Willa Bernstein has lived with her husband, Kevin, and daughters in Southampton Village since 2013, and has been coming out the the Hamptons since she was a teenager. She is an experienced former government lawyer specializing in civil rights and criminal law, with a career that includes serving as a Legal Aid Attorney and a New York State prosecutor. Notably, under the Bloomberg administration, Bernstein worked with the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement on a multi-agency task force dedicated to shutting down illegal businesses across New York City. Deeply involved in voter protection and community organizing, she served as the New York State Democratic Committee’s Voter Protection Liaison in Suffolk County leading up to the 2024 General Election. Furthermore, Bernstein has advised numerous political candidates on ballot access and helped spearhead "East End Update - Live," an interactive town-hall series featuring local elected officials. Her dedication to local governance is also reflected in her role as a poll watcher and trainer for village elections since 2021. Finally, she spent nearly three years on the Southampton Village Planning Board, where she evaluated complex land use applications, negotiated restrictive covenants, and ensured developments aligned with environmental reports and local codes.