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People of the Year

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Susan Perretti Photo courtesy Myrna Gordon

By Mallie Jane Kim

Susan Perretti, of Setauket, is no armchair activist.

Through local advocacy and international action, friends say, Perretti lives out her long-held belief that peace is not simply the absence of violence but a way of looking at the world differently.

“You can’t give up on peace, and you can’t give up on justice,” said Perretti, a journalist by trade. “I’m not about to do that, and I’m 71 years old.”

Local advocacy:

North Country Peace Group

Perretti was among the original members of the North Country Peace Group, which occupies a Setauket street corner Saturday mornings to display anti-war and pro-peace signs — including in recent months signs calling for a cease-fire in the Israel/Gaza war.

Myrna Gordon, of Port Jefferson, met Perretti in December 2002 as the group formed to protest the then-imminent war with Iraq. “You really get to know somebody standing on the street corner like that; we are sisters in solidarity,” Gordon said. “We’ve been through every type of protest — anti-war demonstrations, ban the bomb, everything. We’ve seen it all.”

She said Perretti has played a vital role in initiatives by the group over the past 20 years, including an annual Mother’s Day reading of the names of Long Island soldiers who died serving in Iraq and Afghanistan — there were 56 as of 2019, according to a database hosted by Newsday. The peace group presents photos and biographies of the soldiers as well.

“We want to honor the soldiers and what they do, but we want these wars to stop,” Gordon said.

Perretti also led a response to the 2018 death of about 40 Yemeni schoolchildren after a Saudi-led coalition airstrike hit their field trip bus with what intelligence indicated was a U.S.-made bomb.

She obtained blue backpacks like those photographed at the scene, and the group laid them out in several places around Suffolk County, including their usual protest corner, in front of an Army recruiting center and a corner near then-U.S. Congressman Lee Zeldin’s [R-NY1] office.

International action:

Helping Afghan refugees

Perretti’s activism is not limited to raising awareness — she has also taken practical action.

As part of a global peace association that formed in the 2010s, Perretti developed a relationship over the years with a group of passionate, idealistic young men in Afghanistan over video calls administered by Kathy Kelly, 71, of St. Charles, Illinois.

These boys were concerned with women’s rights as well as taking care of widows and refugees, and according to Kelly, some of them had set up a school for street kids that included courses on nonviolence, alongside English and their regular subjects.

When the U.S. left Afghanistan to Taliban control in 2021, these “peace volunteers,” as Perretti referred to the young men in her recent article for peace website Pressenza, were among those suddenly in danger. The video-call members established a buddy system with them. 

Over the next 14 months, Perretti kept in constant contact with her young friend, 21-year-old Mansoor, via text message while he escaped to Pakistan and she searched for a third country that might offer him asylum.

From her home in Setauket, Perretti wrote, she felt like she was journeying alongside this determined Afghan who called her “Mom.” One day, she heard gunfire in the background of a short video Mansoor sent her. “The graveness of his situation and my powerlessness to protect him were sobering,” she wrote.

In October 2022, Perretti finally met Mansoor in person at the airport in Toronto, where he is now studying to be a doctor, according to her article.

Kelly said she finds the journey of Perretti and Mansoor particularly encouraging because of their personal connection and Perretti’s consistency in aiding the young man and others like him.

“Not everybody can do all the work Susan has done, but everybody can aspire to share resources more radically, welcome people that might seem to be strangers and not feel divided by artificial borders,” Kelly said, adding that it’s easy to feel frustrated or hopeless when looking at world events. Stories like Perretti’s, she said, are “the antidote to cynicism.”

For her commitment to promoting peace both at home and abroad, TBR News Media recognizes Susan Perretti as a 2023 Person of the Year.

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Kevin Mann Photo courtesy Mann

By Nasrin Zahed

Kevin Mann, president of the Rocky Point Rotary Club, stands at the forefront of a noble mission — to promote peace and unity within communities both at the local and global scale.

Notably, he is involved in the installation of Peace Poles, tangible symbols echoing the universal desire for a harmonious world.

A dedicated community leader, Mann has been actively engaged in various initiatives that aim to make a positive impact on both community and society. As the president of the Rocky Point Rotary, he has demonstrated a commitment to the principles of service, community betterment and international cooperation; or as they say in Rotary, putting “service above self.”

At the heart of Mann’s involvement is the Peace Pole Project — an endeavor that brings communities together through art and a shared vision for global peace. Peace Poles, adorned with the message, “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in multiple languages, symbolize the diversity of humanity and the collective aspiration for a more peaceful world.

Mann’s pivotal role in spearheading the installation of Peace Poles becomes evident in instances such as at the dedication ceremony of a pole erected by the Sound Beach Property Owners Association at the East Beach entrance on Shore Drive, overlooking the Long Island Sound. This dedication exemplifies the Rocky Point Rotary Club’s unwavering dedication to fostering peace and understanding within the community.

Under Mann’s guidance, the Peace Poles serve as visual reminders of a shared commitment to peace, contributing significantly to the broader mission of building peaceful communities worldwide.

The Peace Pole Project seamlessly aligns with the visionary goals of the International Cities of Peace movement, reflecting Mann’s global perspective. This movement, established in 2009, encourages cities to engage in peace building at the grassroots level actively. 

The Peace Poles, with their multilingual inscriptions, become ambassadors of Long Island’s mission for peace. By aspiring to have Long Island recognized as an International City of Peace, Mann envisions an Island actively contributing to the Rotary’s global efforts.

