“Grit, determination and perseverance are traits that were seared into every fiber of Regina Calcaterra’s being growing up in and out of the foster care system and confronting homelessness Long Island.  She broke new legal ground as a plaintiff in the case In Re: the Parentage of Regina Marie Calcaterra, which was the first case of its kind allowing adult children to discover their true parentage. Overcoming a childhood of abuse and neglect, Regina Calcaterra rose to serve in multiple high profile public roles and was a founding partner of a women owned law firm in New York City. Regina became the first woman to serve as Chief Deputy County Executive in Suffolk County in 2012 and led the county through a fiscal crisis and the response to Superstorm Sandy. While serving in this role, Regina wrote her #1 international and New York Times best-selling memoir, Etched In Sand: A True Story of Five Siblings Who Survived an Unspeakable Childhood on Long Island.  A role model for every person facing difficult circumstances, Regina Calcaterra as positively impacted countless lives through her public service and advocacy.” – Former Suffolk Executive, Steven Bellone