Fordham University . Sought after internationally for his comments on social, religious, educational and ethical issues, Dr. Butts has conducted speaking engagements before a vast array of colleges and universities, business and professional organizations, religious congregations, and governmental agencies throughout his career.

Along with his Presidency at the College at Old Westbury, Dr. Butts continues as pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in the City of New York - among the most historic churches in the nation. Under his leadership, Abyssinian Baptist Church is committed to playing an active role in the ongoing development of its New York City home. Back to top

Robert Gaffney currently serves as the fourth President of Dowling College, having assumed that role in October 2006.

George Gatta, Jr., Interim President, Suffolk County Community College (SCCC): Mr. Gatta is the first alumnus to lead the College, which is the largest community college in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, in its history.

Prior to his current position, he was Executive Vice President for the College.   In that role, Mr. Gatta served as the College's chief operating officer, with authority and responsibility for the planning, policy development, implementation and assessment of college programs and services.

Under his leadership, the College expanded its partnerships with both public and private organizations in order to establish workforce and professional development training to address regional needs. 

Prior to his tenure at the College, Mr. Gatta served as Suffolk County’s Deputy County Executive for Economic Development, Planning and Environment.  Mr. Gatta has also served as the Director of Economic Development for the Town of Islip.

Mr. Gatta earned his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Long Island University, his Baccalaureate Degree in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Albany, and his Associate’s Degree from Suffolk County Community College.  The recipient of a number of honors and awards, Mr. Gatta received the Long Island University School of Management’s Distinguished Alumnus Award, the New York State Economic Development Council’s Robert T. Dormer Economic Developer of the Year Award and the Long Island Business Development Council’s Hall of Fame Award.  Back to top

Dr. Sean Fanelli, President, Nassau Community College: Dr. Fanelli holds a Ph.D. from Fordham University in Biological Sciences.  He has served as a Professor of Biology, Chairman of an academic department, Associate Dean and Dean of Academic Affairs and Deputy to the President of Westchester Community College, before becoming the fourth President of Nassau Community College.

Highly regarded for his expertise and leadership in his profession, Dr. Fanelli is the recipient of numerous awards, including the prestigious Alexander Meiklejohn Award for Academic Freedom by the American Association of University Professors and The Thomas Jefferson Center’s William J. Brennan, Jr. Award that recognizes his great courage, and a clear and consistent commitment to the principles of free expression and academic freedom.  He is a member of the Board and the Executive Committee of the National Junior College Athletic Association, chair of evaluation teams for the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges and a Commissioner of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and has evaluated collegiate programs on military bases throughout the world for the American Council on Education.  He also serves on many prestigious and important committees including the Board of Directors of the (AACC), American Association Community Colleges and is a member of the (NACC) National Colligate Athletic Association Division Two-Year College Relations Panel and a member and past president of the (NYCCAP) New York Community College Association of Presidents. 

Despite a demanding schedule as President of the largest community college in New York State, Dr. Fanelli’s heart remains that of a teacher.  He continues to teach a course in Oceanology each semester. Back to top

Robert J. Gaffney, President, Dowling College: Mr. Gaffney’s history in Suffolk County began in 1973 when, after having served as a Special Agent with the FBI in Detroit and Washington, D.C., he began to practice law in Suffolk County, concentrating in the areas of real property, litigation, corporate and commercial law.

In 1985, he was elected to the New York State Assembly, representing the Fourth Assembly District.

In 1992, Robert Gaffney was elected Suffolk County's sixth County Executive, and served three consecutive terms in that office.  He retired from elective office at the end of December 2003.

During his three terms as Suffolk County Executive, Gaffney played a major role in promoting the interests of the Long Island region on the state and national levels. He served as President of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) from 1994-1995, and as President of the New York State County Executives Association from 1995-1996. He served on the National Association of Counties (NACO) Large Urban County Caucus, and on the New York Metropolitan Transportation Coordinating Committee. He was instrumental in the creation of the Central Pine Barrens Joint Planning and Policy Commission and served as its first chairman. Back to top

Stuart Rabinowitz, President, Hofstra University: Prior to his appointment in 2000, President Rabinowitz served as dean of Hofstra University School of Law from September 1989 through June 2001. He joined the faculty of the Law School in 1972.