Mann not only leads the Peace Pole Project locally but is also a co-founder and current president of the Hope Children’s Fund. This showcases Mann’s commitment to global impact and plays a vital role in supporting the Jerusha Mwiraria Hope Children’s Home in Meru, Kenya — an orphanage that Mann helped establish with the late Larry Hohler.

Under Mann’s guidance, the Hope Children’s Fund provides education for orphans at the Kenyan children’s home. From its start in 2005 with 18 children, the home now supports 92, with some graduates becoming lawyers, doctors and entrepreneurs — a testament to Mann’s and Hohler’s transformative vision.

What sets Mann apart is not only his impactful initiatives but also his humility. Mann, in his tireless efforts, remains incredibly humble, never failing to acknowledge and include everyone who helps make these dreams possible.

He recognizes that positive change is a collective effort, and his inclusive approach fosters a sense of community and shared responsibility with no personal gain behind his actions. Mann states that he is “paid in smiles and thank yous, something people give you from their hearts and souls.”

In addition to his current endeavors, Mann envisions establishing what is known as the Corridor of Peace on Long Island, running along Route 25A and covering four local school districts in Rocky Point, Shoreham-Wading River, Miller Place and Longwood. This ambitious project aims to create a geographic and cultural corridor dedicated to promoting peace, understanding and cooperation within these communities.

The Corridor of Peace becomes a testament to Mann’s commitment to fostering harmony not only globally but also within the fabric of Long Island.

Mann’s involvement in the Peace Pole Project exemplifies his unwavering commitment to fostering peace and unity within communities. Through his leadership in the Rocky Point Rotary Club and participation in initiatives like the Hope Children’s Fund, Mann continues to be a beacon of positive change.

As Mann dedicates his time and energy to these noble causes, he not only inspires local communities but beckons others to join the journey toward a brighter, more peaceful future on a global scale. In the interconnected world he envisions, Long Island becomes not just a local community but a shining example of peace at work, with the Jerusha Mwiraria Hope Children’s Home standing as an emblem of the transformative power of compassion and education across continents.

For his continued efforts with the Peace Pole Project, establishing a Corridor of Peace and supporting a more peaceful Long Island, TBR News Media recognizes Kevin Mann as a 2023 Person of the Year. Because as Mann simply and resoundingly states, “Peace starts at home.”

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Michael J. Winfield Sr. File photo

On college campuses across the nation, where dreams unfurl and ambitions take flight, lurks a hidden shadow — hazing.

A cruel dance of humiliation and abuse, it scars not just bodies but spirits, etching its trauma onto the very fabric of campus life. In the face of this darkness, one local leader stands as a beacon of light, wielding swords of knowledge and compassion: Michael J. Winfield Sr.

An educator, sociologist and former school administrator at Shoreham-Wading River school district, he understands the insidious nature of hazing on an intimate level. 

His book, “Before You Pledge: Essential Information You Should Know About Black Greek Letter Organizations,” delves into the complex web of motivations and pressures that fuel this practice, offering a courageous diagnosis and a potent cure.

“Back in 2019, I wanted to come up with some type of book or booklet that would really help people to think before they pledged,” Winfield said. “Giving people some practical advice on hazing and what typically happens.”

The book peels back the layers of tradition and misplaced camaraderie, exposing the emotional wreckage left in its wake — shattered self-esteem, fractured trust and even the tragic loss of life.

“They don’t know what to expect,” he said. “And they get in there and realize they’re in too deep because sometimes it’s violent or sometimes it’s alcohol-based. Sometimes there’s a lot of paddling that’s really, really intense. I just wanted to create something that would be an aid.”

Winfield’s impact isn’t just theoretical, it’s tangible. Through tireless hours of writing, teaching, and many community collaborative efforts, he’s helped foster safer campuses nationwide. His work has empowered countless students to speak up, administrators to take action and communities to rally against this evil.

“I’ve seen so many people come back and thank me — because it emboldened them,” Winfield explained. “It gave them the courage to speak up and understand that no one can make you do it. It just gave them courage.”

But his fight isn’t confined to campuses. Recognizing the roots of hazing in precollege environments, Winfield actively engages with all, planting the seeds of empathy and inclusivity early on.

“Hazing has been around for a very long time,” he noted. “We find evidence of it even before the word became associated with hazing as we know hazing — we can find examples dating back to the Greeks and to the Romans.”

“Let’s say 1906, we still had a lot of anti-Black racism and violence happening, you still had people walking around who wore the scars of slaves at this time,” Winfield added. “So for a college person of color to physically beat another was just unheard of. That brings us to this particular point — the founders of all these organizations were totally against this behavior.” 

He understands that dismantling hazing requires a long-term, multipronged approach, starting with education and cultivating a culture of respect and compassion from the very foundations of life.

“I’m adding a chapter on understanding the dynamics of hazing and a chapter for developmental psychology,” Winfield said. “I get into it at length. I looked at a few studies and just really chewed down into that.”

Winfield stands as a shining testament to the transformative power of compassion, awareness and activism in a world often riddled with cynicism and apathy. He doesn’t just write about hazing — he fights it one community at a time.

For his passionate education and advocacy, TBR News Media is pleased to name Michael J. Winfield Sr. a 2023 Person of the Year.

