Linda Oristano Recognized as one of TBR News Media’s "People of the Year" for 2025

On any given afternoon in Northport, Linda Oristano can be found doing what she has done for decades: showing up. She’s at school assemblies, community festivals, parent meetings,

coalition gatherings — often moving seamlessly from one role to the next, greeting children by name, engaging parents in conversation and quietly laying the groundwork for prevention long before a crisis takes hold.

As director of AWARE Drug and Alcohol Community Coalition, Oristano has spent more than 30 years working at the intersection of prevention, education, counseling and advocacy. Her

career spans social services, community health care, mentoring and spiritual guidance — but at its core is a belief that early, honest and compassionate conversations can change the

trajectory of a young person’s life.

“Research shows that early education and prevention and strong relationships are some of the most powerful protective factors,” Oristano said. “When a child understands why substances are harmful and they feel connected to trusted adults — parents, teachers, mentors — and they believe they belong, they’re far less likely to experiment [with] or misuse substances.”

That philosophy has guided AWARE’s expanding work across Northport and neighboring

communities, including recent prevention programs in the Elwood Union Free School District

reaching students as young as fifth graders. The initiative focused on vaping education,

equipping students — and their parents — with age-appropriate information and tools to

recognize risks early.

“One of the things we did was create what we call an In Plain Sight bedroom,” Oristano said.

“It’s a mock kids’ bedroom, and we have parents go in and try to find vaping devices. A lot of

parents don’t know what these devices look like or how easily they’re hidden. This helps them learn and then talk to their kids.”

For Oristano, prevention is not about fear or punishment, but about transparency and trust. She rejects the notion that substance use is inevitable, especially among young people.

“People say, ‘All kids drink when they go to college,’ and that’s just not true,” she said.

“Prevention has to start early. It has to be age appropriate. You build skills, you build

confidence and you give kids the space to ask real questions.” Those who work alongside her say Oristano’s impact is felt as much in her presence as in her programming.

“In my time knowing Linda, she is always at community functions,” said Justine Briscoe, a Long Island account representative and alumni coordinator at Seafield Center for Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment. “She’s making sure everyone’s smiling, raising awareness and encouraging people to participate, especially young people.” Briscoe, who works on the treatment side of addiction services, said Oristano’s prevention- focused approach serves as a vital counterbalance.

“Treatment is the back end, we’re the last stop,” Briscoe said. “Prevention is calling out the

train down the tracks before it gets to its last stop. Just seeing another peer that’s as involved in the grassroots sector and the educational portion of this reminds me of why I do what I do.” Oristano’s work also extends into newer forms of outreach, including AWARE’s podcast, which features conversations with recovery advocates, health-care professionals, law enforcement, parents and faith leaders.

“Podcasts build trust and credibility,” Oristano said. “They allow for real conversations that

don’t fit into a flyer. Parents and caregivers can listen on their own time and get information

before a problem shows up.”

That openness, she said, is essential to reducing stigma, a recurring theme in her work.

“When we talk openly about substance use and mental health, people feel safer asking for

help,” she said. “Prevention reduces stigma because it creates compassion and connection

before crisis.” Felicia Scocozza, executive director of Riverhead Community Awareness Programs, met Oristano two years ago and said her leadership stands out even among seasoned prevention professionals.

“She genuinely cares about young people and her community,” Scocozza said. “She

understands that local problems require local solutions, and she works to engage youth and

adults to collaborate to find those solutions.” Scocozza credited Oristano with making Northport safer for families by strategically addressing underage substance use, access and the environments that promote it.

“Linda is an inspiration because she lives and works in her community and has the courage to take risks on prevention strategies that may initially have a knee-jerk reaction or negative

comments on social media,” Scocozza said. “She has the patience to build consensus and

support for the work she does with the community coalition. She’s also one of the hardest

working people I’ve ever met.”

That persistence comes at a time when nonprofit organizations across Long Island face

mounting financial pressures, including rising costs and declining funding — challenges

Oristano has spoken openly about in past reporting. Still, she remains focused on what she

calls the most rewarding part of her work: the children.

“Working with kids is unbelievable,” she said. “Meeting them where they’re at, letting them ask questions, helping them build confidence to make healthy choices — that’s incredibly

meaningful. The conversations we have today help shape the choices kids make tomorrow.”

For Oristano, prevention is ultimately about hope — not just avoiding harm, but empowering a

generation to make informed, healthy decisions in an increasingly complex world.

“We want kids to talk. We want them to be heard,” she said. “If we can do that, we’re not just

preventing substance misuse, we’re strengthening the entire community.”

Oristano was honored in March as the Suffolk County Woman of Distinction for the 18th

District by Legislator Stephanie Bontempi (R, Centerport).

For 2025, Linda Oristano is recognized as one of TBR News Media’s people of the year.