President Rabinowitz holds positions with a number of important government and community organizations including the Judicial Advisory Council of the State of New York Unified Court System, County of Nassau, and the Nassau County Health and Welfare Council. He serves as a trustee of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, and on the board of directors for the Fair Media Council and the Long Island Technology Network. President Rabinowitz is a former member of the Nassau County Blue Ribbon Financial Review Panel, former chair of the Nassau County Local Advisory Board, and a former member of the board of directors of the Long Island Association. Additionally, President Rabinowitz served as a member of the Nassau County Commission on Government Revision, which was charged with drafting a new charter and a new form of government for the County. He is the recipient of the Martin Luther King Living the Dream Award, EOC; Distinguished Service in the Cause of Justice, Legal Aid Society; UJA Federation Leadership Award; the Bar Association of Nassau County Proclamation for Outstanding Service to both the legal profession and the community; the Community Service Award from the Conference of Jewish Organizations of Nassau County; and the Alumni Association of the City College of New York 2005 Townsend Harris Medal.  President Rabinowitz has also been honored by the Long Island Software and Technology Network (LISTnet) and was the recipient of Networking magazine’s David Award.  He received the Chief Executive Leadership Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), District II in 2009.

President Rabinowitz received a juris doctor, magna cum laude, from Columbia University School of Law, where he was a member of the board of editors of the Columbia Law Review and a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He graduated from the City College of New York with honors, and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the American Law Institute. Back to top

Dr. Robert A. Scott, President, Adelphi University: Dr. Scott is the author of often-cited works in scholarly and popular media on global issues, higher education, public policy, and ethics. He has a television show entitled “Exploring Critical Issues,” for which he won a “Telly”; writes a regular column on education for Anton Community Newspapers; serves on the boards of the Long Island Association, the Regional Plan Association, and Global Kids Inc.; and has advised the United States Congress on student financial aid programs. He initiated Adelphi’s “Vital Signs” (social health indicators) and Non-Profit Institute’s programs, and gave impetus to international programming and a more robust calendar of cultural events. Dr. Scott earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Bucknell University and his PhD. at Cornell University. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has represented the United States in international negotiations with UNESCO, the Council of Europe, and countries in the Asia-Pacific region.  Back to top

Dr. W. Hubert Keen, President, Farmingdale State College: Dr. Keen was appointed President of Farmingdale State College in 2007 and has led the College’s unprecedented success in enrollment, pioneering research, economic development, and community involvement. Under Dr. Keen, Farmingdale has experienced an enrollment increase of 62 percent over the last eight years. The College is also the major academic research partner in the Advanced Energy Center at Stony Brook University. A recent report by the Long Island Association estimated Farmingdale’s economic impact on the region to be over $1 billion, in terms of employment, education, partnerships with industry, and developed of the regional workforce. He has been named one of Long Island’s most influential leaders by the Long Island Press, been honored by Networking magazine for his commitment to community and civic organizations, and been universally praised for creating Farmingdale’s vision for the 21st Century. Back to top

Dr. Shirley Strum Kenny, President, Stony Brook University, State University of New York:  As President since 1994, Dr. Kenny has overseen a major program of building and beautification on the campus, a record rise in enrollments, and a number of significant new University initiatives.  These include the acquisition of a 246-acre research and development site, purchase of Southampton College, establishment of Stony Brook Manhattan, and taking up joint management of the Brookhaven National Laboratory.  Stony Brook Hospital and Health Sciences Center is undergoing a $300 million expansion and has established new centers including centers for cancer, autism, and heart disease. Under her leadership, Stony Brook was invited to join the Association of American Universities, entered Division I Athletics, and created new Journalism and MBA programs.  The Boyer Commission, chaired by Dr. Kenny and funded by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, published a 1998 report that has been widely influential in higher education.  Dr. Kenny currently serves on the boards of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation and The Association of American Colleges and Universities, and was for eight years on the boards of Toys ‘R’ Us, Computer Associates, and the Regional Advisory Board of Chase Manhattan.  Dr. Kenny was previously President of Queens College, City University of New York, and Provost of Arts and Humanities at the University of Maryland, College Park.  She holds degrees from the Universities of Texas, Minnesota, and Chicago, and has published five books and numerous articles on Restoration and eighteenth-century British drama.  She and Robert Kenny have five children and four grandchildren. Back to top

