Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta names Smithtown resident, Sylvia Diaz, as his district’s Champion of Diversity

In 2022, the Legislature passed a resolution that each Legislator shall designate a Diversity Champion for their district in April of every year. The honoree is one who demonstrates an openness in thinking and respects diverse racial, cultural and ethnic differences.

Sylvia Diaz received her Ph.D. from the School of Social Work at SUNY Stony Brook. Dr. Diaz has had a long career in Suffolk County government where she headed the Office of Minority Affairs, then the Division of Human Services and lastly served as the Chief Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Social Services. She left public service in 2003, to serve as the Regional Vice President for the American Cancer Society. A position she held until 2013, when she joined the Suffolk County Community College Foundation as its Executive Director. She was there until early this year.

This past January, newly elected County Executive Ed Romaine appointed her as his Deputy County Executive for Health, Human Services and Education. Currently, she is serving as the Acting Commissioner of the Department of Social Services while a search is underway for a candidate to fill the position of Commissioner.

Legislator Trotta said, “I am thrilled to have a woman of Dr. Diaz’s caliber as my honoree and am confident that she will be a valuable asset to County Executive Ed Romaine and the residents of Suffolk County.”