2023 Gala

Hon. Adrienne Eadie Adams is the Speaker of the New York City Council, leading the most diverse and first women-majority Council in city history as the body’s first African American Speaker. She is also the first woman to represent Council District 28, which includes the neighborhoods of Jamaica, Richmond Hill, Rochdale Village and South Ozone Park.

In the City Council, Adams previously served as Chair of the Committee on Public Safety and Co-Chair of the Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus. Prior to serving in the City Council, Speaker Adams served as Chair of Queens Community Board 12, a Trustee of the Queens Public Library, and Co-Chair of the Jamaica NOW Leadership Council.

She previously worked as a Corporate Trainer and a Child Development Associate Instructor. A mother and grandmother, Speaker Adams lives in Jamaica with her husband.

With over 33 years of experience as a financial advisor, LaRue Gibson provides clients with sophisticated wealth management and investment strategies, as well as personalized attention and services tailored to their individual needs. He specializes in developing financial plans and asset allocation strategies for retirement, college/education funding, estate planning, survivor protection, income protection, tax planning and liability management.

Prior to Hightower, LaRue served as a Senior Vice President of Investments and Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch for nearly 28 years.

LaRue earned his Bachelor of the Arts degree in Chemical Engineering from Yale University.

He proudly serves on the boards of several charitable organizations in the New York City area, including NYC Outward Bound Schools (Vice Chair), The Lois Bronz Children’s Center, and The Disability Opportunity Fund (Chair). He is a proud father of two and currently lives in Westchester County.

Sedina Montoya is a passionate and deeply committed educator who views teaching as her vocation. She has devotedly served NYC DOE students for the last 15 years. Sedina has taught as a Gen. Ed and ENL teacher in various settings and grade levels. Currently, she serves as a Literacy & Language Teacher, Humanities Teacher & Crew Leader at MS 839, in her native Brooklyn.

Driven by the fundamental principles of social justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, Sedina’s mission has always been to provide high-quality instruction to Multilingual Learners (MLLs). She has the highest expectations of her students and pushes them to see themselves as the brilliant, talented people they are! She is honored and privileged to advocate and empower MLLs.  

These last three years at MS 839, Sedina has been incredibly inspired, invigorated, and grateful to be a part of a community with such compassionate, supportive, and exceptional leaders and colleagues who have become family.