Corey's Biography

Corey Bearak brings experience forged during 23 years in public service to counsel clients who face difficult public policy matters or special needs in dealing with government.  Corey combines expertise in strategic public policy, politics and media to devise and manage strategies on behalf of public officials, government and community agencies, trade unions, coalitions, trade groups, businesses, and political candidates.

An attorney, Corey joined Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer's staff February 1, 1999 as Legislative Counsel.  For Borough President Ferrer, Bearak's primary responsibilities included developing issues and proposing new initiatives, counseling the Borough President on legislation and serving as a legal, media and policy advisor.  Through April 2003, Bearak served Ferrer's successor, Adolfo Carrion Jr. as Director of Planning, Policy and Budget.

Previously, Corey served more than 16 years as Counsel/Chief of Staff to a northeast Queens City Council Member.  Before joining city government, he served as an Assistant to then Secretary of State Mario Cuomo and in the Office of Bronx District Attorney Mario Merola.  From June 2003 through May 2005, he wrote a weekly column on public policy, The Public Ought to Know.  In addition to serving as a government and public affairs counselor, Corey In additional to his government and public affairs practice, Bearak works with Resolve It, Inc., serves as Policy and Political Director for Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1056, and manages non-clinical operations of a human services agency – Community Partnership Referrals and Resources.  He also maintains a private practice in law.

In government service, Bearak developed or worked on many policy and legislative initiatives and local laws.  His work involved the environment, public safety and justice, budget and fiscal reform, and city governance.

Environmental laws included The New York City Recycling Law (1989), The Right to Know Law (mandating the disclosure of toxic chemicals), the Spill Bill (covering accidental releases of hazardous substances), mandating the purchase of alternative fuel vehicles, the ban on apartment house incinerators and regulating the disposal of medical waste.

Public safety laws include 1993 Local Law 1 creating an independent (of the NYPD) civilian complaint review board, the Social Club law, the establishment of an Anti-Graffiti Task Force, empowering police officers to summons the illegal sale of graffiti tools, mandating the NYPD report their response times to crimes, merging the EMS into the Fire Department, saving most of the fire boxes and requiring all remaining boxes to be voice-activated, regulating the sale and possession of box cutters, and prohibiting the sale or transfer of handguns without a safety locking device.

Legislation developed include a Clean Water bill, state and city legislation to bar the NYC Water Board from setting rates before the City budget's adoption, Water Rate relief for seniors, and a bill to Index SCRIE and SCHE to the cost of living.

Policy initiatives included a CCRB Reform Plan, a Community Policing Initiative, a model Alternative to Incarceration plan, a Strategic Clean Air Plan, an affordable housing plan and a blueprint for fiscal and budget reform, The 2002 Bronx Strategic Policy Statement, and Portable Science Labs for city schools.

Active in many community organizations, Bearak's primary involvements have included the borough-wide Queens Civic Congress [co-founder, President after serving eight years as Executive Vice President and founding chair of its special committee on Creedmoor (State Psychiatric Center)] and the Northeast Queens Jewish Community Council [Chairman, Executive Committee, after serving seven years as President].  Under Bearak's leadership the Northeast Queens Jewish Community Council implemented a Neighborhood Development Program including the design of the brochure You Can Have It All!, a Lay Leadership Committee and Jewish Continuity programs.

Bearak served on Community School Board 26 from 1989 to June 1993 and Community Board 13 from 1980-1988 and 2001-present.  Corey helped found the Northern Queens Health Coalition (later the Queens Health Coalition, was its first chairman, an incorporator and wrote its original By-Laws.  During his service as Vice President (He later served two terms as Executive Vice President) of the Queens Jewish Community Council, Corey's efforts kept that social services agency from closing its doors.

Other community involvements include the Executive Board of SNAP (Services Now for Adult Persons), the North Bellerose Civic Association [Past-President and Newsletter editor], Temple Sholom of Eastern Queens [Delegate to Queens and Northeast Queens JCCs, Vice President, 1986-1988, and Brotherhood President, 1984-1986].  His most recent accomplishments include founding director of the Flushing Meadows Corona Park Conservancy and founding Co-Chair of the Eastern Queens NORC-WOW (naturally occurring retirement community without walls).

His activities extend to the charitable and fraternal Order Knights of Pythias where Bearak serves the Grand Lodge of the State of New York as Executive Secretary to the Grand Chancellor, Grand Tribune (member of a panel that moderates legal issues within the order) and Assistant to the Chief Deputy Grand Chancellor. He serves his (subordinate) lodge, FDR Lodge #613, as a Past Chancellor, Secretary, Editor of its newsletter, The Beam and as a member of the boards of its affiliated Benevolent Association and Foundation. In 2011, Corey earned the Supreme Chancellor's Certificate of Honor for volunteer service in the community. In 2007, the Knights of Pythias presented Corey a Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Service within the Pythian Order, and awards for Excellence in Journalism and Fraternalism (2006-2007) and as Man of the Year, Order Knights of Pythias, Grand Lodge Domain of New York.

He also served on the Board of Directors of the Hofstra University School of Law Alumni Association. He has managed or coached teams in the Glen Oaks Little League from 1992 through 2004, including three district champions.

In 2011 Gotham City Networking named Corey Networker of the Year. In 2009, the TimesLedger Newspaper/Community Newspaper Group presented Corey with its Community Service Impact Award. In 2008, Queens Region Hadassah presented Bearak with its Myrtle Wreath Award. In 2003, Congressman Gregory W. Meeks presented Bearak with a Community Commitment Award. In 1998, the Northeast Queens Jewish Community Council honored Bearak with its Outstanding Service to the Northeast Community Award. Congresswoman Nita Lowey presented Bearak with a Congressional Certificate of Merit and Assembly Members Mark Weprin and Ann Margaret Carrozza also presented a New York State Assembly Citation for Bearak. In 1997, he received the Community Service Award from the Young Israel of New Hyde Park and Citation of Honor from Queens Borough President Claire Shulman.

Born in Forest Hills, Corey attended P.S. 191, J.H.S. 172, Martin Van Buren High School and earned a B.A. in Political Science and J.D. at Hofstra. Corey and his wife, the former Rachelle Confino, reside in Bellerose. Their son, Jonathan, a University Scholar, City University of New York Macaulay Honors College at Queens, currently studies for his doctorate in Sociology at NYU's Graduate School of Arts & Sciences on IES (Institute of Education Sciences) fellowship administered by NYU's interdisciplinary Institute of Human Development and Social Change (IHDSC). Their daughter, Marisa, graduated The Conservatory of Theatre Arts and Film at SUNY-Purchase and pursues a career in dramatic writing.