2025 Long Island's Progressive Pathfinders
City & State's Long Island Trailblazers: Pioneers Driving Change
The 2025 City & State Long Island Trailblazers list shines a spotlight on key players and game-changers who are driving Long Island's regional upswing and addressing pressing challenges such as climate change, affordable housing, and water quality.
This inaugural list features a diverse array of innovative thinkers and power brokers, including the new CEO of the Long Island Power Authority, who is central to efforts in combating climate change and ensuring sustainable energy solutions for the region.
Phil Andrews, President of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and 100 Black Men of Eastern New York, is recognised for his leadership and community impact in economic empowerment and social equity.
A former NFL player turned lawmaker is also on the list, advancing policies around pandemic risk mitigation and social issues. Leonard Achan, head of LiveOnNY, is driving innovation in organ donation and healthcare training, which ties into broader community health and resilience.
Thomas J. Garry, a legal partner noted for influential work contributing to regional development and governance, and Kevin P. Mulry, a partner and general counsel for a major law firm, recognised for his strategic legal work in commercial, health, and government litigation that supports Long Island’s institutional strength, are also on the list.
The Trailblazers list was researched and written in partnership with journalist Lon Cohen, and reflects a multi-sector effort to put Long Island on a positive trajectory. For the full roster and details, City & State’s official 2025 Long Island Trailblazers list can be accessed online.
Long Island, with its approximately 3 million residents, is bolstered by a diverse economic ecosystem, including world-class corporations, financial institutions, colleges and universities, hospitals, law firms, real estate developers, and cultural institutions. The island also has a significant presence of nonprofit and philanthropic organizations and advocacy groups.
Notably, the list includes a former NFL player and a recently elevated municipal labor leader, showcasing the wide-ranging impact of the Trailblazers on Long Island's community and economy.
As Long Island continues to evolve, the Trailblazers list serves as a testament to the individuals who are stepping up to tackle the challenges and drive progress on the island.
- The new CEO of the Long Island Power Authority is central to efforts in combating climate change and ensuring sustainable energy solutions for the region, contributing to the island's economic ecosystem that includes world-class corporations and financial institutions.
- Phil Andrews, President of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and 100 Black Men of Eastern New York, is recognized for his leadership and community impact in economic empowerment and social equity, proposing policies aligned with education-and-self-development and career-development to address Long Island's social issues.
- Leonard Achan, head of LiveOnNY, is driving innovation in organ donation and healthcare training, which ties into broader community health and resilience, demonstrating a commitment to sustainable-living through improved access to quality healthcare on Long Island.
- The Trailblazers list features a former NFL player and a recently elevated municipal labor leader, emphasizing the importance of home-and-garden advocacy and lifestyle improvements for the approximately 3 million residents of Long Island, addressing pressing challenges such as affordable housing.
