Albany Law School’s Kate Stoneman Honorary Committee is proud to announce Connie Cahill, Esq. ’83, Amy J. Kellogg, Esq. ’02, and Nairobi Vives, Esq. ’12 as 2026 Kate Stoneman honorees.

The committee previously announced the Danielle R. Holley, President of Mount Holyoke College, as this year’s recipient of the prestigious Miriam M. Netter '72 Kate Stoneman Award.

The 32^nd Annual Kate Stoneman Day will be held on Wednesday, March 25 at 5:30 p.m. To register, click here.

Albany Law School's Stoneman Awards are presented to individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to seeking change and expanding opportunities for women within the legal profession. The awards are in honor of Kate Stoneman, Class of 1898, the first woman admitted to practice law in New York State and the first female graduate of Albany Law School. Awards are presented to individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to seeking change and expanding opportunities for women within the legal profession.

About the Honorees

President Danielle R. Holley - Miriam M. Netter ’72 Kate Stoneman Awardee

Danielle R. Holley is the twentieth president of Mount Holyoke College. A noted legal scholar and educator, she holds a B.A. from Yale University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. A professor of politics, Danielle Holley is an authority on American higher education and a distinguished scholar of civil rights and equity. She is a leading scholar of the Supreme Court decision regarding race-conscious college and university admissions. She is on the Board of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and is an Aspen Institute Liberty and Aspen-Kern Fellow. She previously served as Dean of the Howard University School of Law.

Under President Holley’s leadership, the College continues to blaze trails as the leading gender-diverse women’s college and one that prepares students to live bold lives of purposeful leadership. President Holley is overseeing a remarkable next chapter for Mount Holyoke College. With the MHC Forward Strategic Plan, the College is preparing students for lives of purposeful leadership in a changing world. 

Connie Cahill, Esq. ’83

Connie Cahill serves as the first woman managing partner of Barclay Damon. 

With more than 35 years of public finance experience, she serves as bond counsel, underwriter's counsel, borrower counsel, and bank counsel in public finance transactions involving NYS agencies and authorities, industrial development agencies, local development corporations, municipalities, and school districts. As managing partner, Cahill oversees the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the firm, ensuring its continued growth and success. 

A steadfast advocate for diversity, she believes that a diverse firm delivers better client service by bringing varied perspectives and experiences to solving complex legal challenges. This conviction has guided her leadership, including her spearheading the creation of the firm’s Women’s Forum—a program dedicated to fostering professional growth, mentorship, and inclusion for women attorneys. Cahill was also a driving force behind the establishment of the firm’s HATCH Program. An acronym for Helping Attorneys and Their Children, HATCH provides enhanced support for all attorneys who are new parents—regardless of gender.

“Connie’s investment in the development of legal talent at Barclay Damon is not limited to the policies and programs she has worked tirelessly to develop and implement. Connie has mentored innumerable attorneys, both professionally and personally…She somehow always has time, despite insurmountable client, firm, and family responsibilities.  She always picks up the phone.  She always has an open door.  It is not an exaggeration to say that hundreds of Albany Law School graduates are the beneficiaries of Connie’s mentorship, leadership, and vision—many of whom have added their support to this letter,” Jamie Dughi Hogenkamp, Esq. ’15, partner at Barclay Damon, wrote in her letter of nomination for Cahill. “Connie has not only demonstrated a commitment to seeking change and expanding opportunities for women within the legal profession, she has effectuated that change and expanded tangible opportunities for women at Barclay Damon and beyond.  It is her passion.  It is her drive.  She believes it is her responsibility.  And like Kate Stoneman, it will be her lasting legacy.”

Amy J. Kellogg, Esq. ’02

Amy Kellogg is a Partner at Harter Secrest & Emery, where she is head of the Government Affairs Practice Group and is the partner in charge of the Albany office. Kellogg has been a Government Affairs attorney for 25 years, where her law practice has focused on representing a variety of New York State professional associations, businesses, and not-for-profits before New York State Government, including the State Legislature, Governor's Office, and various State Agencies. Her years of experience have earned her various recognitions including being named to the City & State Trailblazers in Health Care list for 2025 and being selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for Government Relations. In addition to her work, Kellog is an adjunct professor at Albany Law, where she teaches "The Law of Lobbying, " and she serves as President of the SUNY Potsdam Foundation Board and Chair of the Government Law Center at Albany Law School. 

“Amy’s commitment to uplifting women extends far beyond her professional titles. She organized and continues to coordinate a women’s networking group for professionals working in the government space, creating a vital forum for mentorship, collaboration, and support. She also regularly participates in Albany Law School’s mentorship programs, serving as a trusted resource for women seeking to enter or advance within government affairs. Amy maintains positive relationships with former mentees by advising them on career choices and oftentimes communicates with the Albany Law School alumni community to assist these mentees with job placement opportunities. Overall, Amy’s guidance has empowered countless women to pursue legal careers and leadership roles they may not otherwise have envisioned for themselves,” Mary Frances Carr ‘02 and Colleen Dawson (Ostiguy) ’03 wrote in their letter of nomination.

Nairobi Vives, Esq. ’12

Nairobi Vives is an accomplished attorney, equity strategist, and community leader whose career reflects a sustained commitment to justice, public service, and the advancement of underrepresented communities—particularly women and girls. 

Vives currently serves as an Assistant Attorney General in the New York State Office of the Attorney General within the one-of-a- kind Law Enforcement Misconduct Investigative Office (LEMIO). In this role, she investigates patterns of police misconduct for over 500 local law enforcement agencies statewide, works to strengthen accountability systems, and advances practices that promote fairness, transparency, and public trust in law enforcement across New York State.

Prior to joining the Attorney General’s Office, Vives was Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Counsel’s Office at the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY). Her leadership consistently emphasized expanding opportunity, addressing systemic barriers, and ensuring that women and historically underrepresented professionals had access to advancement and leadership pathways.

Throughout her career, Vives has centered much of her advocacy on empowering women. She is a strong proponent of policies and practices that advance gender equity in the workplace, expand leadership representation, and support women navigating complex legal and professional systems. She actively mentors women and girls pursuing careers in law and public service and champions initiatives designed to create sustainable pipelines into leadership roles. In furtherance of this commitment, Vives now proudly serves as a member of the Albany Law School Women’s Leadership Initiative Advisory Board, where she supports strategic efforts to cultivate, connect, and elevate women leaders in the legal profession.

“Each of us has been acquainted with Nairobi through our respective positions at Albany Law School over the past approximately 15 years. From the time she was a student, she has demonstrated a passionate commitment to seeking change and expanding opportunities for women in the legal profession in myriad ways. She has dedicated much of her career to public and community service, fighting for and protecting the rights of marginalized groups, especially women and people of color,” Hon. Leslie E. Stein (Ret.) ’81, Prof. David Pratt, and Emerita Prof. Laurie Shanks wrote in their collective nomination letter.