Amy Hagedorn, Honoree: Amy is the Immediate Past President of the board of Sustainable Long Island, a regional not-profit organization that promotes economic development, environmental health and social equity. She serves on the advisory board of the Long Island Community Foundation, where she has been donor-advisor to the Horace & Amy Hagedorn Foundation for the past ten years. Amy also serves on the boards of Hofstra University, North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System and the Partnership for After School Education. Amy is a member of the Nassau County Planning Commission. The widow of Horace Hagedorn, the founder of Miracle-Gro plant food, Amy leads the Horace Hagedorn Foundation, which was established in 2005 after Horace's death. Horace and Amy shared ten children, twenty-nine grandchildren and, at latest count, five great-grandchildren.  Back to top

Honorable Steve Israel, U.S. Congressman, Second District: Congressman Steve Israel is now serving his 5th term in the House. He serves on the House Appropriations Committee - one of the most powerful committees in Congress. His current leadership positions include Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water; Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs; Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; Select Intelligence Oversight Panel; and previously served on the House Armed Services Committee and Financial Services Committee.

He is considered a legislative leader on the issues of: renewable energy and climate change; middle class economic growth; Middle East security, religious freedom and human rights; and defense and national security.

He was first sworn-in in 2001 and is now serving his 5th term in the House. Back to top

Christine Conniff Sheahan, Publisher, Founder and CEO, Networking Magazine: Born in Los Angeles, Ms. Sheahan came to New York to attend Marymount College, Tarrytown, New York, where she majored in art, and began to receive portrait commissions from her classmates.  After graduation, her first job was with The New Yorker magazine as a display designer. There, she was asked to sketch the likenesses of advertising executives for promotion displays. After leaving The New Yorker, she worked as an illustrator and graphic designer for such clients as New York Telephone, the youth market for Van Heusen, the Mennen Company, BVD and The Citizens' Committee to Keep New York City Clean. 

Ms. Sheahan married New York journalist Denis Sheahan in 1966. Prior to independently founding Networking magazine in 1991, Ms. Sheahan was in partnership with her husband. They co-founded Sheahan Publications, Inc. in 1981 with the launch of the 4-color magazine, House. As creative director, Ms. Sheahan did the design, layout and photo editing for the successful magazine before launching Networking magazine. Sheahan Publications, Inc. also publishes the Builder & Remodeler.

Artist Christine Conniff Sheahan is also known in New York and the Hamptons as a portrait painter, and her oil paintings appear in many prominent private collections. Two of Ms. Sheahan's portrait paintings were commissioned by Susan Lucci, star of ABC's "All My Children." The original oil paintings, one of the actress and one of her two children, hang in Ms. Lucci's home. The painting of Ms. Lucci was used as a model for the copy that has been seen on the popular daytime soap. More recently, Ms. Sheahan was commissioned by the Pentagon to paint the portrait of General Dennis Reimer, Chief of Staff, United States Army. The painting, which is part of the permanent Pentagon collection, was unveiled on June 20, 1999. Back to top

Jody Kass, Co-Founder and Co-Director, New Partners for Community Revitalization: Jody Kass is Co-Director of NPCR, a 501c3 nonprofit organization she co-founded with Mathy Stanislaus in 2001. NPCR works to revitalize NY’s communities, through the cleanup and re-use of brownfield sites in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods and communities of color. Jody manages the overall organization and day-to-day activities of NPCR, including operations, fund raising, and conceiving and implementing a broad range of program and policy activities. NPCR’s integrated approach to community redevelopment includes project, program and policy initiatives. NPCR’s policy activities which are informed by “on-the-ground” project involvement, have impacted federal, State and local brownfield programs. This has included: reforming the Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) program to allow it to function in over 100 communities; creation of the Spotlight Communities Initiative (which was announced by Sec. of State Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez at NPCR’s November 2008 Forum); re-structuring the State’s Brownfield Tax Credits; and the creation of the NYC Office of Environmental Remediation. NPCR is regularly asked to testify before legislative bodies, has received extensive press coverage and published a number of original research/analytical documents which are influencing brownfields policy and project activities.

