J Street Board Member

Nancy Goroff serves as treasurer and co-founder of the Long Island Strong Schools Alliance (LISSA), a nonprofit organization founded in 2021 to support educational policies in public schools on Long Island that focus on civic engagement, critical thinking, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Since founding the Long Island Strong Schools Alliance, Nancy and her colleagues have engaged in advocacy initiatives to raise awareness and support DEI programs, served as experts for educational policymakers, and utilized research to promote the importance of inclusion in education.

Prior to founding LISSA, Nancy compiled an extensive and impressive background in academia, demonstrating her deep commitment to education and continued learning and growth. After earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from Harvard University, she pursued a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles, and engaged in postdoctoral research fellowships at the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. In 1997, Nancy began her professorial career at Stony Brook University, starting as an assistant professor before being promoted to a professor, serving as Associate Provost, Interim Dean of the Graduate School, and Chemistry Department Chair along the way. Nancy has held the title of Professor Emerita since June of 2021. During her time at Stony Brook, Nancy co-authored numerous articles in reputable scientific publications–including but not limited to Journal of the American Chemical Society, The Journal of Organic Chemistry, and Science Journal–as well as ran her own research lab specializing in organic chemistry, halocarbon chemistry for new materials, and conjugated molecular belts. Nancy also received many awards for her academic achievements, including the National Science Foundation Career Award, the Award for Excellence in Service by a Graduate Program Director from the Stony Brook Graduate School, the Journal Award from Thieme Verlaag, and the ACS Award for Creative Research and Applications of Iodine Chemistry.

In July of 2019, Nancy ran for Congress in New York’s First District in Long Island, winning the Democratic nomination after a competitive primary against the previous cycle’s nominee. Nancy’s platform combined her expertise and passion for science and education, emphasizing the importance of social services, inclusive education, climate action, access to quality healthcare, and women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. The campaign raised over $5.6 million, and was named to the DCCC Red-to-Blue list. Nancy was endorsed by several groups, including the New York Times, Newsday, EMILY’S List, 314 Action, the Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters, Planned Parenthood, J Street, and New York AFL-CIO.

Deeply invested in her community, Nancy sits on multiple boards. She has served as a Trustee on the nonprofit Gallery North board in Setauket since 2009, and as the President of the Board of Directors since 2015. She has been on the board of the Institute for Digital Media and Child Development since 2015, and also sits on the board of the National Advisory Board of the Union of Concerned Scientists, continuing to use her expertise in education, chemistry, and science to progress child development research and fight for climate action, respectively.