Barbara Medina

Barbara Medina, the Executive Director of Simply Strong, has been serving her community via public service and advocacy at the state, local, and federal level for nearly twenty years. Following a successful career in retail, community engagement inspired Ms. Medina to public service; she identified issues in her community, including domestic violence, substance abuse, sex trafficking, and homelessness, and she devoted her numerous talents to her new calling, working on bipartisan initiatives at the community level and at all levels of government to improve the lives of those around her.

Ms. Medina served as a community housing liaison in New York, where she aided domestic violence victims and others experiencing homelessness, providing resources and housing placement. In addition to her official role, in her private time she began working to protect abused children. In 2006 she joined forces with the non-profit Emergency Rights and successfully lobbied for legislation for the first time. Her work resulted in the passage of the Nixzmary Brown law, which increased New York state penalties when a parent or guardian causes the death of a child and provided additional resources for child protection agencies. The law was named for a Brooklyn child killed by her mother and stepfather.

Ms. Medina also engaged in the fight against drunk driving, after drunk drivers killed four children in two accidents in the New York City area in the space of three months. Ms. Medina partnered with MADD, bereaved father Lenny Rosado, and several other non-profit organizations and state senators to successfully lobby for the passage of Leandra’s law, named for Rosado’s late daughter. Leandra’s law automatically imposes a Class E felony on any person operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and transporting a child. Every year at least five parents in the state of New York are charged under Leandra’s law.

By 2013, Ms. Medina had begun working with the New York State Assembly to advocate for affordable housing and displaced residents. She partnered with New York City housing organizations to place over 500 deserving families who would have otherwise been left homeless. She also worked with domestic violence victims in city shelters, helping them connect with necessary resources.

Today Ms. Medina is a well-known advocate in the State of New York, especially in Suffolk County, Long Island communities. Her determination and dedication to advocacy allowed her to join forces with government and community leaders throughout the State of New York, to help crime victims, advocate for the families who lost children to gang violence, and collaborate with law enforcement and former Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini to eradicate gangs from schools. Ms. Medina collaborated with the Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Suffolk District Attorneys’ offices and coordinated anti-violence and anti-bullying events in communities hard-hit by violence. She addressed gang violence issues with then-Governor Andrew Cuomo, and at the federal level she met with then- US Attorney General Jeff Sessions to discuss the need for federal gang prosecutions, resulting in Sessions allocating necessary federal prosecutors to tackle MS-13 gang cases sitting dormant since 2014. Ms. Medina’s advocacy garnered over 27 million dollars for public programs in Suffolk County, $10 million of which were dedicated to preventing and responding to gang violence.

Ms. Medina is proud of her myriad accomplishments, but she knows there is so much more to be done. As director of Simply Strong, she will continue generating positive momentum to renew hope in our communities.

Barbara strongly believes that "great community organizations and noble kindness create positive changes in people's lives, implement proper resources and programs that deliver positive results for those who need it most, and empower individuals by celebrating their strength and perseverance. A united effort will always lead to a successful story."

COMING SOON

COING SOON

COMING SOON