Brookhaven

Cynthia Vargas has spent three decades advancing justice in Suffolk County. With 30 years of legal experience and community service she will proudly serve the people of Brookhaven with honor and integrity. As a skilled advocate Cynthia has earned a reputation for her professionalism and tireless work ethic. She has a diverse legal background and over the course of her career has represented clients in District, Family, Supreme, Surrogate and Federal Court.

Dr. Kerry Spooner is the founder of Sound Justice Initiative, a non-profit organization that provides post-secondary education services to justice-involved people, including teaching college-oriented liberal arts courses in Suffolk County jails. At SJI, Spooner works to equip people with the soft skills required to improve individual and family economic and social upward mobility.
She has 20 years of experience teaching in higher education. Previously, Spooner worked for Suffolk County Department of Labor, Licensing & Consumer Affairs in the Suffolk Works Employment Program where she worked to decrease unemployment.

Francis Salazar will be running for Brookhaven Town Council this November. Francis is originally from
Mahopac NY, in Putnam County. After graduating high school, he attended SUNY Oneonta where he
earned his bachelor’s degree in History. He then went on to attend Manhattanville College in Purchase
where he received his master’s degree in Education with a focus on Special Education and Social Studies.
In 2006 Francis became employed in the Copiague School District as a special education teacher. He
served that role for eleven years before being promoted to Dean and then Chairperson of the Social
Studies Department. For the last four years he has served as an Assistant Principal in Copiague Middle
School.

An enterprising leader with a history of building programs that communities value, driving advocacy
initiatives that work, developing messages that inspire, and delivering communications that
breakthrough. Known for consistently demonstrating strategic vision and efficiently follow-through
in extremely diverse challenges. Track record of efficiently managing projects, establishing
lasting partnerships, growing organizational visibility, and creating powerful communication tools.
Extensive experience in the development, growth, team building, and leadership of paid and
volunteer personnel. Passionate advocate, respected spokesperson, skilled marketer, and effective
communicator with over six years with my organization.

I am an attorney with 17 years of experience advocating for others and meeting the needs of my community. For over 15 years I have owned my own small business - a law practice. During this time I worked with both large property developers and managers on multi- million dollar transactions and also with single parents who were struggling with everyday needs. I understand that the little problems can be as monumental to a person as the big community problems are to society.

Ms. Russell has lived essentially all of her life in Suffolk County. She grew up in western Suffolk County
and graduated from Half Hollow Hills High School. After graduating from SUNY Binghamton with a
BSN, she did move to Atlanta, Georgia to be a critical care nurse. While in Atlanta, she saw a need for
effective legal representation of nurses, physicians and hospitals, and pursued a J.D. degree from Georgia
State University. Ms. Russell attended Law School while working full time as a registered nurse.

Art Turkington has lived in Center Moriches for 25 years. Art began his career as a mechanic and attended school during the evening to earn first a B.A.and an M.A. in Management. As an employee of a large, international corporation, Art’s managerial abilities were quickly recognized and he rose rapidly through the ranks. With each promotion, he gained extensive experience in labor relations, management development, regulatory compliance, and operations. As a manager, Art was noted for treating employees honestly and fairly to create a good and productive working environment.

Lisa Di Santo has been a resident of East Patchogue for almost 30 years. Lisa's extensive experience as a community leader and educator adds a critical dimension to her candidacy. As an experienced educator and business person Lisa developed the communication and problem solving skills that are essential to a responsive, good government.

Dan is merging his personal and professional community service by running for the fourth district council seat in Brookhaven Town. His lifetime of financial experience and his dedication and responsiveness make him an ideal choice to serve his community on the town board.