On Sunday, March 12, The New York Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences will recognize outstanding achievement in television, conferring the industry's most coveted symbol of distinction, the Emmy, at an Awards Gala, which will take place at the Marriott Marquis, Times Square, Broadway at 7 p.m. The Hidden Life, a one -hour documentary produced by Long Island residents, Suzy Shechtman and Dr. Burton Grebin, has been nominated for three Emmy Awards.

The Hidden Life traces the rich history of the first order of Episcopal nuns in the United States, the Sisters of St. Mary. Despite all precedent, the sisters broke a tradition of more than 100 years of silence to allow the creation of this documentary about their order, their beliefs and their lives. The irony is that though they live in silence, they have much to say. According to Mother Miriam, "The sisters revealed things to producer Suzy Shechtman that rarely would come out in conversations. They shared their personal stories for the very first time. The sisters had confidence that Ms. Shechtman knew what would interest the general public; yet remain respectful of the message and style of delivery appropriate for nuns. "

In the 1800's, the Sisters of St. Mary, established one of the first free pediatric hospitals in New York City, ran a school and traveled the world to aid those in need. The hospital evolved into St. Mary's Healthcare System for Children and according to president and CEO, Dr. Burton Grebin, "It is one of the nation's premier providers of specialized pediatric medical and nursing care, and comprehensive rehabilitation therapy, touching more than 3000 children with special needs and their families across New York State every day. We wanted to preserve the sisters' good works in their 140 year history and The Hidden Life does just that."

Suzy Shechtman has a deep respect for people's lives and their history. She has made a career as a biographer. Ms. Shechtman confides, "Everyone has a story to tell and many of those stories are lost with the passing of generations. I am committed to preserving those stories and bringing them to life."

Ms. Shechtman has garnered three Emmy nominations as producer, writer and researcher. Her talents are recognized by leaders from all walks of life. Among them are Assemblyman Thomas P. DiNapoli (D-Great Neck) who stated, "I am so proud to live in a community and represent people of talent like Suzy who understand the significance of contributing to a greater understanding of people and have that ability to communicate it to others."

(Editor's Note: Ms Shechtman's company "Suzy Shechtman Productions" is a full service, multimedia organization that creates a full range of entertainment, commercial and personal video productions. Her work has run the gamut from personal family biographies to full-length documentaries. She also creates fundraising videos for non-profit organizations. Her emphasis is on finding the emotional hook that draws a viewer into the story in order to achieve the organization's goals. Her clients have included: American Express, Discover the Smile Foundation, Charles D. Kelman Foundation and St. Mary's Foundation.)