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Carole Trottere speaks at a press conference on May 9 to mark National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day. Photo from Kara’s Hahn’s office

By Rita J. Egan

Carole Trottere exemplifies turning personal tragedy into a mission to create positive change.

Following the loss of her son, Alex Sutton, to a heroin-fentanyl overdose in 2018, the Old Field resident became a dedicated advocate for raising awareness about the risks of fentanyl while ensuring victims are remembered.

Former Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) described Trottere as a woman with a unique perspective shaped by her son’s passing and her career as a public relations professional. The ex-legislator remembered the mother coming to her before a December 2022 press conference held in front of Hahn’s former office. The press conference, organized with the help of Trottere and in conjunction with Long Island Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence, addressed the increase of drug use during the holiday season.

“Carole said we have to remember that this is a moment of risk for families and people who are struggling with addiction,” Hahn said. “They’re sad because of the friends they’ve lost and their own depression, and it’s a real hard time for families who have lost loved ones because there’s an empty seat at the table.”

Trottere also worked with Hahn to organize a press conference at the Suffolk County Legislature building in Hauppauge May 9 to mark National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day. The event featured purple rocks decorated with photos of those lost to accidental overdoses.

Earlier this year, Trottere also approached Hahn about placing Narcan, an opioid overdose reversal medication, in county facilities, which led to a bill co-sponsored by Hahn and Legislator Tom Donnelly (D-Deer Park). The resolution requires Narcan kits to be stored near external defibrillators in all county facilities. When interviewed about the bill for TBR News Media, Trottere said, “If you save one life, it’s sparing the parents the horrible grief that I go through and giving someone a second chance to try to get into recovery.” In April the bill was approved by the county Legislature.

In October 2022, Trottere hosted an event at her son’s favorite pizza place, Station Pizza in Stony Brook, in conjunction with the Suffolk County Police Department’s Behavioral Health Unit to commemorate what would have been her son’s 35th birthday. In addition to attendees receiving free pizza, police trained them in the use of Narcan. After nearly 50 people stopped by in 2022, Trottere hosted the event once again this year.

Working with families

Last year at the Drug Enforcement Administration National Family Summit on Fentanyl in Washington, D.C., and also at the December 2022 press conference, Trottere met Claudia Friszell and Lori Carbonaro. Friszell lost her son Marc Lewis in 2000 when he was 18, and Carbonaro’s son Nick died when he was 22 in 2014. Both women lost their sons to drug overdoses. They are active with LICADD and Gabriel’s Giving Tree, the grassroots organization founded by Paulette Phillippe in honor of her grandson Gabriel Phillippe.

The mothers said they quickly bonded with Trottere. Carbonaro calls her “a powerhouse with heart,” and Friszell said she holds Trottere in high regard as they both aim to turn their grief into positive actions.

“My son died 23 years ago, and we all try to take our experience and use it so that nobody else has to go through what we went through,” Friszell said.

This past summer, Trottere spearheaded the purple rock project at local farmers markets, where people who had lost family members to drug overdoses decorated the rocks with photos of their loved ones. The project was in conjunction with SCPD Narcan training. Friszell and Carbonaro, who have helped at the farmers markets, said it’s vital to show the victims’ faces and initiate conversations with all families.

“You have to meet the families where they’re at to get them armed with what they need as it could be in their family,” Carbonaro said.

She added, “If someone sees the purple rock and a child asks what it’s about and a parent can tell them, that’s one more person that knows, hopefully, what not to get into or how to save someone.”

Friszell said it’s important to remember the victims were human beings.

“These were your neighbors, your friends, your co-workers, your fellow students,” Friszell added. “They were people. They’re not just statistics, and it affects the whole family. That’s what really drew us to Carole because she had the same mindset.”

Carbonaro said Trottere wants to take her anger about her son’s death and use it to be part of a solution.

“With all the horrors going on, and what we’ve gone through and beyond and in other parts of the world, there is a lot of humanity still left, and we really need to share it — people like Carole,” Carbonaro said.

Trottere’s work destigmatizes the disease and raises awareness, which potentially could prevent future deaths, Hahn said.

“She’s taking this tragedy — and with being an effective communicator — to educate and bring awareness to the issue,” Hahn added. “I think it’s important. The fact of having lost her own son, she’s really able to understand the impact of the disease, and the humanity and the potential lost in the lives that were lost. There was so much potential in each person lost.”

For Carole Trottere’s important work in the field of drug addiction awareness, TBR News Media names her a Person of the Year for 2023.

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How John and Deborah Urbinati spread comfort through food

Deborah and John Urbinati accept an appreciation certificate from the Ronald McDonald House Charities in 2017. Photo courtesy Deborah and John Urbinati

By Sofia Levorchick

Since they were teenagers, John and Deborah Urbinati have been immersed in the culinary world, sharing a passion for the restaurant business. However, it was when they met in a restaurant in Colorado that they decided to pursue their culinary journeys together.

After they married, the Urbinatis traveled across the United States, gaining knowledge about food, cocktails and wines. Once they moved back to New York, their love and passion for the industry propelled them to want to work in a restaurant together.

They partnered with the original owners of The Fifth Season in Greenport, then relocated and reopened the restaurant in Port Jeff.

As owners of The Fifth Season for almost 16 years, the couple found that they wanted to pair their shared passion for food with their desire to give back to the community.

“We’ve always known that food is a great connection with the community because it allows us to provide sustenance and comfort to people,” Deborah Urbinati said.

“Plus, we’ve always had a very strong sense of service to our community,” John Urbinati added.

