In 1993, Ms. Carpenter was elected to the County Legislature. She served on almost every legislative committee, where her leadership generated countywide initiatives in public safety, education, economic development, consumer protection and cultural affairs. She was elected unanimously to serve as the Legislature’s Deputy Presiding Officer for two consecutive years.

Ms. Carpenter’s experience as a business owner was invaluable in helping to draft the county’s $2 billion-plus budget during her years in county government. She worked to bring the Touro School of Health Sciences to downtown Bay Shore and increase aid to Suffolk County Community College. She also helped implement a mass transportation public information program, enacted a Linked Deposit Program to promote local business expansion, directed the county Health Department to provide free testing for prostate cancer and worked with local breast cancer coalitions. She was also instrumental in the acquisition and preservation of Sagtikos Manor in Bay Shore as a historic landmark and improvements at Gardiner County Park.

In November 2005, Ms. Carpenter was elected County Treasurer. In her role, she increased interest earnings with all designated depositories and recommended changes to the state’s Real Property Tax Law. On March 1, 2015, she was sworn in as the first woman supervisor in Islip’s 300-plus-year history, filling the seat vacated by Tom Croci, who was elected to the state Senate. In November 2015, she was elected to the post.

Ms. Carpenter is a member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, past President of the Board of Our Lady of Consolation, and former chair of the Catholic Health Services Continuing Care Board, and Vanderbilt Board of Trustees. She also served as President of the West Islip Chamber of Commerce for many years, and formed the Town-wide Chamber of Commerce Council, which united Chambers throughout the Town.