January 11, 2022 (Deer Park, NY) - United Way of Long Island recently elected Smithtown resident Dr. Sylvia A. Diaz, Executive Director of the Suffolk Community College Foundation, to its Board of Directors. Her extensive history and tireless efforts with her foundation, “Pathways Renewed", has allowed her to become a powerhouse in the industry.
A Bronx native, Dr. Diaz’s career began when she moved to Long Island and coordinated the town’s first “Hispanic Outreach Program” at the Brookhaven Youth Bureau. She also worked to help develop the region's first bilingual chemical dependency treatment program at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital in Smithtown. As a Clinical Social Worker, Dr. Diaz was appointed by the County Executive to head the Office of Minority Affairs. In this role, as a Special Assistant for Minority Affairs, she focused on promoting the economic development of minority and women-owned businesses in Suffolk County. She was later promoted to the Head of the Division of Human Services, where she was responsible for a fifteen million-dollar budget and six subdivisions of the County Executive’s Office. Presently, Dr. Diaz serves as an Executive Director at the Suffolk County Community College Foundation.
“I have a great connection to an organization that is especially focused on education. I am truly honored to be elected to the Board of Directors at United Way and serve alongside many respected and prominent industry leaders who also want to aid Long Islanders,” remarked Dr. Diaz.
“Dr. Diaz's ideals directly align with United Way’s mission. We are delighted to have Dr. Diaz join our Board of Directors and look forward to working closely with her to continue making a positive impact on our neighbors who live on Long Islanders,” said Theresa A. Regnante, President and CEO of United Way of Long Island.
Dr. Diaz completed her Graduate Degree in Social Work at SUNY Stony Brook while attending an alcoholism counseling studies program. In 2011, she graduated with a Ph.D. from the School of Social Welfare at Stony Brook and joined the Graduate Program in Human Services Leadership at St. Joseph’s College as an adjunct Professor.
To learn more about United Way of Long Island’s Leadership visit www.unitedwayli.org/board-directors.
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