Prior to NPCR, Jody was Vice President of the nonprofit NYC Housing Partnership, where she worked from 1989 to 2001. During her 12 years at the Housing Partnership, Jody helped coordinate the construction of over 16,000 affordable housing units, representing over $1.5 billion in private investment in 50 low income communities around New York City. Back to top

Robert D. Yaro, President, Regional Plan Association: For nearly four decades Robert Yaro has promoted local, regional and national strategies to balance economic vitality and environmental quality.  He has worked in local and state government, the civic community and academia to promote these outcomes, from rural areas to America’s largest urban region. He has also taught city and regional planning at the graduate level for more than 25 years and written extensively on urban and regional planning concerns.

Mr. Yaro has been President of Regional Plan Association since 2001. Before assuming this role, Mr. Yaro served as RPA’s Executive Director from 1990 to 2001.  Mr. Yaro co-chairs the Empire State Transportation Alliance and is a member of Mayor Bloomberg’s Sustainability Advisory Board, which led in the creation of PlaNYC 2030, New York City’s long range sustainability plan.

Since 2002 Mr. Yaro has also been Professor in Practice in City and Regional planning at the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches courses in regional planning and landscape preservation. From 1995 to 2001 he taught at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

From 1985 to 1989 he was Associate Professor of City & Regional Planning at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and founder and Director of the University’s Center for Rural Massachusetts.  From 1976 to 1984 Mr. Yaro served under Governor Michael Dukakis as Chief Planner and then Deputy Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management.  Prior to this he worked as an urban planner for the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

He holds a Masters Degree in City and Regional Planning from Harvard University and a Bachelors Degree in Urban Studies from Wesleyan University. He is married and has two grown children. He and his wife, Susan, live in Stamford, CT. Back to top

Patrick J. Foye, Partner, Rivkin Radler LLP's Corporate & Commercial and Real Estate, Zoning & Land Use Practice Groups: Mr. Foye's practice focuses on corporate, restructuring work and real estate projects from the Firm's Manhattan office.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Foye, was appointed by Governor Spitzer and served as Chairman of the Empire State Development Corporation, where he played a leadership role in the Moynihan Station, Jacob Javits Convention Center, Long Island City redevelopment, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and Harriman Research Campus projects, in addition to a variety of other initiatives. There, he also oversaw various subsidiaries which managed economic and real estate development.

Patrick Foye also previously served as Executive Vice President of Apartment Investment and Management Company (AIMCO), a NYSE-listed, S&P 500 component company. As a member of the senior management team, he led corporate, partnership and real estate acquisitions which helped create the nation's largest multi-family company. Mr. Foye has also served as Chief Executive Officer of United Way of Long Island. Back to top

Marc Herbst, Executive Director, Long Island Contractors' Association, Inc. (LICA): As the Executive Director of the LICA since September 2006, serves as the voice and face of the Long Island highway and infrastructure industry. Mr. Herbst also serves as Vice President of the New York Roadway Improvement Coalition (NYRIC) and a member of Council of State Executives for the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), in addition to his active role in Long Island business and labor organizations.  He is a member of the Long Island Association’s transportation committee and is co-chair of Action Long Island’s transportation task force.  The Suffolk County Executive also appointed him as vice-chair of the Suffolk County Wastewater Treatment Task Force.  In addition, Mr. Herbst is an employer trustee for labor benefit trust funds, including Laborers Local No. 1298, Operating Engineers Local No. 138, and Teamsters Local No. 282.

Prior to advocating for the industry, Mr. Herbst was the Director of Transportation Planning and Environmental Services for the NYS Thruway Authority, serving as the Executive Project Manager for the planning study to replace the Tappan Zee Bridge between Rockland and Westchester Counties.