Giving back

Almost a decade ago, the Urbinatis came across the Ronald McDonald House Charities nonprofit organization, established at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.

The Ronald McDonald Family Room offers a welcoming and comforting environment within the hospital, providing patients and their families with nourishing food.

John and Deborah were initially asked to deliver a meal here and there, but their activity eventually evolved into a more extensive commitment between their restaurant and the foundation.

“The last thing these families think about is food in such a stressful setting,” John noted.

Deborah added, “Hearing the struggles that people are going through with their children, it makes it easy to want to do more.”

“And because we felt so good about being able to provide a service for people that are really in need, we realized we could do this every week,” John said.

Every Wednesday, the Urbinatis and their staff pack meals to be delivered to the Ronald McDonald Family Room. Beforehand, they take the time to brainstorm what meals to cook and send out, sometimes making the dishes personable.

Deborah recounted the time they had a patient from the hospital come into the restaurant because she had eaten their food at the Ronald McDonald Family Room. “She loved the chicken fingers, and when she unfortunately went back to the hospital, we ensured that chicken fingers would be specially delivered to her every week,” she explained. 

Striking a balance between managing a restaurant and volunteering could seem to be a challenging feat, but the Urbinatis have made it a routine, motivated by the rewarding aspect of giving back while doing what they love.

“A lot of it is just a mindset,” John said. “You make it part of your daily routine. Once you make the commitment and decision to do it, you figure out a way to make it work,” adding, “It’s not just us doing the work, too. We have a tremendous team here.”

Collaboration among the Urbinatis and their Fifth Season staff has contributed much to the success of the overall philanthropic effort. Whether cooking chicken, packing up boxes or writing what’s on the box, the restaurant staff plays a crucial role in helping the Urbinatis in the Ronald McDonald House organization.

“All of the support staff we have here all step in and take a piece of the puzzle, and we’ll all put it together in the end,” John stated.

Sometimes, they even see volunteers from the Ronald McDonald Family Room come in for dinner. “It’s almost a full circle moment — we support them, so they support us,” Deborah said.

They have received an overwhelmingly positive response from families who are reaching out with emails, phone calls, letters and personal visits to showcase their gratitude for what the Urbinatis have done for the Ronald McDonald House organization.

“We go in doing it not looking for anything in return,” Deborah indicated. “But in return, we do end up feeling grateful that we’re able to help, and it makes us beyond happy to see that our efforts are fostering positive change.”

TBR News Media recognizes John and Deborah Urbinati as 2023 People of the Year for using their talents to improve our community.

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Friends of Port Jefferson village resident, Ana Hozyainova, reflect on her work as a local change agent

Photo by Lynn Hallarman

By Lynn Hallarman

Ana Hozyainova’s house in Port Jefferson village sits nestled among the native garden she has been coaxing into maturity. The garden reimagines a former suburban lawn, once jammed with ornamental flowers and bushes meant for show. She points to a thicket along the perimeter. “You see that shrub, it doesn’t belong here, and its berries are junk food for birds — they have no nutrition,” she tells me on a walk around her property.

I met Hozyainova about two years ago, shortly after her failed bid to become a Port Jefferson Village trustee. After hearing her speak at a campaign debate, I was impressed with her approach to village issues and wanted to get to know her. We met for coffee and talked. As it turned out, this first meeting began a series of conversations between us about her vision of the village as part of, not instead of, the surrounding natural world. “When you talk with people about the natural landscape, it is difficult to turn the thinking away from the land as a commodity from which wealth is to be extracted,” she said. She wants to help people get out of their heads to connect with others and nature.

Her campaign platform for village trustee translated this vision into a practical plan — she wanted sidewalks, lots of them, in smartly configured networks. She wanted to redesign village roads to heal a long-standing safety problem with speeding vehicles. She wanted, in other words, for the village to slow down.    

Hozyainova, 43, seems taller than her 5-foot-6-inch frame, with lanky arms and legs and shoulder-length blond hair, almost always tied with a scrunchy. She is the kind of person who prefers to walk barefoot. She has, it seems, an encyclopedic knowledge of local flora and fauna. Ask her about her choice of plantings for her garden, and she will tell you it is designed to be undisturbed and native, producing some food but “mainly functioning as a sanctuary for insects, birds and small mammals.” She offered me a starter planting for my garden.

Hozyainova emigrated to the United States 20 years ago to attend the Columbia School of Social Work, where she graduated with a master’s degree. Sometime after, she met her now-spouse, and they moved to Port Jefferson for her to pursue a career as a clinical social worker. She is fluent in five languages: English, Russian, Farsi, Uzbek and Kyrgyz — the native language of Kyrgyzstan, where she was born. Some describe her vocal cadence as a calming balm when speaking at contentious village meetings. She never voices an opinion without doing her homework and brings data into any discussion to back up her arguments.

This quality of critical thinking impressed her neighbors. So much so that Michael Mart and Myrna Gordon, longtime residents and regular village government gadflies, volunteered to help her with her trustee campaign. They were drawn to her ability to think beyond the immediate issue to see a solution in a broader context. “She can think forward and not accept, without questioning, unexplained government actions,” Mart said.

Hozyainova, about a year ago, brought the long-dormant Port Jefferson Civic Association back to life. I asked her, on another walk, why she wanted to restart the group. She paused momentarily to pull out an invasive weed, seemingly contemplative. The civic association, she tells me, is her attempt to do what other actions have failed to produce for resident engagement — consensus building around local issues of concern. 

