ABOUT NINA

When a problem needs fixing, it is pretty much a fact that Nina Petraro Bastardi will be there working toward a solution. Nina grew up in a family accustomed to doing their part to contribute to their community. Both her father, Vincent and her mother, Christine were involved on the school board and in the Parent-Student Association (PSA), both serving as president. Ever since she can remember, she would be helping her parents at the local Sons of Italy or church carnival, selling candy to raise money for her church, baking Italian cookies with her grandma for a school committee, or working with her mother to make baskets for the PSA supermarket bingo. Her grandfather was a devoted public servant, serving as the treasurer of the American Postal Workers Union, Queens Area Local. Today, she is an active member of her alumnae association, serving on the professional networking committee, and works closely with Action Long Island to address the housing crunch forcing young people off Long Island – leading to a tremendous loss of talent for our area.

It is her life’s foundation in service which makes her a candidate for the Nassau County Legislature today.

Nina is an attorney at the firm of Farrell Fritz and works in the Land Use, Municipal and Tax Certiorari departments. Prior to joining the firm, Nina worked as a law clerk and interned in the chambers of Justice Ruth C. Balkin in the Nassau County Supreme Court. Nina serves as Deputy Village Prosecutor of the Village of Valley Stream.

She earned her bachelors degree, summa cum laude, in Government and Politics in the Honors College at St. John’s University. Nina attended St. John’s Law School, where she was Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Legal Commentary.

During college, Nina was active in the issue of housing for young professionals and worked to bring the issue to the forefront of local debate. Unfortunately, too few local officials have expressed concern that we are losing our best and brightest to more profitable regions of the nation. That’s when Nina decided that she needed to run for office in order to make real change in the way we address problems here on Long Island. She is a woman who is not content to sit on the sidelines waiting for change to happen. Nina believes in order to make Long Island a better place, you need to roll up your sleeves, do what others wouldn’t dare, and shake up the political establishment.

Her family is just like any other. Her grandparents were union workers, her family and friends are in the United States Military and have served in Iraq, and her and her husband both work long hours to make ends meet. She knows what it is like to be middle class and living on Long Island. An avid New York Yankees fan, Nina enjoys watching sports, spending time outdoors with her husband Chris, and eating potluck dinners with her friends from high school. Chris is a lifelong resident of Valley Stream and a graduate of Valley Stream Central High School.

Nina serves on Action Long Island's Housing and Development Task Force, and its residential housing subcommittee. She is also a member of the Long Island Association's workforce development and housing committee.

Active in her community, Nina was a member of the Board of Directors of Friends of Bridge, a Valley Stream based alcohol and substance abuse treatment center. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Sacred Heart Academy Alumnae Association, where she is on its Professional Networking Committee. Nina sits on the Board of the Valley Stream Central High School District Business Advisory Council as Publicity Director, where she speaks at career days, runs resume workshops and mentors high school students. She is a member of the Valley Stream Chamber of Commerce. Nina is active in her church, Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church in Valley Stream, where she serves as a lector. Nina has volunteered as a judge at Future Business Leaders of America tournaments and at the "We the People" Long Island mock congressional hearing competition for high school students. She was recognized as one Long Island’s most successful young professionals with its “30 Under 30” award.

Nina is a member of the Nassau County Bar Association. She is admitted to practice in the State of New York, the District of Columbia, and the United States District Court for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York.

Nina and her husband, Chris reside in Valley Stream.