Mr. Herbst was a five-term member of the Long Island delegation serving in the New York State Assembly where he applied his expertise as the ranking member of the Assembly Transportation Committee. Concurrent with his tenure in the Assembly, he was also a member of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Capital Review Board and of the Long Island Commission on Critical Transportation Choices. 

Herbst, holds a Master’s of Science degree in Transportation Planning and Engineering from Polytechnic University, Brooklyn. He is married to Carol, a court reporter, and father to three teenaged daughters. Back to top

Dr. Yacov Shamash, Vice President for Economic Development and Dean, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Stony Brook University: Dr. Shamash is Vice President for Economic Development and the Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Stony Brook University.  As Vice President, Dr. Shamash supervises the University’s three incubators, two New York State Centers for Advanced Technology, the Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology (CEWIT), the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center, the Small Business Development Center, and the workforce development programs of the Center for Emerging Technologies.  During his tenure, College research expenditures have increased five fold to $25M per year.  In 1994 he helped establish the highly successful state-wide SPIR program (Strategic Partnership for Industrial Resurgence).  During the past ten years, working through the SPIR program, the College has partnered with more than 220 companies to assist them with more than 1,150 projects.  

Prior to joining SUNY Stony Brook in 1992, Dr. Shamash served as the Director of the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Washington State University and was responsible for the establishment of a National Science Foundation Industry/University Center for the Design of Analog/Digital Integrated Circuits. Back to top

Dr. Shamash has also held faculty positions at Florida Atlantic University, the University of Pennsylvania and Tel Aviv University.  He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Imperial College of Science and Technology in London, England.  He has authored more than 130 publications and is a Fellow of the IEEE.

Matthew T. Crosson, President, Long Island Association: Matthew T. Crosson is the president of the Long Island Association, Inc., and its subsidiary, the LIA Health Alliance, Inc.  He serves on various non-profit boards, including, WNET/Thirteen, WLIW/21, Long Island’s United Way, the Long Island Housing Partnership, Dowling College, the Long Island High Technology Incubator, the Long Island Works Coalition, and the Commerce Bank Championship PGA Champions Tour event, among others.  He is the co-publisher of Long Island magazine and he hosts the weekly news programs, The Cutting Edge and News 55 Focus on WLNY-TV.

Previously, Mr. Crosson was the Chief Administrator of the New York Unified Court System.  He also has served as Deputy Chief Administrator of the Courts, Assistant Counsel to Governor Cuomo, and Assistant District Attorney for New York County.  He has an A.B. degree from Georgetown University, a J.D from Fordham University School of Law, and honorary doctor of law degrees from Dowling College and St. Joseph’s College.  Mr. Crosson lives in Huntington with his wife, Elaine, General Counsel to Long Island University, and their son, Daniel. Back to top

Russell Albanese, President, Albanese Organization: Mr. Albanese is a dedicated advocate of environmentally responsible development. Anticipating the future significance of environmentally sustainable development, in 2000 Mr. Albanese led his full-service real estate firm in the strategic decision to undertake a leadership position in the emerging field of environmentally advanced urban living. The firm's first green development project, The Solaire, won worldwide acclaim as America's first environmentally engineered residential tower and became the first residential tower in the U.S. to receive a U.S. Green Building Council LEED Gold rating. In May 2006, the Albanese Organization was nominated by LIPA and recognized the Northeast Energy Efficiency Summit for its business commitment to energy efficiency and the redevelopment of 1001 Franklin Avenue in Garden City as its first green commercial building on Long Island. Mr. Albanese was a founding member of the U.S. Green Building Council New York; he also serves as Vice Chair of the Board of the Long Island Museum of Science and Technology. Back to top

John Hoctor, Co-Chairman of the Middle Country Coalition for Smart Growth: John brings a mixture of business and community experience.  Retired from Newsday, where he worked in the Marketing Department, John has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Middle Country Public Library for the past ten years and has been active in the Centereach community for 35 years.  John holds both a BA and MA degree from Stony Brook University. Back to top

Kevin S. Law, President and CEO, LIPA: Mr. Law was appointed President and CEO of the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) in 2007.

