2008 NETWORKING® MAGAZINE’S DAVID AWARD HONOREE

Elected to the Suffolk County Legislature in 1979 at the age of 26, Patrick Halpin had long had an interest in politics and government and the people who rose to leadership. “ I had a passion for history and reading the biographies of the presidents—Jefferson, Washington,Lincoln,” says Halpin. Growing up in an Irish Catholic family and attending St. Joseph’s School in Babylon, he remembers that there were always newspapers around his home, The New York Times, Suffolk Sun and Long Island Press, and his family had discussions around the table about current events. Although he was only seven-years-old when John F. Kennedy ran for President, he recalls Kennedy’s youthful vigor, his charisma, and the excitement it generated among the people in his life. In high school, he was elected president of the student body.

“ In the late Sixties and early Seventies there was a lot of activism. Young men were being drafted for the Vietnam War,” Halpin remarks. “I got caught up in all the activism.” After earning a BA degree in Political Science and Economics from Old Dominion University, he volunteered in political campaigns and became a campaign staffer for his friend Tom Downey’s election to Congress, later becoming one of his Congressional aides. “ I remember John Kennedy and Bobby Kennedy talking about public service as a noble profession,” says Halpin. “I believed them and I developed a lifelong passion for public service.” In a 1982 special election, Halpin ran as a Democrat for New York State Assembly in the Republican stronghold of the Town of Babylon. His win made him the first Democrat to be elected to the 11th Assembly District in 116 years. After serving six years in Albany, Halpin was elected Suffolk County Executive, the youngest person to fill that post in County history.

Although he had enjoyed his time at the State level, Halpin says, “The amount of impact you have in the State Legislature is limited. In contrast, when you’re County Executive, you develop and implement policies. Being County Executive of Suffolk or Nassau is like being the governor of a small state.” Under his leadership from 1988-1992, the Suffolk Legislature put together a nationally recognized groundwater protection program that would preserve thousands of acres in the Pine Barrens for future generations, and it extended the farmlands preservation program. “The $100 million clean drinking water protection program to buy open space was so unique that no other government entity in America, not even the federal government, has ever come close,” notes Halpin. “It became the foundation for every program that followed.”

With the defense industry declining, Halpin continues,“ It was important to find the next generation of businesses that would create good paying jobs as the economy was changing. The County negotiated a deal to move Computer Associates’ World Headquarters to Suffolk, keeping their headquarters and jobs on the Island.” Halpin spearheaded an ambitious program to develop affordable housing and provide alternatives for young families. “The County literally built hundreds of housing units for the homeless and placed them in housing run by nonprofit organizations,” Halpin adds. Working for human rights, he is proud that his first Executive Order charged police officers with making an arrest when called to a domestic violence situation, thereby relieving the burden upon the victim. The first-of-its-kind, pro-arrest policy in New York State was highly successful in its first year. He was also instrumental in instituting the highly successful drug education program, DARE.

In 1994, Halpin was recruited by North Shore philanthropists Gerard and Lilo Leeds, former owners of CMP Media, to direct public policy for their nascent non-profit education organization, the Institute for Student Achievement (ISA). The Leeds believed that quality education is of utmost importance to children’s success, and while they were raising the philanthropic dollars, they knew public support was needed to change public education. Under the ISA model, schools are restructured into small learning communities of no more than 100 students. Instead of the big-factory high school, a college campus atmosphere is created with all students participating in campus-wide sports and clubs. ISA trains faculty to work across subject areas and to reinforce skills needed for college preparatory work. Every faculty member becomes an advisor and advocate for a handful of students, addressing minor problems so they don’t become obstacles to success.

When Halpin joined ISA, the nonprofit was working with 150 students in a few schools on Long Island. Today, ISA partners with 60 schools on Long Island, in New York and New Jersey, and Atlanta and Baton Rouge, touching the lives of 15,000 students, increasing graduation rates and helping young people take charge of their lives. ISA has created four small schools within Hempstead High School where the program is making great strides. Not only is ISA attracting support for its model from state and federal officials, but also from the William Gates Foundation, among others.

Today, 15 years after he left public office, Halpin continues to shape Long Island’s future through his volunteer efforts. He serves on the Boards of the Nature Conservancy, Long Island Chapter, and the Long Island Housing Partnership, helping to protect the environment and provide housing to meet Long Islanders’ needs. A member of the Board of Directors for Vision Long Island, he uses his economic and planning skills to help create livable communities. Halpin serves on the Advisory Board for the Long Island Index, the Rauch Foundation’s comprehensive, unbiased set of facts that serve as a resource for all Long Island government entities in making policy decisions. He serves on the Board of the Suffolk Water Authority and is chairman of the Town of Babylon Industrial Development Agency. Halpin hosts Cablevision’s “Meet the Leaders” program, where his interviews with local public officials“ give people a real sense of what’s going on in their communities,” he adds.

Currently residing in the Village of Babylon with his wife Debra and daughters Christina and Sarah, Halpin enjoys helping people and organizations make a difference. He remarks, “I believe I’ve struck the right balance in my life between public service and community involvement.”