NY-04: Laura Gillen (D)
In 2017, Laura Gillen was elected supervisor of the Town of Hempstead, the largest township in the United States. She was the first member of her party elected in more than a century. During her tenure as supervisor of the nation’s largest town, she spearheaded initiatives to modernize the physical and IT infrastructure of the town and to address affordable housing needs. Her administration applied for and received several grants, including a $10 million NYS Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant.
A former litigator, she commenced litigation to recover costs and damages associated with emerging contaminants in the public water supply. Gillen passed critical legislation relating to transparency, sexual harassment, veterans benefits and ethics reform. She keenly rooted out potential corruption resulting in multiple federal and local investigations.
Gillen volunteered in her youth at South Nassau Communities Hospital and Camp Anchor. Her interest in public service ripened while a student at Georgetown University, where she concentrated her studies in government. At Georgetown, Gillen was honored with the distinction of being selected to be a George Baker Scholar.
After graduating cum laude from Georgetown in 1991, Gillen returned to New York to study at Stella Adler Studio. She later became an agent for a leading speakers bureau. During these years, Gillen was also a GMHC volunteer, assisting persons living with HIV/AIDS.
In 1995 through 1996, Gillen embarked on transformational visits to destinations in China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and India. The focal point of her travel was an extended volunteer mission in Calcutta with the Missionaries of Charity, where she worked in Mother Teresa’s home for the dying.
In 1998, Gillen transferred to New York University’s School of Law. Shortly after her second child and a move back to Long Island, Gillen joined the Westerman Ball law firm where she practiced commercial litigation. She appeared in state and federal courts, representing clients in cases involving intellectual property, employment law, unfair competition, contractual disputes, fraud, real estate disputes, corporate governance disputes and other business torts.
During the height of the pandemic, Laura continued to serve her community by volunteering with All Hands and Hearts, distributing PPE to local police stations, businesses and health centers. She later joined the faculty at Hofstra University as an adjunct professor of law.
The above information was sourced from the candidate’s campaign website.
