Meet Our 2022-23 Law Alumni Association Leaders
Elizabeth A. Kraengel ’07 and Samuel A. Alba ’14 lead alumni boards
UB School of Law's two alumni leadership groups - the UB Law Alumni Association and the Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) Group – understand the importance of supporting alumni and maintaining their historically high levels of engagement with their alma mater. With a new slate of officers and directors, they have charged into a new academic year with an ambitious agenda and fun new ways to further expand alumni connections.
Elizabeth A. Kraengel ’07
Leading the way is the Law Alumni Association’s 2022-23 president, Elizabeth A. Kraengel ’07, partner at Duke Holzman Photiadis & Gresens LLP in Buffalo, where she handles a broad range of civil litigation matters. She shares her practice experience with the law students in her New York Practice course that she has taught at the law school for several years.
“I am excited to lead the board this year,” says Kraengel. “Our focus areas include an emphasis on strategic planning for our organization as we celebrate our 135th Anniversary, as well as re-engaging with the law students as we get back to more in-person interactions.
“Our new board members have already hit the ground running. We will provide liaisons to various student groups, including BPILP in an effort to mobilize alumni to support and attend the annual auction. And new board member, Neil Pawlowski ’10, is taking the reins on exploring the creation of an LGBTQ committee.”
Samuel A. Alba ’14
The GOLD Group is expanding its reach as well. An arm of the Law Alumni Association, the Group works to meet the needs of recent graduates by sponsoring CLEs and providing social and networking opportunities. Current president, Samuel A. Alba ’14, recognizes the need to help attorneys find balance while managing a hectic practice. Alba is Senior Deputy Counsel with the Town of Amherst and focuses on civil litigation.
“A good attorney is a healthy attorney,” Alba says. “Unfortunately, our profession suffers from more mental health and substance abuse problems than other professions. My first act as president of the Graduates of the Last Decade was to create a Wellness Committee focused on sharing resources with our members that can help tackle these complicated issues. The Committee invites guest speakers to each of our meetings to share a wellness resource with our members.
“We also plan to have a lot of fun this year. Our in-person events are back, and everyone is extremely excited to socialize, network, and mentor law students. It’s going to be a great year.”
Our 2022-23 Law Alumni Association Board of Directors
Officers
President
Elizabeth A. Kraengel ’07
Partner, Duke, Holzman, Photiadis & Gresens LLP
President-Elect
Michael J. Hecker ’09
Partner, Hodgson Russ LLP
Vice Presidents
Robert C. Brucato ’90
Senior Appellate Counsel, Counsel Press
Hon. Barbara R. Johnson-Lee ’86
Judge, Buffalo City Court
Melissa Hancock Nickson ’97
Civil ADR Program Administrator, New York State Supreme Court, 8th Judicial District
Tiffany R. Perry ’00
Court Attorney Referee, Erie County Family Court
Jason G. Ulatowski ’07
Assistant General Counsel, Delaware North
Treasurer
Heather A. Giambra ’04
Attorney, Schröder, Joseph & Associates, LLP
Treasurer-Elect
Amy P. Herstek ’04
Senior Corporate Counsel, Curia Global
Secretary
Richard J. Marinaccio ’07
Partner, Phillips Lytle LLP
Assistant Secretary
Patricia S. Ciccarelli ’93
Partner, Schnitter Ciccarelli Mills PLLC
Secretary Emerita
Marion K. Henderson ’65
Retired
Immediate Past President
Jeffrey C. Stravino ’97
Partner, Hodgson Russ LLP
Vice Dean for Alumni and Executive Director
Ilene R. Fleischmann
Assistant Director for Alumni Affairs
Stephanie Mack ’08
Directors
Joan C. Adams ’87
Attorney, J. Adams & Associates, PLLC
Lauren Breen ’89
Executive Director, Neighborhood Legal Services Inc. of WNY
Stephanie J. Calhoun ’08
Assistant Attorney General, NYS Office of the Attorney General
Elise L. Cassar ’10
Senior Associate, Duke, Holzman, Photiadis & Gresens LLP
Ryan P. Crawford ’06
Partner, Gibson, McAskill & Crosby LLP
Matthew S. Feldman ’08
Partner, Feldman Kieffer, LLP
Robert R. Fogg ’96
Attorney, Law Office of Robert Ross Fogg, Esq.