“I wanted people in the village to believe again that they have a say in how the government conducts itself,” she said.

The group is growing, even attracting younger people and recent village transplants. Almost everyone showing up will tell you Hozyainova is bringing them. “We shall see if the civic takes hold,” she tells me. The group, she muses, still needs its walking legs.

For her dedicated work in building the Port Jefferson Civic Association and for environmental preservation, TBR News Media makes Ana Hozyainova a 2023 Person of the Year.

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Lisa Davidson Photo courtesy Davidson

By Rita J. Egan

Many people search for a lifetime for a place where they feel a sense of belonging. A few years ago, Lisa Davidson found her place as well as a calling when she moved to the Village of Head of the Harbor.

Earlier this year, Davidson ran unsuccessfully for village trustee. The former southern California and New York City resident said her love for the area inspired her decision to run. The wife, mother and grandmother, who traveled extensively for her career with former jobs at the Los Angeles Times, Fox News and National Geographic Society, said that Stony Brook Harbor, the village’s “tree-lined streets, and the views from Cordwood Park rival them all” in a Jan. 26 interview with The Times of Smithtown. The trustee-hopeful explained her run came down to preserving the rustic charm of Head of the Harbor.

The bid for trustee followed her leading residents to rally against a proposed private 186-foot dock in Nissequogue in 2022, which, if approved, would have sat right next to Cordwood Park, overlooking Stony Brook Harbor. While working to block the dock’s construction, she began to learn about her fellow residents’ concerns.

Judy Ogden, a village trustee, said she wished more people would get as involved as Davidson. She added the advocate has “an enormous impact in the community.”

“Because of her appreciation for the beauty and natural resources of the village — clearly an environmentalist who cares about nature — she immediately became involved in the Joint Coastal Commission for the Village of Head of the Harbor, then started a Stop the Docks movement to protect Stony Brook Harbor, and this year, was a key organizer responsible for reinvigorating and restarting the Harbor Day celebration.”

Ogden added, “In the few years that she has been a resident, she has done more than many who have lived here their whole lives. She has become an advocate, a steward, protecting the natural resources.”

Joint Village Coastal Management Commission

Leighton Coleman III, appointed historian for the villages of Head of the Harbor and Nissequogue, said moving so close to the harbor, Davidson was “stunned by the beauty of the area,” and she recognized the need for her to be a steward of the water. 

“She became immediately focused on preserving and appreciating the beauty of the area,” he said.

Coleman credited Head of the Harbor Mayor Douglas Dahlgard for having the foresight to appoint Davidson to the Joint Village Coastal Management Commission shortly after she moved to the village. The historian said due to being selected, she learned more about the harbor and how docks and development affect bodies of water.

At the Aug. 27, 2022, rally to block the dock proposed near Cordwood Park, Davidson said she recused herself from the commission on the matter of private docks.

“After seeing the numerous petitions we get for private docks, I realized that this beautiful bay is in grave danger if we as a community do not come together and take action now before it is too late,” she said.

Happy Harbor Day

As chair of Happy Harbor Day, which was held in September to raise awareness about Stony Brook Harbor, Davidson worked alongside her fellow members of the Friends of Stony Brook Harbor, Nissequogue officials and the Town of Smithtown. The event was first organized by the late Larry Swanson, associate dean of the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University, and had not been held in 15 years.

Nissequogue Mayor Richard Smith said when he brought the idea of reviving the event to the coastal commission, the members liked the idea — and Davidson loved it.

“She was instrumental in making it the success it was,” Smith said, “She was a tremendous help.”

Coleman said he wasn’t surprised that the event drew approximately 300 people despite rainy and chilly weather. He described Davidson as a natural leader and problem solver who is energetic, committed and able to engage people.

“She has built a very good constituency of concerned neighbors and residents of both villages about the ecological concerns for these two coastal communities,” Coleman said.

Beyond the harbor 

In addition to her volunteer work with the Joint Village Coastal Management Commission and Friends of Stony Brook Harbor, during her short time on Long Island, Davidson has been a Suffolk County polling inspector and an Island Harvest food bank volunteer. This year, she also joined village residents in vocalizing their concerns about the proposed construction of a church along Route 25A, citing the potential of increased traffic and its close proximity to residents’ properties.

Coleman credited Davidson with waking up people to “the threats that are coming along to the village through overdevelopment and a proliferation of docks.”

“Sometimes you need a newcomer to say, ‘Look, I’ve been around the world. I’ve been traveling, I’ve done this, I’ve done that. You don’t realize how beautiful you have it here, and this needs to be saved,’” he said.

Smith called her a “tremendous asset to this community.”

“She has a great passion for our community — our greater St. James, Nissequogue, Head of the Harbor community,” the mayor said. “Her heart is so much in the right place.”

For her advocacy and dedicated work on behalf of her village communities, Lisa Davidson is named as a TBR News Media 2023 Person of the Year.

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Transfitnation Team from left to right: Steve Dell'Amore, Jill Riccio, Charles Armstrong, Mike Sangiamo, Stephan Reyes - photo courtesy of Transfitnation
Stephan Reyes - photo by Steven Zaitz
Jerry Varrichio does kettlebell step-ups with Reyes at Transfitnation. Photo courtesy of Transfitnation
Stephan Reyes uses the medicine ball with his client Angela - photo courtesy of Transfitnation
Jean Francois - photo courtesy of Transfitnation
Tom Bernard's before and after - photo courtesy of Transfitnation
Stephan Reyes checks the technique of Jerry Varrichio

By Steven Zaitz

The silver Honda Accord of personal trainer Stephan Reyes can be seen in the same spot each and every weekday.

