The Legal Aid Society held its 148th Annual Meeting on Wednesday, where staff were recognized for their service and dedication to the organization and its clients.

The event was held at Fordham University School of Law, and this year, Legal Aid was pleased to welcome the Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court, First Division, The Honorable Dianne T. Renwick as the event’s keynote speaker. Justice Renwick began her distinguished career in Legal Aid’s Bronx trial office.

The Orison S. Marden Awards were created in 1976 during Legal Aid’s centennial year to recognize the excellence of the staff and to honor the memory of Mr. Marden, a partner at White & Case who served as a Director and Chairman for many years.

Core Staff Marden Award were presented to Alexandra Matta, Forensic Social Worker, Juvenile Rights Practice and Abida Chaudhry (posthumously), Support Staff, Criminal Defense Practice. The Staff Attorney Marden Award was presented to Theresa Moser, Staff Attorney, Special Litigation Unit, Juvenile Rights Practice and the Manager Marden Award was presented to Arielle Reid, Director, Decarceration Project, Criminal Defense Practice.

The Sandra Scott Memorial Award honors the memory of our beloved Chief Financial Officer who lost her battle with cancer in 2016. Luis Hernandez, Building Maintenance Coordinator, was presented with this year’s award.

Members of staff celebrating their 25th, 30th, 35th, 40th, 45th, and 50th anniversaries with The Legal Aid Society were also honored.

50 Years of Service
Clark E. Simpkins, Ramon Willoughby

45 Years of Service
Emily Kitay

40 Years of Service
Carmine Annunziato, Susan C. Bahn, David A. Crow, Jeffrey I. Dellheim, Nancy E. Little, Lauren K. Prince-Albert, Scott A. Rosenberg, Jackie Walker

35 Years of Service
Marianne T. Allegro, Laura D. Boyd, Luis A. Caballero, Thomas J. Cleary, Melanie D. Dearth, Lisa R. Edwards, Kenneth L. Finkelman, Michelle M. Fox, Lisa A. Freeman, Laureen Garcia, Jonathan R. Garelick, Judith A. Goldiner, Robert W. Harold, Peter L. Hart, LaSalle Jones, Peter H. Jones, Robin Karasyk, Steven Douglas Levine, Robin Levinson-Zalewski, Edward D. Mc Carthy, Richard A. Meyerson, Paul S. Montgomery, Katherine E. Mullen, Eileen Murphy-Zadoff, Linda Norona, Oona O’Flaherty, Diane H. Pazar, Magda I. Rosa-Rios, Deborah Fox Rush, Jason C. Wohlford

30 Years of Service
Ruthlyn C. Belnavis, Faith Bland, Vilma Roxanne Clerge, Johari L. Commodore, Denise M. Fabiano, Lisa C. Farray, Katherine B. Fitzer, Nidia Guadalupe, Lawrence T. Hausman, Michelle L. Jacobs, Jose L. Martinez, Luisa Melian, Kenwyn M. Nelson, Patricia M. Rogers, Michael P. Ruben, Eric A. Scott, Cheryl Thompson, Paul M. Wiener

25 Years of Service
Charlene M. Abney, Juan C. Alonzo, Ruth S. Appadoo-Johnson, Maria F. Ayora, Sakeena Beaulieu, Joshua A. Benjamin, Christine Connolly Bingham, Jennifer I. Cohn, Christine M. Dell’isloa-Ruggiero, Vernon S. Dixon, Monica D. Dula, Leanne M. Fields, Yvonne R. Hobbs, Patricia Jeffery, Robert L. Johnson-Stevenson, Melinda Lopez, Shanti Narra, Russell Novack, Rosalie Orta, Melissa Padilla, Ricardo Perez, Lisa N. Pitts, Kenny Rey, Kasandra M. Robinson, Scott L. Rudnick, Randall R. Schaefer, Julie A. Sender, Desiree Sheridan, Roseanne Tzitzouris, Rosemary Vellucci, Mary L. Werlwas