GRAWA celebrates new board

Listen to this article

Jodie L. Ryan (McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP) was sworn in as the 35th president of the Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys on May 25 as Pamela  Reynolds (Littler Mendelson PC) transitions to immediate past president.

U.S. District Court (WDNY) Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford officiated as the entire 2017-2018 GRAWA board took the oath.  Wolford, a longtime GRAWA member and past president, spoke about the GRAWA mission, which includes the promotion of fair and equal justice.

Noting that the judicial evaluation process has been scrutinized publicly, Wolford went on to ask: “If a bar association is not going to take steps to ensure that the individuals who serve on the bench on competent and committed to the fair and equal administration of justice, then who will?”

She feels the bar has an obligation to educate the public and encourages GRAWA to continue its role in sharing information about potential judicial candidates.

Awards 

The annual dinner Thursday at Pomodoro on University Avenue was also the venue for announcing numerous GRAWA award winners.

The Hanna S. Cohn Mentoring Award was given to Carolyn Nussbaum this year, acknowledging her 30-plus years of mentoring and inspiring young women along with her enthusiasm and passion for the law.

Reynolds selected two recipients for this year’s President’s Award.  Jill Paperno was acknowledged for developing and organizing a new GRAWA committee on Social and Racial Justice.  Randi Proukou’s hard work on membership shared equal billing (membership stands at 311) as Reynolds also thanked all of her board members.

GRAWA’s Directors’ Award was granted to the Greater Rochester Section of the National Council of Jewish Women, an organization GRAWA partnered with on the P.A.D. Project (to provide access and dignity to women whose low income often precludes feminine hygiene purchases).

The Daily Record underwrites this GRAWA award, and Soralee Cook and Vancy Boyer of the GRS of the National Council of Jewish Women were on hand to accept the award.

GRAWA’s Crennel Branch Award honors a member whose dedication to GRAWA and the legal profession is exemplary.  Greta Kolcon’s devotion to GRAWA and commitment to WBASNY certainly earned her this award as she is the president-elect of WBASNY and will become the first Rochester-based WBASNY president.

NYS Supreme Court Judge Joanne Winslow is this year’s winner of the Ally Windsor Howell Champion of Diversity Award.  More information about all of the GRAWA awards can be found at www.grawa.org.

GRAWA Board

Katherine Courtney is president-elect for the 2017-2018 GRAWA year with Meghan McGuire continuing as treasurer and Alissa Fortuna-Valentine as secretary.

Other board positions include:

• Program Committee co-chairs: Stacey Trien and Destini Bowman
• JEC co-chairs: Erin Heintz and Alison Moyer
• Membership chair: Diane Cecero
• Legislative chair: Adele Fine
• Diversity chair: Robin Marable
• CLE co-chairs: Marlene Attardo and Josie Sheppard
• Nominating Committee chair: Heidi Schult Gregory
• Media Committee chair: Victoria Munian
• WBASNY delegates: Carey Ann Denefrio, Laura Myers and Hinna Upal