No, there isn’t a fancy “Reserved for Mr. Stephan Reyes” sign in the parking lot of the Transfitnation Training Studio in Smithtown. The 24-year-old Westchester native is at work before most of us are even out of bed every morning and is fully prepared to improve the mind, body and soul of everyone on his client list for the day. His first appointment is usually at 5:00 a.m.

Reyes, along with his fitness-conscious colleagues at the boutique gym off of Terry Road, emphasizes a holistic approach to personal betterment that includes guidance on not just strength and weightlifting, but lifestyle factors such as nutrition, sleep, science-based stretching and balance improvement.

The team, led by founder Steve Dell’Amore, evaluates each client and formulates a custom program based on his or her age, goals, body type and health history. They like to think of themselves as a one-stop wellness shop.

“I came into this field to give people the tools that they need to change their lives for the better,” said Reyes. “I love the challenge of working with such a wide-ranging group of people who have different challenges, goals and backstories, and helping them to improve their lives.”

Reyes, who was a superstar basketball and baseball player at Walter Panas High School in Cortlandt Manor, later studied Sports Management at SUNY Oneonta, also completing a sports medicine internship while there.

Upon graduation, he became a Certified Personal Trainer, a Certified Human Movement Specialist and will complete a course in January, 2024 to become a Certified Nutrition Coach.

Essentially, he is an ever-evolving wellness scientist with the certificates to prove it..

“There are so many aspects of this job that I love, and I’m always trying to learn so I can serve my clients the best way possible,” said Reyes, who has relocated to Port Jefferson Station from his beloved Westchester. “In building individual plans for people, we need to do a lot of analysis before and after, but when I’m one-on-one with my clients, I try to get to know them, so I’m part trainer, part life coach, part motivational speaker, part teacher and part friend.”

Among his clientele, Reyes is legendary for his positive energy and fun-loving approach to the job. He can often be heard shouting his favorite catch phrases like “great work”, “finish strong”, and “excellent adjustment” as he pushes  his trainees to their limits.

“When I first met Stephan, I knew right away that he was a ‘people-person,’” said Dell’Amore, who opened the business in October of 2018. “He has grown his client base from the ground up, and he brings a lot of energy to every single session. People love to train with him, and he’ll take on any challenge that is thrown his way.”

Having worked at Transfitnation for a little over two years, Reyes has accrued a plethora of success stories. Too modest to boast about them himself, many of the people he trains were eager to share their fitness journey.

Jerry Varrichio, 22, works at Home Depot in South Setauket and lives in Stony Brook. He is also one of several of Reyes’ clients who are on the autism spectrum.

“I always feel better coming in to train with Stephan, and I’ve lost a lot of weight,” said Varrichio who enjoys taekwondo and has recently taken up golf. “The moment I come in here and start my stretching before the workout, I feel better about myself.”

Jerry has lost over 10% of his body fat in 18 months since becoming a member of Transfitnation.

Tatianna Morisseau is a 32-year-old nurse from Brentwood who has been training with Reyes for six months. She suffers from lipedema, which is a long-term condition of fat and connective tissue building up in various parts of the body. It is a stubborn impediment to weight loss and fitness.

“Lipedema really messed with me because before I knew that I had it, I would try to lead a healthy lifestyle but would never see the results,” she said. “But working with Stephan, I’ve made so much progress in my body composition, and I’m very happy about that. Coming here was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

A fellow Terry Road business owner is also a “Transfit Transformer.”

“No two workouts are ever the same, and I always feel like I accomplish something when I’m done,” said Tom Bernard, 60, of Smithtown, who is the proprietor of Rockwell’s Bar and Grill. “I was 225 pounds when I started, and now I’m 190 and my body is totally transformed.”

He added, “Not only does Stephan train me when I’m there, but he’s taught me how to do it on my own with the correct form, and it’s great because my metabolism is like a jet engine now. I can go to my restaurant and eat almost anything I want.”

Jean Francois, who is a native of Haiti and was clinically obese when he showed up at Transfitnation, has been under Reyes’ watchful eye for about a year.

“People tell me now how good I look, and I feel great,” said Francois, who works as a counselor for seniors and the disabled. “When I first came to the country, I went to the doctor, and he told me I had to make some serious changes. A year later, I went back to that doctor, and he told me I was no longer obese. I was crying with tears of joy because that was one of the happiest moments of my life.”

Francois was close to 300 pounds at his heaviest. He lost 60 pounds and 20% of his body fat over the course of 12 months. Reyes shares in the joy in Francois’ achievements.

“Jean is a great story and a good example of someone who worked really hard to get results,” Reyes said. “He had some personal issues to deal with and was not in a good mental space when he came to us, but he really bought into not only the exercises but the diet and sleep programs that we set up. We’re all very proud of what he has achieved.”

Reyes is eager to create more stories like these.

“I’m definitely happy that I chose a career where I’m helping people,” he said. “Impacting people in a positive way and leading them down a path to success by helping to change habits and lifestyles is what I’m all about. Whether it be to help with an eating disorder, fight obesity or just help someone fit into a wedding dress or tuxedo, I’m happy to do it.”

