* Advance sales only. Tickets available through March 14, 2019. No walk-ins will be permitted.
* Please arrive early. Check-in begins at 8:00am. The program will begin promptly at 8:30am.
* Government-issued photo ID required to enter the parking lot and for check-in.
* Girls Inc. merchandise will be available for purchase.
* 30-minute tours of Canon U.S.A's showroom will be available following the program. Pre-registration is required.
Kristin Thorne is a Long Island correspondent for WABC-TV's Eyewitness News. Kristin loves being involved with the Long Island community. She is on the leadership council of Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Long Island and with the Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center. Kristin lives on Long Island with her husband, two children and their Corgi, Max.
SHANEQUA LEVIN, Founder & CEO of the Women's Diversity Network (WDN)
WDN connects and mobilizes women of different backgrounds to create positive changes through a more unified sisterhood. Shanequa is an award-winning community leader who, for the last eight plus years, has served as the Director for Every Child Matters in New York, where she worked to empower New Yorkers with the motivation to have the necessary conversations with lawmakers about children’s issues. Shanequa was instrumental with contributing to the grassroots efforts that led to New York Paid Family Leave Insurance and Raise the Age NY’s passage. In her role as a public speaker, Shanequa shares her own powerful story about surviving childhood poverty and breaking generational cycles to inspire others to take actions that can affect change.
COLLEEN MERLO, Executive Director, L.I. Against Domesit Violence (LIADV)
Colleen Merlo has worked for more than 20 years in the not-for-profit sector, focusing on issues of violence, gender equity, mental health and poverty. Serving as the Executive Director of L.I. Against Domestic Violence since June 2014, her visionary leadership, has increased capacity and broadened the agency’s ability to respond to the changing needs of L.I. Previously, Ms. Merlo was the E.D. at MHA in Suffolk County, where she provided direction to drive the mission and vision. Ms. Merlo’s strength in building effective collaborations, her advocacy and tirelessly efforts to bring public attention to the issues facing Long Island’s most vulnerable, have greatly enhanced the effectiveness of local programming. Ms. Merlo is a dynamic leader, one whose poise, grace and forcefulness coexisted concurrently. Ms. Merlo earned her MSW Work at SUNY Stony Brook. Ms. Merlo is a past Co-Chair of the Suicide Prevention Coalition of L.I. She serves on the Board of the Health and Welfare Council and on the Suffolk County Family Violence Task Force, chairing the Prevention Sub-Committee.
SOFIA PERTUZ, Senior Advisor for JED Campus and Diversity & Inclusion, JED Foundation
Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in the Bronx, Sofia B. Pertuz is a professional with over 20 years of experience in strategic planning, critical incident management and inclusive excellence in higher education. Sofia is currently Senior Advisor for JED Campus and Diversity & Inclusion for the JED Foundation, a nonprofit that exists to protect emotional health and prevent suicide for teens and young adults. Sofia teaches in the Higher Education Leadership and Policy program at Hofstra University and has been an invited speaker on topics in leadership, social justice and LGBTQ advocacy, including delivering keynotes in Spanish. Sofia serves as co-chair of the Board of Directors of ERASE Racism, a Long Island nonprofit leading public policy advocacy campaigns and initiatives promoting racial equity in housing, education, and community development. Sofia completed her bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communication from SUNY New Paltz and earned a master’s and Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership, Management, and Policy from Seton Hall University. Sofia is committed to creating a socially just world and dedicates volunteer time through mentorship and organizational activities aiming to create inclusive and caring communities.
NILY ROZIC, Assemblywoman, District 25, New York
Assemblywoman Nily Rozic represents New York’s 25th District, which spans the Eastern portion of Queens. Upon her election in 2012, she became the youngest woman in the state legislature and the first woman ever to represent the 25th District. Nily serves on the Assembly’s Ways & Means, Labor, Energy, Correction, Corporations, Authorities and Commissions, and Consumer Affairs and Protection Committees. She was most recently named Chair of the Office of State-Federal Relations. Following her election, Nily was named a Rising Star on City & State’s annual list of Next Generation of Political Leaders. She has been a featured speaker at IGNITE’s Young Women’s Political Mobilization Conference and Bella Abzug Leadership Institute. In 2017, Nily was selected to participate in the Lindsay Fellowship Program’s inaugural class under CUNY’s Institute for Local and State Governance as well as Governing Magazine’s Women in Government Leadership Program. A graduate of New York University, Nily proudly calls Fresh Meadows home.
University of New Haven - Class of 2021 Marine Biology Undergraduate Girls Inc. of LI Central Islip HS alumna
Maximize your support of Girls Inc. of Long Island as well as your commitment to our community of girls through these sponsorship opportunities:
*Sponsorship requests are due by March 12, 2019.*
"Champion" Sponsor - $5,000
"Fuel Her Fire" Sponsor - $3,000
"In Her Corner" Sponsor - $1,500
Click here to pay by check or purchase your sponsorship online below.