Mr. Law has shown leadership in the areas of energy efficiency and renewable energy by launching Efficiency Long Island, the largest energy efficiency program for any public utility in the country, by procuring a 50MW solar energy project which will be the largest solar project in New York State, by introducing “smart meters” on Long Island and by exploring an offshore wind project with Con Edison which could be the largest offshore wind project in the country.

Mr. Law received an Associates of Arts from Suffolk County Community College; a Bachelor of Arts from SUNY, Stony Brook; a Master of Science from the Graduate School of Urban Affairs and Planning at CUNY, Hunter College; and his Juris Doctor from St. John’s University School of Law.

Mr. Law sits on Governor David A. Paterson’s Renewable Energy Task Force and on his New York State Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Cabinet. He is also a Steering Committee member of the Alliance to Save Energy’s Clean and Efficient Energy Program (CEEP) for public power.

Mr. Law also serves on the boards of the Long Island Housing Partnership and the Advanced Energy Research Technology Center. Previously, he served as a Trustee to the Long Island Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, as a Trustee to Suffolk County Community College, as a member of the Board of Ethics for the Town of Smithtown and on the Board of the Long Island Association. Back to top

Matthew B. Whalen, Senior Development Director, Avalon Bay Communities: Matthew B. Whalen rejoined AvalonBay in 2003 as Vice president of Development for the Long Island territory. He is responsible for leading the development and acquisition activity in the dynamic Long Island real estate market. He works out of the AvalonBay office in Melville, NY. Prior to rejoining AvalonBay, Matt was Director for the Northeast Region for Cogent Communications, an optical networking company bringing fiber optics to office buildings in New York, Philadelphia, and Boston. He was responsible for leading a team of professionals to build Cogent’s nationwide network of multi-tenant office buildings and was also responsible for the daily operation of Cogent’s New York office.

Prior to Cogent, Matt was a Senior Director at AvalonBay responsible for acquisitions and development in the New York region in 1999 and 2000.

In 1998, Matt was Vice President of Homestead Village; a NYSE extended stay hotel company and subsidiary of Security Capital Group. While there, Matt was responsible for the Urban Development program consisting of high-rise projects in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic totaling over $400 million. In 1995, Matt was Vice President of Security Capital Group in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. responsible for acquisitions and development for the eastern region. Prior to Security Capital Group, Matt was Vice President of Crimson Partners of Herndon, Virginia, a private real estate investment company acquiring and developing commercial properties. He previously worked for Toll Brothers; a NYSE residential developer based in Philadelphia.

In 2006, Matt was elected to the Long Island Builders Institute’s Board of Directors for a two-year term and began serving as Treasurer in 2007. He is a Board Member of the Institute of Real Estate at Hofstra and he also belongs to the Executive Board of both the Long Island Real Estate Group and the Real Estate Practitioners Institute. Matt is a member of the Long Island Association and serves on their Next Generation Housing Committee. He is also an active member of both the Association for a Better Long Island and Action Long Island. Matt received the Long Island Business News’ annual award for one of Long Island's 40 rising stars under the age of 40 in 2004. The awards are established to recognize those making substantial contributions to the Long Island Business community. Matt is very active in the community and most recently participated in Habitat for Humanity’s 2006 Long Island Builders Blitz where AvalonBay was involved in the effort that built five homes in five days.

Matt is a 1988 graduate of Princeton University where he received a B.A. in History. Back to top

Honorable Chris J. Coschignano, Councilman, Town of Oyster Bay: Councilman Coschignano was elected by the residents of the Town of Oyster Bay in 2001 to serve on the Town Board. Through this position as an elected official, Mr. Coschignano currently serves as Chairman of the Theodore Roosevelt Park Advisory Board and as Chairman of the Syosset Hamlet Revitalization Committee.

Councilman Coschignano was also appointed in 1995 by the Town of Oyster Bay Town Board to serve as Counsel to the Zoning Board of Appeals to oversee the operations and exclusively handle all municipal litigation involving the Zoning Board of Appeals. He served in this position until his election in 2001. Mr. Coschignano has also been appointed by the Supreme Court of the the State of New York to serve as a Court-appointed Receiver and Referee on a variety of matters.

