Breakfast Forum

Dr. Ed Bonahue was appointed President of Suffolk County Community College in April 2021 and assumed leadership in June 2021. He is the seventh president of the college, the largest community college in the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Under Dr. Bonahue’s leadership, SUNY Suffolk has recommitted itself to a mission of open…

Mr. Halpin, a lifelong Long Islander, began his public service at 26 as a Suffolk County Legislator (1979–82) and later became the first Democrat in over a century to represent his Assembly district (1982–87), where he chaired the Ethics Committee and the Subcommittee on Long Island Marine Resources. In 1987, at 34, he was elected…

Steve Levy is also co-publisher of Long Island Life & Politics and President of the Center for Cost Effective Government. He served as Suffolk County Executive from 2004 to 2011, leading New York’s largest suburban county, with a population of 1.5 million, a workforce of over 10,000, and a $2.7 billion budget. Renowned as one…

Bill Zalakar, Executive Director of the Long Island Farm Bureau, brings more than 45 years of diverse experience in the agricultural industry. His expertise spans horticultural business, regulatory affairs, and personnel management. Before assuming his current role, Bill served as Director of Facilities and General Manager at Kurt Weiss Greenhouses for 28 years, helping the…

A lifelong Long Islander, Ms. Sanin has dedicated her career to advancing meaningful change and advocating for her community. Since joining the Suffolk County Legislature in January 2024, she has built strong partnerships with community organizations, small businesses, and nonprofits, establishing herself as a vital link between government and the public. Her work has driven…

EVENT SPONSORED BY: Eagle Business Solutions   During his 23-plus-year tenure, Dowling led the transformation of Northwell Health from a network of Long Island-based hospitals into one of the nation’s ten largest health systems, recognized for its clinical, academic, and research excellence. Under his leadership, Northwell expanded to include 28 hospitals across New York and…

EVENT SPONSORED BY: Sheriff Toulon brings more than 30 years of criminal justice experience, with a strong focus on corrections intelligence and combating gang violence. He spent 25 years with the New York City Department of Correction, rising from correction officer to Deputy Commissioner of Operations, and serving in key roles including the Emergency Service…

EVENT SPONSORED BY: Supervisor Rich Schaffer has strengthened Babylon’s quality of life by cracking down on code violations, unsafe properties, and illegal activity. Through the Town’s Quality of Life Task Force, his administration continues to address problem properties and protect neighborhoods. The Task Force also works to eliminate abandoned homes and combat issues such as…

Join us for a discussion facilitated by Steve Levy, former Suffolk County Executive. Everyone talks about making Long Island more affordable, but few offer concrete proposals to address the high cost of living here. Join us for a roundtable discussion focused on developing the ten ways to make Long Island more affordable. Our discussion will…

EVENT SPONSORED BY: With more than 33 years at the organization, Mr. Free has equipped himself with an extraordinary grasp of rail operations, planning, and customers. He built his career from the ground up, starting with the railroad as a Station Cleaner and later moving up through a variety of mission-critical roles. He led operations…