.png)
Youth Town Hall
WITH SUFFOLK COUNTY
NOV 18, 2022
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone with students at Brentwood High School.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone with students at Brentwood High School.
Councilman Jorge Guadron and Chairman Joshua Chan after the Youth Town Hall.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone with students at Brentwood High School.
What's a Youth Town Hall?
​The panelists participating in the Youth Town Hall bring with them a wealth of experience in Suffolk County and public service. Each panelist has dedicated themselves to making a positive impact in their respective fields, and their backgrounds and expertise contribute to the diverse perspectives and knowledge shared during the event. Let's take a closer look at the distinguished panelists:
Who are the panelists?​
A youth town hall is a platform where elected officials and government leaders come together to discuss issues affecting young people. It serves as a forum for open dialogue, allowing young individuals to voice their concerns and ideas directly to decision-makers. Panelists, including elected officials and experts in relevant fields, actively engage with the youth participants, listen to their perspectives, and collaborate on finding solutions. The panelists play a crucial role in representing youth interests, incorporating their input into policymaking, and working towards positive change. These town halls promote inclusivity, transparency, and empower young citizens to actively shape their communities and societies.
Steve Bellone serves as County Executive of Suffolk County. County Executive Bellone, who represents more than 1.5 million residents, has focused his efforts on saving taxpayer dollars through Government Reform, boosting Economic Development to create local and lasting Suffolk County jobs, improving Long Island’s Water Quality to protect the region’s water supply, and enhancing the Quality of Life of Suffolk residents by improving public safety and investing in County parks and roads.
Vanessa Baird-Streeter serves as Deputy County Executive for Suffolk County and facilitator for the Suffolk County Police Reform and Reinvention Task Force. As Deputy County Executive, she is responsible for Community Based Initiatives, Language Access, MWBE & SVDOBs, Human Services, Suffolk County Veterans Service Agency, and the Department of Aging. In addition, she leads a pilot initiative, Smart Start Suffolk, an inter-municipal team comprised of County Executive staff, the Department of Labor, and the Health Department focused on early education and experiences of children 0-5 years of age, their families, and the community.
Dr. Odette R. Hall, the Chief Medical Examiner of Suffolk County, New York, hails from Jamaica Queens and has dedicated her career to serving others during their most vulnerable moments. With compassion and a commitment to public health, Dr. Hall leads a team of professionals in investigating sudden and suspicious deaths, providing answers and closure to grieving families. Her unwavering dedication and compassionate approach exemplify the profound impact one person can make in the lives of others, ensuring that those in need receive the support and care they deserve.
Dr. Gregson Pigott is the Commissioner of Health for Suffolk County since February 28, 2020, leading the local health department’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He served as Director of the Office of Minority Health (OMH) in the Suffolk County Department of Health Services upon joining the department in June 2009. Dr. Pigott also served as the Medical Director for Suffolk County Emergency Medical Services and as a physician in the Huntington opioid treatment program.
Olga El Sehamy is the Assistant Deputy County Executive and oversees the Department of Human Services which includes the Youth Bureau, the Office of Minority Affairs, the Office of People with Disabilities, and the Office of Women’s Services she has been with the County since 2018. She is a Certified Project Management Professional who led manufacturing and engineering teams for the aviation industry for 15 years.
Chris Gonzalez currently serves as the Chief Deputy Commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning where he helps advance the Department’s mission to grow, improve, and conserve Suffolk County’s amazing built and natural resources. Prior to joining the Suffolk County team, Chris spent over a decade working with Mayor Bloomberg’s Administration at New York City Hall where he helped advance key initiatives like the Mayor’s New Housing Marketplace Plan to construct and preserve over 160,000 units of affordable housing for the residents of New York City, as well as the first edition of PlanNYC which pursued and advocated for environmental policies with the goal of a greener and more sustainable future for New York.
Karlesha V. Hewitt is Legal Counsel for the Suffolk County Department of Social Services (DSS). She provides strategic advice to ensure compliance with local, federal, and state laws concerning all aspects of DSS. This includes Client Benefits, Medicaid, Housing/Shelter Services, Family and Children Services (including Child Protective Services and Juvenile Delinquency matters), Adult Protective Services, Child Support Enforcement, and Personnel.
Nelson Moya is the newly appointed Deputy County Executive overseeing the Probation Department along with Justice Intervention. Originally from Central Islip, moved to Florida in 1999, where he began his career as a police officer for the Palm Bay Police Department. He worked in numerous functions of the agency. Among them were Major Crimes Detectives, Internal Affairs Investigators, Community Policing, and Narcotics Agents. He rose through the ranks, becoming the Chief of Police in 2019.