Early life and education
Gillen was born on July 10,1969,in Rockville Centre,New York,and grew up in Baldwin with her four siblings. [2] [3] [4] She attended Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead before earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science and government from Georgetown University in 1991. [1] [2]
After graduating,Gillen worked at an entertainment agency before traveling abroad. [5] She became a scuba diving instructor in Thailand and later volunteered with the Missionaries of Charity,an organization founded by Mother Teresa,in Kolkata,India. [5] [6]
Upon returning to the United States,Gillen enrolled at New York University School of Law,where she earned a Juris Doctor in 2000. [2]
Early political career
In 2017,Gillen narrowly defeated incumbent Anthony J. Santino for Hempstead Town Supervisor,becoming the first Democrat in 100 years elected to the position. [8] In that election,Gillen was outspent by $1.2 million dollars and won by a margin of 2,268 votes. [8] [9]
During her 2017 campaign for Supervisor,Gillen criticized Santino's treatment of fellow town board members Bruce Blakeman and Erin King-Sweeney. [10] The two town board members took issue with a Santino proposal to restrict board members from taking more than $125,000 in outside income. While Santino denied it,the two attorneys argued that it was an attempt to throw them off the board. [11] Blakeman would later cross party lines to endorse Gillen in October. [12]
In May 2018,Gillen released a five year capital plan which included rehabilitation of a town 311 facility and a water testing lab and $160 million in capital highway spending. [13]
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