New York's Portugal Day Gala Leadership Awardees are Announced

NEW YORK, NY FEBRUARY 22, 2019 - The New York Portuguese American Leadership Conference (NYPALC) announced the Leadership Awardees of the Year during their Annual General Meeting held at the PAC of Suffolk.

Among the awardees are the Mayors of Yonkers and Mineola. "I can’t overstate how supportive Mayor Mike Spano and Mayor Scott Strauss have been to the New York State Portuguese Community - it's certainly, a long overdue recognition. Mineola's Deputy Mayor, Paul Pereira, a much-respected member of our Community, will be the Grand Marshall for this year’s New York State Portugal Day Parade in Mineola. We are looking forward to honoring all the amazing Awardees on May 11th" said NYPALC President Isabelle Coelho-Marques.

The Awardees will be honored during the NYPALC Portugal Day Leadership Gala on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at the Portuguese American Center of Suffolk in Farmingville where, NYPALC will bring together over 60 Portuguese-American organizations, along with public officials and special guests, to celebrate those who contribute tirelessly for the enhancement and strengthening of the Portuguese-American Community in New York State

The 2019 Awardees:

Friend of the Community Award: Mayor Mike Spano (City of Yonkers and Mayor Scott Strauss (Village of Mineola);

Man of the Year: Mario Alberto, PCNR New Rochelle (Westchester);

Woman of the Year: Adriana Santos, PACC Spring Valley (Rockland);

Lifetime Achievement Award: Carlos Alexandre, PAC Mt Vernon (Westchester);

Grand Marshall: Paul Pereira, MPC Mineola (Nassau)

Young Man of the Year: Brian DaPonte, PAC Farmingville (Suffolk);

Young Woman of the Year: Patricia Pinto, PACC Yonkers (Westchester);

President of the Year: Antonio Mendes, PACC Spring Valley (Rockland);

Leadership Revelation: Gabriella Leitao Lisboa, Rancho Sonhos e Juventude de Portugal, Mineola (Nassau) and Luis Rocha, PAC Farmingville (Nassau);

Educator of the Year: Odete Pereira, Escola Julio Dinis, Mineola (Nassau)

Fernando Silva Leadership Award: Sebastiao Afonso Silva, in posthumously, PACC Tarrytown (Westchester);

Business of the Year: Roger and Sons, HVPACC Hopewell Junction (Dutchess)

The New York Portuguese American Leadership Conference (NYPALC) is the association of Portuguese-American organizations in the state of New York. NYPALC is an independent, non-profit organization with no political affiliations that empowers the New York Portuguese and Portuguese-American citizens through advocacy, civic engagement, community development and, education. Currently with 67 member organizations, NYPALC represents approximately 180,000 Portuguese and Portuguese Americans in the State of New York.