Jeffrey P. Gleason ’08
Senior Counsel, Bond Schoeneck & King PLLC
John C. Godsoe ’00
Member, Bond Schoeneck & King, PLLC
Heather Gresham ’96
Counsel and Vice President for People and Culture, RepresentUs
Jeffrey L. Kingsley ’02
Partner, Goldberg Segalla
Marianne Mariano ’94
Federal Public Defender, Western District of New York
Hon. Amy C. Martoche ’99
Justice, New York State Supreme Court, 8th Judicial District
James O’Keefe ’07
Attorney, William Mattar Law Offices
Neil A. Pawlowski ’10
Founding Partner, Duggan & Pawlowski
Michael E. Reyen ’09
Legal Counsel, HSBC Bank
Diane M. Perri Roberts ’90
Senior Partner, Lipsitz, Green, Scime & Cambria, LLP
Crystal Rodriguez-Dabney ’07
First Deputy Mayor, City of Buffalo
Nicholas A. Romano ’13
Attorney, Connors LLP
Sarah M. Washington ’16
Senior Attorney, National Fuel Gas Distribution
Jason J. Wawro ’11
General Counsel, Moog, Inc.
Ex Officio Liaison to the Courts
Andrew B. Isenberg ’92
District Executive, NYS Unified Court System
Our 2022-23 GOLD Group Board of Directors
Officers
President
Samuel A. Alba ’14
Attorney, Friedman & Ranzenhofer, PC
President-Elect
Henry A. Zomerfeld ’14
Senior Associate, Hodgson Russ LLP
Immediate Past-President
Sarah M. Washington ’16
Senior Attorney, National Fuel Gas Distribution
Secretary
Erin K. Ewell ’17
Associate, Wilder & Linneball, LLP
Secretary-Elect
Robert C. Freeman ’18
Attorney, Nesper, Ferber, DiGiacomo, Johnson & Grimm, LLP
Treasurer
Alexander D. Vilardo ’18
Associate, Colligan Law LLP
Treasurer-Elect
Marni A. Barci ’18
Associate Corporate Counsel, Bergmann Associates
Assistant Director for the GOLD Group
Michelle Miosi
Directors
Mohammed Alam ’20
Associate, Hodgson Russ LLP
Earl K. Cantwell ’14
Associate General Counsel, Aleron Group
Andrea K. DiLuglio ’15
Associate, Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP
Ari M. Goldberg ’17
Associate, Barclay Damon LLP
Kerisha H. Hawthorne-Greer ’14
Counsel, Erie County Dept. of Social Services
Justin D. Jones ’17
Attorney, Law Office of Kenneth Hiller
Natalia Marte ’20
Appellate Court Attorney, NYS Supreme Court
Appellate Division, 4th Dept.
Morgann K. Obrochta ’20
Assistant County Attorney, Erie County Dept. of Law
Todd J. Potter, Jr. ’15
Law Office of Todd J. Potter Jr.
Alexandria N. Rowen ’19
Associate, Hodgson Russ LLP
Emily M. Rudroff ’15
Contract Specialist, Moog, Inc.
Daniel P. Schaus ’18
Partner, Schaus & Schaus LLP
Jaclyn F. Silver ’15
Associate, Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan
Stephen J. Soos ’21
Associate, Magavern Magavern Grimm LLP
Joseph G. Trapp ’16
Founder & CEO of Third Estate Ventures and Third Estate Analytics, Greco Trapp PLLC
Caroline R. Vilardo ’20
Associate, Lippes Mathias LLP
Lisa M. Zaccagnino ’19
Associate, Barclay Damon LLP
Regional Alumni Chapter Chairs
Albany Chapter
- Caroline B. Brancatella ’07
Of Counsel, Greenberg Traurig LLP - Patricia C. Sandison ’07
Partner, Hodgson Russ LLP
Central New York Chapter
- Lisa Bailey Vavonese ’06
Director of Research-Practice Strategies, Center for Court Innovation
New York City Chapter
- Patrick J. Reinikainen ’12
Senior Counsel, Commerzbank AG - Daisy A. Tomaselli ’13
Assistant Director of Global Investigations, New York University
Office of Equal Opportunity
Rochester Chapter
- Patrick D. Leavy '16
Attorney, Vahey Getz LLP