Laura Curran hires former aide to Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran has hired a former aide to Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen to expand her press shop.

Mike Fricchione, 32, most recently communications director for Gillen, a Democrat who lost her reelection bid in November, started Dec. 20 as Curran's deputy communications director. 

Fricchione will make $125,000 in annual salary. 

He joins communications director Christine Geed, senior communications advisers Jordan Carmon and Justine DiGiglio and communication specialist Vicki Distefano. Mike Santeramo, a deputy county executive, oversees the communications group.

Curran, a Democrat who is up for reelection in November 2021, has increased the size of her communications team since taking office in 2018, when communications director Michael Martino and press secretary Karen Contino ran the press shop.

“I believe Nassau County needs more honest leaders like Laura Curran who aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo and fight for a government that works for everybody," Fricchione said in a statement.

Geed said Fricchione brings to the administration "a level of expertise in the fields of public policy and public relations."

By Scott Eidler

scott.eidler@newsday.com@ScottEidler

Scott Eidler covers Nassau County government and politics for Newsday. Scott has worked at Newsday since 2012 and previously covered municipal government and education.