In 2017, Laura Gillen was elected Supervisor of the Town of Hempstead, where she prepared and administered a budget of nearly $500 million. Gillen spearheaded initiatives to modernize the physical and IT infrastructure of the town and to address affordable housing needs. She also created the town’s first sustainability panel and oversaw many environmental initiatives. A former litigator, Gillen has worked on matters involving securities regulation, defamation, real estate, employment, corporate governance, and intellectual property.