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.

woman with short blond hair in front of a black background.

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.

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

group of people standing in a stairwell.

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

another group of people standing in a stairwell.

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