His clients seem to be happy, too, knowing that they have made a most “excellent adjustment” to their lives. 

For helping community members become the best versions of themselves, TBR News Media names Stephan Reyes as a 2023 Person of the Year.

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Marilyn Simons, left, and Jim Simons, third from left, toast the announcement of a $500 million contribution to Stony Brook University’s endowment with SBU President Maurie McInnis and Simons Foundation President David Spergel. File photo from John Griffin/ Stony Brook University

By Daniel Dunaief

Jim and Marilyn Simons put their money where their mind is.

The power Stony Brook University couple, who were already legends around campus for their intellectual and financial gifts to the university, outdid themselves and everyone else this year with their academic generosity — not to mention their busy travel schedule.

Through the Simons Foundation, the power couple contributed $500 million over seven years to Stony Brook University’s endowment, the largest unrestricted endowment gift to a higher education institution in American history.

The gift, announced in June, followed just a month after the Simons Foundation announced a $100 million contribution to Stony Brook University’s successful bid to develop Governors Island into a climate solutions center.

When the Simons Foundation announced the endowment gift, Lawrence Martin, professor in the Department of Anthropology and director of the Turkana Basin Institute, used a word echoed by many around campus to describe its impact: “transformative.”

For philanthropy that not only makes it possible for academic dreams — particularly among those who are first-generation college students — to become reality, but also that inspires meaningful contributions from other donors, TBR News Media is pleased to recognize the Simonses as 2023 People of the Year.

A significant victory

While the $500 million gift set records and offered financial fuel for an encouraging academic future, the victory in the competition to run a climate center on Governors Island positions Stony Brook to make meaningful contributions to the future of the planet.

Competing against other established universities with a depth of talent and breadth of ideas, including Northeastern University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a group co-led by CUNY and the New School, Stony Brook emerged as the winner for a climate exchange designed to advance research, innovation, sustainability, climate justice and outreach.

The $100 million in support from the Simons Foundation, coupled with $50 million from Bloomberg Philanthropies, “demonstrated the seriousness of Stony Brook’s proposal,” said Kevin Reed, associate provost for climate and sustainability programming and professor at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. The partnership “helped us get over the finish line” and was a “game changer for us.”

The initial support from the Simons Center is “opening doors as we continue to fundraise to build the center,” said Reed.

In its history, Stony Brook has helped address and solve challenges in New York as a public institution, Reed suggested. Becoming a flagship university for the state and with the support of the Simons Foundation, Stony Brook has opportunities to demonstrate leadership nationally and internationally, Reed added.

In addition to the climate exchange, Stony Brook will provide students with opportunities for internships that tap into public health, engineering and other interdisciplinary areas, which “came through in our proposal,” Reed added.

Multiplier effect

As for the $500 million donation, Jim and Marilyn Simons have not only stepped in to ensure the current and future academic strength and range of opportunities for faculty, students and the community, but they have also encouraged and inspired other donors.

With support from a program championed by Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and the Simons gift, donors can triple the effect of their contributions.

Long-term contributors to the university have stepped up this year.

The Simons donation, which has eclipsed what others have done, “encourages the rest of us to keep giving,” said Cary Staller, member of the Board of Trustees of the Stony Brook Foundation and of the SUNY Board of Trustees. “We can see the difference that Jim and Marilyn’s philanthropy has brought about at Stony Brook. It changed the culture.”

Staller has contributed $500,000 this year to the Staller Center Endowment. Staller, whose father donated $1.8 million in 1988 and whose family has contributed over $16 million, said he is talking to other family members about adding to their contributions.

Among the earlier and more noteworthy contributors to the university, the Staller family helped establish a pattern of supporting the Long Island institution.

“When we first gave money to Stony Brook to endow the Staller Center, it really raised a lot of eyebrows among folks,” said Staller. When they made their donation, the Stallers felt “Stony Brook was a preeminent institution that was worthy of support.”

The effect of the Simonses’ support has “eclipsed not only what we’ve done, but really what all of Stony Brook supporters have done,” said Staller.

Staller suggested previous contributions from the Simonses also made it possible to put together the Governors Island proposal.

Jim and Marilyn Simons helped create a Presidential Innovation and Excellence Fund, for which they pledged $25 million. They planned to match another $25 million for that fund, with donor matches that brought the total to $75 million.

“It’s incredible what that money has done,” said Staller, which includes supporting the Governors Island bid. “Those sorts of things cost real money, which is hard to find in a state system,” Staller added. “This allows Stony Brook to really achieve excellence.”

The givers that keep on giving

Stony Brook’s Advancement team recognizes that the couple represents an unusual gift that has kept on giving — to the tune of over $1.2 billion and counting.

“When I talk to my colleagues around the country in similar roles, they are frankly blown away by a philanthropist that has given a gift for the future institution” without any requirements about how the university or future presidents use the funds, said Justin Fincher, vice president for advancement and executive director of the Stony Brook Foundation. The contribution is “something that builds over time” that supports future leadership and demonstrates trust in the institution.

The contribution has “instantaneously raised our profile across the country,” said Fincher. The gift has “made a huge splash” with an instant boost to the school’s reputation.

Jed Shivers, senior vice president for finance and administration, suggested that “a lot of cylinders are starting to fire in synchrony right now.”

Shivers described the $500 million donation as a “seminal” moment for the university, reflecting the confidence the couple has in SBU President Maurie McInnis and the current administration.

