Olena Nicks has worn many hats — firefighter, library trustee, volunteer, and now Nassau County legislator. Known throughout Uniondale and parts of Hempstead, the areas she represents, she is hoping that her deep local ties and civic record will help her build trust with residents as she seeks a full term in the Legislature.
“I want to be described as the legislator who works for our residents, not the other way around,” she told Herald reporters at a recent roundtable.
Nicks, 33, won a special election in February, defeating Karin Campbell to represent the 5th District. Now she hopes to continue in the role long-term.
A Uniondale native, Nicks began volunteering at 14 as a teen advocate for Planned Parenthood. The program aimed to bring comprehensive sex education into schools that had previously taught abstinence-only.
“My first job was actually at Planned Parenthood — it was a split, it was hybrid, where I volunteered for a portion of it and a portion of it was paid,” Nicks recalled. “I think that really got my start into volunteering, and just wanting to do better work for communities, especially those who are a bit more marginalized.”
After graduating from Uniondale High School in 2010, she joined the Uniondale Community Council, and later she served two terms as a trustee of the Uniondale Public Library. She resigned from that role due to county charter rules when she ran for legislator.
At 19 Nicks joined the Uniondale Fire Department. After two years in emergency medical services, she transitioned to firefighting, and eventually became captain of Manor Company 3 — the first woman to hold that rank.
“I was driving down the road, and I saw a sign that said we’re looking for volunteers at the Fire Department, and I’m, like, well, that’s cool,” she recounted. “I called, and they thought I was looking to join EMS, because most of the women who called weren’t looking to be firefighters.”
She also works with the Uniondale Community Land Trust, which promotes affordable home ownership.
“What a lot of people don’t know is that, one, it’s personalities and being able to communicate with others,” she said. “As a legislator, you have to understand that no matter which board you serve on, there are always going to be individuals who don’t agree with me, or we don’t see eye to eye on things, but it doesn’t mean that we’re in a fight or arguing.”
If elected, she said, her focus will be on housing, safety and her constituents’ quality of life. She is also working to connect with residents in newly drawn parts of the district, including Franklin Square and Hempstead Village.
“I want to make sure that we are setting up and meeting our residents where they are,” she said, mentioning mobile office hours as one strategy.
“Housing is an issue across Nassau County as we’re seeing more millennials moving out,” Nicks said. “A $20,000 down payment that worked 20 years ago isn’t the same now — you need almost $100,000.”
She also noted limited land availability and the need to balance green space with development. “A solution that I think might be best for Uniondale might not be the same solution for West Hempstead,” she said. “What I can say is that land trusts are a wonderful thing.”
When it comes to public safety, Nicks said she would continue to engage with local police. “The Nassau County Police Department does a good job at being in the community and sending their pop-up units,” she said. “… They come into our meetings and they speak with us. They understand that accountability is part of their role.”