Councilman Coschignano received his undergraduate Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from St. John's University in 1985 and his Juris Doctorate Degree from Touro College School of Law in 1990. Mr. Coschignano is also a member of the American Bar Association, Nassau Lawyers' Association and Columbian Lawyers' Association. Back to top

Honorable Craig M. Johnson, Senator, New York's Seventh Senate District: Senator Johnson is serving his second term in the State Senate. He serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Investigation and Government Operations, an expansive committee charged with the oversight of the workings of state government.

Senator Johnson, whose district includes the Belmont Park Race Track, also serves as a Member of the Racing, Wagering and Gaming Committee, and as a member of the Health, Education, Local Government, and Insurance committees.

Prior to his election, Craig Johnson served for seven years as a member of the Nassau County Legislature, where he served as the youngest-ever chairman of the Finance Committee, and was part of the team that brought Nassau's finances back from the brink of bankruptcy.

Senator Johnson is of Counsel with the law firm of Jaspan Schlesinger Hoffman LLP in Garden City.

A more than 30-year resident of Nassau County, Senator Johnson lives in Port Washington with his wife, Liz, and two sons, Benjamin and Samuel. They are congregants of the Port Washington Jewish Center. Back to top

John D. Cameron, Jr., P.E., Founder and Managing Partner, Cameron Engineering & Associates, LLP: Mr. Cameron’s professional career has encompassed various responsibilities including planning, design, construction, consulting engineering, academia, government, facility operations, entrepreneurship and business ownership. His personal areas of professional discipline include planning and mechanical, electrical, civil and environmental engineering. Under Mr. Cameron’s leadership, Cameron Engineering is celebrating its 25th year of business serving as one of Long Island’s premier consulting firms. The firm has received local, state and national awards for many of its projects.

An engineering graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, Mr. Cameron also holds a Masters degree in Environmental Science from Long Island University. He is a licensed professional engineer, marine engineer and a U.S. patent holder for recycling technology. He is very active in his community, church and profession having served on numerous boards of charitable, educational and environmental organizations. He presently serves as the Chairman of the Long Island Regional Planning Council.

Mr. Cameron and his wife, Loretta, have two children, Andrew and Christine, and reside in Rockville Centre. Back to top

Michael A. Levine, AICP, Commissioner of Planning & Development, Town of North Hempstead (pop. 224,000):  In addition to administering the town zoning code, Mr. Levine oversees the review of all commercial and multi-family land use applications requiring discretionary approvals and is responsible for ensuring environmental compliance.  Mr. Levine has over twenty years experience in the development approval process both as a municipal official and as a consulting engineer.  Prior to returning to North Hempstead in 2006, he served for four years as Deputy Director of the Nassau County Planning Commission.  Mr. Levine earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Hofstra University in 1988 and is accredited by the American Institute of Certified Planners.  He holds the elected position of Vice President of Intergovernmental Affairs for the NY Metro Chapter of the American Planning Association and writes a bi-monthly column for the MetroPlanner newsletter.  Mr. Levine has been a speaker and panelist at the national conferences of the American Planning Association and the National Association of Home Builders. Back to top

Ann Golob, Director, Long Island Index: Drawing on her research and analytical background, Dr. Golob developed business expertise in strategic planning, knowledge management, relationship management, and process-improvement initiatives. For six years, she oversaw an indicators project that monitored and measured overall service delivery at Chase's 1,000-employee customer service center located in Jericho , NY . Dr. Golob holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from City University of New York Graduate Center and has 20 years of management experience at several Fortune 200 companies. She resides with her husband and their son in Port Washington.  Back to top

Jeff Guillot, Nassau Government Efficiency Project, Long Island Progressive Coalition: Jeff is a native son of Smithtown and a graduate of Hauppauge High School. He received a double degree in History & Political Science from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT where he served as President of the SHU Debate Society and the SHU Players. Upon graduation he worked as a graduate assistant at SHU and spent time living in Manhattan before heading back home to work for Suffolk Life Newspapers. As a reporter at SL, Jeff covered politics in the towns of Islip, Babylon, Huntington and East Hampton, but most enjoyed covering the Suffolk County Legislature. From there, he moved onto CBC Media in Islandia and then headed out to Northeast Queens to serve as the Finance Director for New York City Councilman James F Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows) and his hotly contested race to unseat a 36-year incumbent in the State Senate.

