Albany - Grand Honors Awards and Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast

Celebrating Service and Volunteer Excellence

Friday, November 21, 2025
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
 The Desmond Hotel - Crowne Plaza Albany
660 Albany Shaker Rd, Albany, NY 12211

Registration

Attendee List

Join us for the annual Grand Honors Awards, as we celebrate alumni who have shown extraordinary dedication to Albany Law School.

We also recognize all of our alumni who support Albany Law through mentoring, advising, moot court judging, interviewing, philanthropy, and more. Your contributions make a lasting impact!

Breakfast and ceremony will begin promptly at 8:15am. Be a part of this program that applauds our standout alumni and brings together the Albany Law community to network and reminisce.
 

This Year's Honorees:

Trustees Gold Medal
The Honorable Katherine M. Sheehan ’94, Mayor of the City of Albany
 

Distinguished Alumni Award
James E. Hacker ’84,  Managing Partner, Hacker Murphy LLP

Donald D. DeAngelis ’60 Excellence in Alumni Service Award
The Honorable Christina L. Ryba ’01, Administrative Judge, Capital Region’s Third Judicial District

Outstanding Young Alumni Award
Gabriella A. Romero ’18, Assemblymember for New York State's 109th Assembly District 

Humanitarian Achievement Award
Erica N. Rangel ’12, Executive Director, Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, Inc.

About the Grand Honors Awards:

The Trustees Gold Medal is the highest accolade bestowed by Albany Law School and is given to an individual who has demonstrated a record of exemplary support and dedication to the advancement of Albany Law School. 

The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes an individual’s continuous record of service to Albany Law School, and is the highest honor bestowed by the National Alumni Association Board of Directors. The award criteria include, but are not limited to, outstanding professional accomplishment, sustained engagement, and continual support of Albany Law School. 

The Donald D. DeAngelis '60 Excellence in Alumni Service Award recognizes outstanding dedication and commitment to alumni, to the National Alumni Association, and to Albany Law School. It was named in honor of Donald D. DeAngelis, Class of 1960, who served as the first president of the National Alumni Association Board of Directors, a member of the Albany Law School Board of Trustees, and an associate editor of the Albany Law Review, among other contributions to the law school. 

The Outstanding Young Alumni Award is given to alumni who have graduated within the past ten years and has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to Albany Law School through consistent volunteerism and engagement. 

The Humanitarian Achievement Award recognizes the extraordinary humanitarian contributions of an individual in the community who dedicates their time and legal expertise to improve quality of life and fight indifference, intolerance, and/or injustice through providing pro bono services, engaging in activism, supporting legal education, improving the delivery of legal services, and beyond.