I am a lifelong Riverhead resident and a fifth generation native of the First Legislative District. My great-great grandfather, John C. Stark, came to Southold in 1840 and lived there until the 1860s, when he started a farm in Baiting Hollow. Since then, our family has planted roots and grown throughout the East End. I am the proud mother of three grown children and two grandkids.

​

My mother Patricia, and father, Jim Stark, who was also the 57th Supervisor of the Town of Riverhead, raised my three siblings and I in the family tradition of public service. In addition to volunteering with the Riverhead Lions Club and other community groups over the years, serving my community has been the focus my career for the past three decades.

​

I began working for Suffolk County in 1996—first for the Clerk of the Legislature and then for the Director of Real Property Tax Services, Penny Wells LaValle. My experience with the executive branch grew by leaps and bounds when, five years later, former County Executive Bob Gaffney hired me to work for his Community Services and Intergovernmental Relations divisions. Over the last twenty years, I have also had the pleasure of working for constituents on both the South and North Forks. For seven years, I served as Chief of Staff for Suffolk County Legislator Jay Schneiderman before he became the current Southampton Town Supervisor. Since 2013 I have done the same for Legislator Al Krupski who represents Fishers Island, the North Fork, Riverhead, and eastern Brookhaven Town.

​

Throughout this time, I have developed a broad range of expertise in Suffolk County government, as well as the state, town, and village agencies it partners with. In addition to managing staff and public monies, my experience has included crafting policy, lobbying for legislation, and assisting with its implementation. I have been a liaison to the Suffolk County Department of Public Works for over 20 years, and worked closely with mayors, trustees, supervisors, council members, and commissioners—throughout the region and regardless of party affiliation.

​

Mostly importantly, I look forward to the opportunity of working with you, the residents of the First District, as your next County Legislator. Together we can facilitate positive outcomes on the most important issues facing our home. Whether it is preserving farmland, open space, our drinking water, keeping our neighborhoods safe, or tackling a rising cost of living, I am confident there is no limit to what we can accomplish.

​

I hope to have your support on November 8, 2023.