Carolyn Infante
Carolyn Infante is a dedicated leader in youth development, healthcare equity, and organizational leadership whose career has been defined by service, mentorship, and advocacy. Based in Patchogue, Carolyn began her professional journey in the corporate sector after earning a background in business administration. In 2006, following a move to the suburbs and a desire for more meaningful community-focused work, she transitioned into education and returned to school to pursue adolescent education. While completing her studies, she joined Youth Enrichment Services part-time to gain hands-on experience working with young people. What began as a stepping stone quickly became a calling, leading her to remain with the organization and grow into a long-term leadership role focused on empowering youth and strengthening communities.
Over the next decade, Carolyn served as Director of Programs at Youth Enrichment Services, where she developed and implemented after-school initiatives, community outreach programs, and mentoring opportunities for underserved youth. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, her reputation as a licensed interpreter, translator, and trusted community leader led Northwell Health to recruit her to revamp and build its language access services in Bayshore, New York. Carolyn not only created the health system’s first comprehensive language access team in the region, but also piloted interpreter education and certification programs that expanded equitable communication services across the eastern region. In 2023, she was promoted to Senior Leader of Patient Experience, overseeing hospitality operations while co-chairing the hospital’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee. Throughout this period, she continued her commitment to Youth Enrichment Services by working with incarcerated youth through the Credible Messenger Program, helping young people successfully transition back into their communities through mentorship and workforce development.
Today, Carolyn serves as Chief of Staff at Youth Enrichment Services, where she works directly alongside executive leadership to support multiple divisions, including youth development, prevention services, community outreach, and mental health programming. Known for her collaborative leadership style, she mentors emerging leaders, coaches staff through workplace challenges, and advocates for inclusive, respectful organizational cultures. Her work is grounded in the belief that every individual deserves access to opportunity, dignity, and support, whether in healthcare, education, or the workplace. In recognition of her impact, Carolyn received a Hispanic Heritage leadership award in 2025 and was selected as an Influential Woman representing her region for 2026, honoring her continued dedication to empowering others and creating lasting change in her community.
• Licensed Interpreter
• Licensed Translator
• Certified Gang Outreach Specialist
• Notary Public
• State University of New York at Old Westbury
• Villanova University
• Molloy University
• Thomas Edison State University- M.P.A.
• Hispanic Heritage Award for Influential Leadership in Hispanic Community (October 2025)
• NAACP
• Society of Human Resources
• Women's Leadership
• Credible Messenger Program - Working with Incarcerated Youth
• Equity
• Diversity
• And Inclusion Committee Co-Chair at Northwell Health
What do you attribute your success to?
I'm a woman of faith, and God is always first in everything I do. Each day when I leave my home, I know in my heart that everything I confront, whether it's personal or professional, is for something better - it's meant to mold me into a better leader and a better person. I may have my sad moments and my happy moments, but at the end of the day, I'm so grateful for every obstacle and every challenge because each one, along with my successes, is what shapes me to be a better leader in everything I do. There's no hierarchy to these experiences - they're all equally important. Every challenge I face and every success I achieve contributes to who I am becoming.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in interpretation and linguistics is that all over the nation, it's not really seen as a profession - it's seen as a job instead of a profession. But this is a career journey, not a job journey. Being able to advocate for this has required a lot of sacrifice and constant advocacy to show counties and states that we need this type of profession in every area of the workplace - whether it's corporate, health, nonprofit, or any other field. You live in a very diverse world and country, and people are coming from different areas of the world. The United Nations cannot function without proper interpretation, and there's no way you can promote world peace without proper interpretation. We need proper interpretation services everywhere because you should have access to language services wherever you go in this diverse country.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Faith is my foundation - God is always first in everything I do. I value being influential and making people happy through both big and small gestures. Whether I'm mentoring community leaders, youth, and families in my professional work, or baking cakes and creating charcuterie boards to make mothers smile on Father's Day weekend, my goal is always to make people feel important and honored. I love coaching and demonstrating how to be a successful leader, and I'm passionate about being that influential voice and guide for others. I believe in the importance of gratitude - being grateful for every experience, whether it's a challenge or a success, because each one molds me into a better leader and person. Making meaningful impact in people's lives, whether through my professional advocacy work or personal acts of kindness, is what drives me every day.