❑ Westchester County Executive George Latimer has appointed Lisa M. Denig, Esq., WWBA Board member and Past President, as Commissioner of Human Resources at the Westchester County Department of Human Resources. Lisa has previously served in senior positions within the Office of Court Administration and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, and as the Chief of Staff to the Putnam County Executive.

❑ On March 2, 2023, the Society of Irish-American Lawyers (SOCIAL) honored Kathleen Donelli, Esq., WWBA Past President and Partner at Goldschmidt & Genovese, LLP, with a Distinguished Achievement Award at its annual GALA. The Hon. Sondra M. Miller gave eloquent and meaningful introductory remarks about her mentoring relationship and bond with Kathleen, and the Hon. Colleen D. Duffy, Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department, presented her with the award. Kathleen gave a rich speech, both educating the audience about Ireland’s history and sharing a personal history of her family and profession.

WWBA President Elizabeth Z. Marcus, and longtime WWBA members Mary F. Kelly, Esq., Past President of both WBASNY and the WWBA, and a founding member of Kelly & Knaplund, and Carla D. Glassman, Esq., a founding member and Of Counsel to Glassman & Brown, LLP, were among those present in support. The WWBA extends heartfelt congratulations to Kathleen on this honor.

❑ Prolific author and WWBA Archive & Historian Chair, Susan L. Pollet, has published a collection of poems in 2023, entitled “Susiku, And More.” Susan has been writing poems daily for the last three years, and her poems have appeared in various publications, but this is her first book of poetry. Its title is a play on words between haiku and her first name. The first part, “SEEKING CONNECTION, HOWEVER TENUOUS,” contains poems which examine struggles within relationships and in communications between people, as well as poems which explore internal dialogues. The second part, “REDEMPTION AND RENEWAL, ON OCCASION,” probes universal questions about existence, history, survival, violence, beauty, love and more. Looking forward to a warm coffee and inspiration in Susan’s poetry on a spring day. Please visit SusanPollet.com for more information. “Susiku, And More” is available on Amazon.com; Barnesandnoble.com; and other online and local retailers.

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Q: As immediate Past President of the WWBA, what do you believe were the highlights of your Presidency?

A: For sure the biggest highlight was getting to connect with so many of you all!  I am continuously amazed by your hard work and dedication to this organization and have learned so much from you.  I thank you all for enriching my life and am grateful to the WWBA for bringing us together.  

Q: Which initiatives would you like to see continue or expanded upon by the WWBA in the coming years?

A:  This year we celebrated our alliances with leaders from numerous other bar associations.  I am grateful for the WWBA to have connected with these leaders and communities, as we are assuredly stronger working together.  Additionally, I am always impressed by our Wellness Committee which remains incredibly active in bringing meaningful and innovative programs to our membership.  I also look forward to supporting our newly formed Reproductive Rights Committee which was formed towards the end of my Presidency in response to current issues of the day.

Q: What were the challenges and successes during your Presidency?

A: The challenge is never having enough time but with that said, the 2022-2023 bar association year certainly highlighted what a dynamic organization the WWBA is.  We welcomed 20 new board members, increased our membership numbers, and maintained our status as the second largest chapter of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (WBASNY).  This year saw the return of the “First Friday” series, a project of our Professional Development Committee, which meets on the first Friday of each month for networking and conversation to provide members with support in life and professional transition phases.  We also saw the return of our annual, “Night of Networking - Meet the Officers/ Welcome New Members” event.  Our committees presented and co-sponsored CLEs on a variety of topics.  We featured programs on prioritizing health and wellness while thriving in the law and the power of mentorship and sponsorship.  As I often tell people (and truly mean when I say this!), the WWBA has something to offer for everyone and offer we did!  We also took part in meaningful opportunities to give back to our community and our mentorship program continued to thrive.  Last but not least we had fun along the way, too!

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