President of the North Shore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Connie Pinilla, was pleased to announce this past weekend that Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, a distinguished community leader, former Glen Cove councilman, and founding member of the North Shore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, will be honored with the leadership award at the chamber’s upcoming Latin Fiesta Business Expo.
The event will occur on July 18 at the Sea Cliff Yacht Club at 42 The Boulevard, in Sea Cliff, starting at 6 pm. In addition to the awards ceremony, the event will include music, entertainment, dancing, raffles, and vendor tables featuring area businesses.
Stevenson-Mathews, a freelance communications professional and speech coach, has a long history of service and leadership in the community.
In addition to having served the people of Glen Cove as a city councilman and his extensive experience in arts administration, he is also the founder of three non-profit organizations: an acclaimed theatre company in Dallas, Texas, known for its premieres and innovative programming of opera and musical theatre; The Flora Macdonald Legacy Foundation in North Carolina, dedicated to preserving a historic building; and, most recently, the Tribute and Honor Foundation based in Glen Cove.
The latter organization honors veterans and veteran supporters from across Long Island and, with the help and support of the community, raised close to $50,000 to help rebuild VFW Post 347 following a devastating fire.
The foundation has also honored nearly 20 veterans and veteran supporters through its annual awards ceremony, held in February each year, and has supported initiatives such as the Glen Cove Library’s VetNOW program, which provides critical resources for veterans.
“Gaitley’s unwavering dedication to serving our community and his ability to inspire and mobilize others are truly remarkable,” said Connie Pinilla, president of the North Shore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “His contributions and leadership skills have made a lasting impact on countless lives, and we are honored to recognize him with the North Shore Hispanic Chamber’s Leadership Award.”
Stevenson-Mathews has also served the North Shore Hispanic Chamber as a founding board member and second vice president. He is actively involved with several other organizations, serving on the boards of the Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce, SAGE Foundation, and Glen Cove EOC and as a trustee of Loggia Glen Cove #1016 Sons of Daughters of Italy.
He is on the advisory boards of the Morgan Park Summer Music Festival and Age-Friendly Glen Cove, a lifetime member of the North Shore Historical Museum, an associate member of Calvary AME Church, where he sings in the choir, a founding member of NOSH Delivers, and recently invited to become a community ambassador for the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County.
“We were delighted to invite Gaitley to become one of our Community Ambassadors, and we were pleased, though not surprised, to learn of the Community Leadership Award he will be receiving from the North Shore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce,” said Jolanta Zamecka, vice chair of the board of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center. “I have personally witnessed Gaitley’s creativity and leadership in a recent collaborative project with HMTC, the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, and the Long Island Concert Orchestra. I greatly appreciated the talent and outstanding support he brought to our initiative, and I find his deep engagement with various communities across Long Island both impressive and inspirational. He leads with the respect he has earned from the many communities he serves.”
The leadership award will be presented during the Latin Fiesta Business Expo, celebrating Hispanic culture and business excellence. The event will feature networking opportunities, cultural performances, and a showcase of local businesses.
For more information about the event, including opportunities to purchase tickets, secure a vendor table, or become a sponsor, visit the chamber’s official Facebook page by clicking HERE, calling 516-521-8274, or emailing cpinilla@nshchamber.org.