Leadership rooted in community
About Kathryn Casey Quigley
Kathryn Casey Quigley is the Chairwoman of the Southold Town Democratic Committee. When she began her first term in 2017, Democrats had been out of power for generations and had just one elected Democrat in Town Hall. By 2021, under her leadership, the Town Board elected the most Democrats in recorded history—the most diverse group of elected officials in town history as well—to serve in Southold.
In 2023, the Board flipped to majority Democrats. And in 2025, under her leadership, Southold now holds more Democratic seats than any other town in Suffolk County. She loves creating the conditions to attract the best possible candidates for elected office and believes that commitment to building the right infrastructure and support will attract the most electable people.
Kathryn combines her passion for advocacy and civic engagement with a deep commitment to education. She’s the founder and former co-director of Peconic Community School, an independent school for early childhood through 8th grade, dedicated to nurturing children to become active civic participants and caretakers of their communities.
Kathryn is zealous in her belief in the power of local politics and party building at the grassroots level. She has organized or helped organize local protests, political events, and campaigns. In May 2025, she spearheaded a town hall with Congressman Jamie Raskin in partnership with local progressive groups and Town leaders, which drew 2,000 participants from across Suffolk County.
Accomplishments
- Obama '08 alum who organized in Philadelphia and Indiana.
- School founder who grew Peconic Community School from nine students to a 100-student, $3M annual budget institution.
- Southold Town Chairwoman since 2018, dedicated to recruiting and training Democratic leaders.
- 2019: won the first Town Board seat in over a decade.
- 2021: won two more Town Board seats and elected the first African American and first openly gay officials to Town Hall.
- 2023: helped elect the first Democratic Town Supervisor in 20+ years and gained a 4–2 Town Board majority.
- 2025: flipped the Board to a 5–1 Democratic majority and helped flip a County Legislature seat.
Grassroots organizing
- Community organizer since 2016.
- Organized the first protest against Lee Zeldin on the opening day of Congress in 2017, drawing 50+ protesters.
- Organized or assisted numerous local protests, political events, and campaigns.
- Spearheaded the April 2025 town hall with Congressman Jamie Raskin that drew 2,000 attendees in Patchogue.