Eve Sheikh, New Hyde Park’s newest trustee, said being elected to the board was a great way to continue advocating for what’s important to both her and the village.

“When the opportunity came, I said hands down this is something I’m definitely going to pursue,” Sheikh said in an interview with Blank Slate Media. 

Sheikh was elected to the board on March 21, taking the seat left vacant by former Trustee Donna Squicciarino, who had served on the board since 2013.

The newcomer said she was volunteering on the village’s Cultural Committee when she spoke with Mayor Christopher Devane, who told her she would make a great candidate. 

“When it was later explained to me what the role of a trustee and the board is, I knew it was a great chance to help benefit the community,” Sheikh said.

Sheikh, who moved to the village in the mid-1990s with her parents and four siblings, is currently a pharmacy manager at Vitality. She first got a look at the inner workings of the village last year when she joined the Cultural Committee, which provides residents with social, cultural, and educational experiences to foster a spirit of community pride in the village. 

The Cultural Committee is responsible for the village’s Lunar New Year celebrations, St. Patrick’s Day Parade, street fair, Diwali celebration and multicultural festival, among other things. 

“The events are amazing because our community is so diverse and it’s great seeing people get together over what we have to offer,” Sheikh said. 

Now with one monthly meeting under her belt in April, Sheikh said she is quickly getting up to speed. She serves as the board’s liaison to the Hillside Public Library, senior programming and schools. 

Sheikh said she met with Library Director Charlene Noll and wanted to inform a younger generation about what the library has to offer, which ranges from offering museum passes and an online tutoring service.

Sheikh and Deputy Mayor Madhvi Nijjar also met with New Hyde Park Road School Principal Kim LaRegina and Assistant Principal Denise Connolly about what the village can do to be more involved with their programming and events.

“We told them without hesitation we would be there for the kids,” Sheikh said. 

Focusing on the younger generations was a particular goal Sheikh had when running for the board, saying she wants to be a positive influence and introduce programming they can relate to. 

“We want to give these young adults a village where in the future they may say, ‘You know what, New Hyde Park was a great place to live and I want to raise my family here one day’ as I did,” Sheikh said. “If you advocate the right things, these young adults will become great leaders in the future.”

Sheikh said she was appreciative of the support she got ahead of the election and meeting more members of the community, specifically from her daughter’s friends.

“It feels amazing to be able to make a good positive impact on both the kids and your community,” Sheikh said. “I’m glad the village was able to put me in this position.”

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