This excitement has built throughout the university, with potential high-level recruits showing enthusiasm for a college system on the rise.

In a conversation with Kathleen McGary, the Thomas Muench endowed chair for economics, Shivers said McGary, who joined the university in June, was “extremely excited to come here. At a faculty level, the university has been very successful at recruiting high-quality deans, chairs and faculty.”

Carl Lejuez, provost at SBU, said the university hired seven deans last year, with most of them coming from the Association of American University, or AAU, top public flagship universities.

“Leaders who have strong vision want to come here,” Lejuez said.

These new recruits have helped build the sense of the university providing strong value, with many students who are in the bottom 20% in income when they enter rising to the top 20 percent in the years after graduating.

Hungry minds

Jim and Marilyn Simons do so much more than cutting checks, boosting the profile of the university and supporting its application for marquee projects. The couple is a visible presence wherever the Stony Brook University flag flies.

This year, Jim and Marilyn Simons attended a memorial conference on campus for the late famed paleoanthropologist Richard Leakey. Arriving early and chatting with McInnis and National Geographic Society CEO Jill Tiefenthaler, Jim and Marilyn Simons listened to several lectures, including a well-attended presentation by Louise Leakey, Richard’s daughter and director of public education and outreach for the Turkana Basin Institute and a research professor in the Department of Anthropology at Stony Brook University.

The Simonses “cannot get enough of learning about new things,” said Martin.

Martin highlighted their commitment to learning with an anecdote about a trip Jim and Marilyn made to Kenya earlier this year to honor Leakey.

While they were traveling in the Suguta Valley, which is one of the hottest places on Earth, one of the helicopters needed a spare part. Left in an area with no shade and that can reach over 130 degrees Fahrenheit, Jim and Marilyn Simons “decided to climb a hill to get a better view,” Martin recalled.

Later, while they were waiting for the rest of the group, they had a chance to rest. They had no interest in sitting and waiting, taking a walk with a geologist, where they learned about the geology of the Turkana Basin.

Lejuez suggested that the contributions from the Simons family will “likely have an impact for years to come,” helping to make Stony Brook a first choice university for prospective students.

Stony Brook hopes to reach the same echelon as successful and well-known public universities, such as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Michigan, and several of the public universities in California, such as UCLA.

Shivers added that the contributions from Jim and Marilyn Simons speak volumes to other donors and investors.

“What better endorsement than to have one of the world’s greatest investors invest in Stony Brook University,” said Shivers.

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The 2019 People of the Year event at the Three Village Inn. Photo by Beverly C. Tyler

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

Thanksgiving is almost here, and many of us are bustling about, packing for a distant visit with loved ones or making sure the house is in good shape to receive those traveling to us. For most Americans, it is our favorite holiday, defined by turkey and the trimmings. What could be bad about an eating holiday? The only skunk at the party is abandoned overeating, and most of us, wise from unfortunate past experience, try to avoid that.

The other thing that makes Thanksgiving special is the conscious awareness, again by most of us, of how much we have to be grateful for, including the community in which we live. It takes exceptional people to make a strong community, some of them leaders of organizations, others simply caring neighbors who go out of their way to help when help is needed.

In recognition of the many who enhance the quality of our lives, we publish a Thank You edition of the newspaper and website on the Thursday between Christmas and New Year’s. We call that issue, “People of the Year,” and we solicit suggestions for profiles from our staff, community leaders and especially from readers. 

We have been doing this for 47 years, since we started publishing, and we still haven’t run out of winners. In fact, the more we meet, the larger the circle grows. [Confession in the spirit of full disclosure: I used to worry that we would indeed run out of nominees.] Sometimes we get lots of suggestions for the same person. We’ve even had readers bring in petitions with many signatures to help us choose whom to profile.

Ultimately the TBR Editorial Board makes the final decisions, so if you disagree with any of the choices, blame us.

When we published only one newspaper, selection was fairly easy. As our editions grew, we produced a different slate for each. Recently, however, we have realized that what happens in Stony Brook can also affect Northport and vice versa, so we now publish a master list of sorts honoring those who have gone the extra mile on behalf of our communities. And by so doing, we have eased the strain on our COVID-reduced staff.

The purpose of the profiles, in addition to offering these terrific people our thanks, is also to give them a spotlight to help them with their work, which is usually ongoing. With that goal in mind, we refrain from writing in this issue about those who have retired or are deceased. However, those stories, along with many we couldn’t fit in, may become features in future additions.

We have tried, each year, to keep their selection a secret from the winners. They seem to enjoy opening the paper in print or on the web and finding themselves and their efforts acknowledged. Of course, it’s fun to be appreciated, then with the additional kick of it being a surprise. 

Until the year 2020, we invited the People of the Year to supper at the Three Village Inn in Stony Brook, generally on a late Sunday afternoon in March. At that venue, we gave each recipient a framed certificate, spoke for a minute about why they were selected, then gave them the mic to elaborate on their work.

Many of the past awardees also attended each year. Based on how long the residents lingered over dessert after the last certificate was announced, we concluded that there was a lot of cross pollination among them, further strengthening our communities and their interactions. 

We stopped those suppers with the advent of the coronavirus, fearing the possibility of a super spreader event. With each passing year, we hope to restore that tradition. It was delightful for us and, we believe, helpful for the community.

So we will wait to see what happens in 2023 and if we can resume partying. We all hope for the start of an After Times.

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