Jeff is also active with the Smithtown Democratic Party and will be completing his MA in American Government at CW Post this summer. Jeff is currently working on the Nassau Government Efficiency Project, where he is thrilled to have the opportunity to lower the tax burdens of Nassau County residents in these troubled economic times. Back to top

Roger Tilles, Regent, New York State Board of Regents: Mr. Tilles received a B.A. from Amherst College in 1968.  He received New York City Professional Certification through LIU - C.W. Post and graduated from the University of Michigan College of Law in 1971.  He became Director of Law and Legislation for the Michigan Department of Education, was elected to the Michigan State Board of Education, and in 1975, he became the Executive Secretary to the Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives.  After being a candidate for U.S. Congress, he opened his own law practice in Washington, D.C. in 1978, until his return to Long Island in 1983 where he is a Director of Tilles Investment Companies.  He is a member of the New York, D.C. and Michigan Bar Association.

He was Chair and a founding member of the Association for a Better Long Island, is the former Chair of the Long Island Regional Planning Board, served as Chair of the Long Island University Board of Trustees, served on the Boards of WNET/Channel 13 and WLIW/Channel 21 and has been Executive Vice Chairman of the Tilles Center For The Performing Arts, in addition to serving on the Board and Executive Board of the Long Island Association.  In April 2005, he was elected the Regent representing Long Island on the New York State Board of Regents.  He has also worked to form the Long Island Arts Alliance, bringing together the cultural institutions of Long Island.

He is also involved with significant interfaith activities: two of the most prominent being Project Understanding, and as the producer of the first Vatican commemoration of the Holocaust in 1994.

He is a member and past President of Temple Beth-El of Great Neck, is on the Board of The Jewish Outreach Institute and has been a member of the National Young Leadership Cabinet of the UJA as well as on the Executive Board of the Union for Reform Judaism.

Roger Tilles was born and educated in Great Neck public schools.  He and his wife, Jerry, and their daughters, Eliana (17) and Hanaleah (14), still reside in Great Neck. Back to top

David L. Calone, Managing Member, Jove Equity Partners, LLC: At Jove Equity Partners, a private equity and venture capital firm which invests in internet, digital media, real estate and health care industrues, Mr. Calone serves as a director of four privately-held companies and as Chairman of a fifth company. 

He was appointed to the Suffolk County Planning Commission in 2006 and, in February 2008, was elected as the Commission’s Chairman. In 2008, he served as the head of the transition team for U.S. Congressman Jared Polis.

Previously, Mr. Calone was a litigation associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison in New York City. He also served as a Special Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division of the New York State Attorney General’s Office where he enforced state and federal laws relating to the Medicaid program and negotiated a $76.5 million civil settlement -- the largest state health care settlement in New York history -- with a prominent not-for-profit corporation.

From 1999 through 2003, Mr. Calone was a federal prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.  He was one of two federal prosecutors nationwide to receive the 2003 Attorney General’s Award for Outstanding Contributions by a New Employee, in honor of his work fighting terrorism-related and corporate international crime including work on the September 11th-related prosecutions. He served as a guest instructor at the U.S. Army European Headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, Georgia.

Mr. Calone graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1999. Mr. Calone graduated cum laude from Princeton University with a degree in Economics in 1996.  He was named a USA Today College Academic All-American.  While at Princeton, he served as president of the Undergraduate Student Government and was selected as a 1994 White House Intern where he worked on Vice President Al Gore’s Reinventing Government initiative focusing on management and organizational change within government agencies.

Mr. Calone lives in Babylon with his wife, Kate, a divinity student at the Princeton Theological Seminary, and their three year-old daughter and two-year old son. He won NBC’s Weakest Link game show in 2001 and has traveled to 49 U.S. states. Back to top