PRESIDENT

Leah Cintineo
Partner
Underberg & Kessler LLP

Leah is a partner at Underberg & Kessler LLP where she is the chair of both the firm’s litigation department and family law practice group. Leah represents clients in divorce and post-divorce matters, pre-nuptial agreements, high conflict child custody litigation, child support, and guardianship litigation. She also has years of experience handling divorce matters involving businesses, complex financial issues, and extensive marital estates, as well as preparing QDROs for the division of retirement assets at the completion of a divorce. Leah practices in Supreme and Family Courts in counties throughout the Seventh Judicial District. She actively takes cases representing children as the Attorney for the Child. Leah is a member of the Collaborative Law Association of the Rochester Area (CLARA) where she represents clients in collaborative divorces.

In addition to her role as President Elect of GRAWA, Leah is a member of the Monroe County Bar Association Family Law Section and the Ontario County Bar Association. Leah has many accolades including being selected as an Upstate New York Super Lawyers Rising Stars honoree from 2016-2023 and an Upstate New York Super Lawyers honoree in 2024. She was named to the 2024 Daily Record's Power List in Litigation and both the 2022 and 2023 Daily Record's Power 20 in Family Law lists. She was the 2022 recipient of The Daily Record and Rochester Business Journal's Legal Excellence Award for Pro Bono Excellence and is a past recipient of the Rochester Business Journal’s "Forty Under 40" Award. In addition, Leah was the 2017 recipient of the Honorable Michael F. Dillon Attorneys for Children Award for her work advocating for children in court proceedings.

Regina MacAdam
Associate General Counsel
Rochester Regional Health 

Regina works in-house as Associate General Counsel at Rochester Regional Health, an integrated health care system providing care in Rochester, the Finger Lakes region, and Northern New York.  Regina is a member of the Executive Leadership Forum at Rochester Regional Health, and recently was honored with the Women of Excellence award from the Rochester Business Journal, and the Attorney of the Year / In-House Counsel category from The Daily Record and Rochester Business Journal. In 2026, Regina also received the Crennel-Branch Award for her dedication to GRAWA. She has been involved with GRAWA and on the board for years, serving as the Membership Co-Chair for 2025-2026, CLE Co-Chair for 2024-2025, Treasurer for 2022-2024, the Nominations Committee Chair for 2020-2022.

Regina received her B.A. from Columbia College, and her J.D. from Columbia Law School. She joined GRAWA years ago when her oldest daughter was a baby, and spent many years attending Family & Career Committee meetings as she juggled her career and family, eventually serving as co-chair of that committee. She served on the Memorial Art Gallery Board of Directors for 15 years.

Regina and her husband, Stephen, live in Brighton with their two daughters, Maggie and Mary. 

IMMEDIATE PAST-PRESIDENT

Jennifer Aronson
Partner
Hodgson Russ LLP

Jennifer is a partner in Hodgson Russ LLP’s corporate and securities group and Co-Leader of the firm’s Nonprofit/Tax-Exempt Organizations Practice. Jennifer is a strategic, mission-aligned advisor in the nonprofit sector, offering strategic guidance to organizations seeking to enhance operational efficiency and ensure long-term sustainability. She has guided numerous nonprofits through critical transitions, including dispositions of assets, mergers, consolidations, joint ventures, and dissolutions. Her extensive experience includes regular engagement with the state charities bureau, regulatory agencies, and the IRS to facilitate compliance and regulatory adherence.

In addition to overseeing structural transitions, Jennifer provides comprehensive legal counsel to public charities and private foundations, addressing matters including but not limited to fundraising, donor relations, scholarships and grant administration, gifts, shared services, taxable subsidiaries and restructuring, and innovative financing solutions. A significant focus of her practice is corporate governance, where she assists clients in developing robust frameworks for ethical decision-making, regulatory compliance, and leadership accountability through board trainings and policy review.

Though her primary focus is on nonprofit organizations, Jennifer also represents public and private companies of varying size and revenue on a broad spectrum of corporate and business law matters. Her expertise extends to corporate structuring and restructuring, investor relations, contract negotiation, vendor agreements, M&A, dissolutions, disposition of assets, finance, and governance policies designed to reinforce organizational integrity.

A significant portion of Jennifer’s practice is dedicated to pro bono work, representing a variety of charitable and educational clients. She focuses on initiatives that foster entrepreneurial opportunities for women, advance educational success for all children, and combat antisemitism. Jennifer is also the creator and host of the “She Talks Law” podcast, which addresses hot topics and important legal issues impacting women entrepreneurs, business owners, and women-led boards.

Beyond her legal practice, Jennifer is a proud mother of 2 very active and incredible sons – Jax and Jagger. She is also an avid road cyclist and certified cycling instructor at Midtown Athletic Club. Jennifer also enjoys spending time with her family in the Finger Lakes or in her hometown of Canandaigua.

SECRETARY

Ericka Elliott
Partner
Underberg & Kessler LLP

Ericka is a partner in Underberg & Kessler’s creditors’ rights, health care, litigation, and municipal practice groups. She represents hospitals, physicians, nursing homes, home health agencies, and other health care providers on issues ranging from risk management and patient care to collections and regulatory compliance. In her litigation practice, she helps small businesses, banks, and individuals with contract disputes, debtor/creditor issues, and corporate governance matters. In addition, Ericka represents municipal clients in litigation and advises on legislative, administrative, economic development, planning, and zoning matters.

In addition to being GRAWA’s Secretary, Ericka is a member of the Monroe County Bar Association (MCBA), where she was a participant in the 2023 Inaugural Class of The Leadership Academy. She is active on several non-profit Boards of Directors, including Lifespan, St. Ann’s Foundation, and the WNY Rural Area Health Education Center.

Ericka was recognized in the 2025 and 2026 editions of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America® for her work in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Health Care Law, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Municipal Law, and Litigation – Labor and Employment in Rochester, NY. She was named a finalist in the 2024 Greater Rochester Chamber’s IGNITE Awards program and was also named a 2024 Rochester Business Journal Forty Under 40 honoree. In addition, Ericka is a 2023 to 2025 Upstate New York Super Lawyers Rising Stars honoree, and she received the 2023 Legal Excellence Award for Up and Coming Lawyers from The Daily Record and Rochester Business Journal.

TREASURER

Randi Proukou
Partner
Zea Proukou PLLC

Randi is co-founding and managing partner at Zea Proukou PLLC, representing injured workers and disabled individuals in their Workers’ Compensation and SSD/SSI claims, with offices in Brighton and Canandaigua. Randi leads the firm in their bi-annual community service efforts with local businesses and organizations, and has been active with Girls on the Run as a volunteer coach. Randi has been a frequent presenter and panelist at continuing legal education programs as well as a speaker and mentor at many Nazareth University events.

Randi was President of GRAWA in 2020 – 2021, and previously acted with GRAWA as Membership chair, Family and Careers committee chair, and Women in Leadership committee chair. She is also involved with the Injured Workers’ Bar Association, NOSSCR, and the Monroe County Bar Association, specifically the Solo and Small Firm Committee. Randi is the recipient of the Rochester Women’s Network Up and Coming Businesswoman award, the RBJ’s Forty Under 40 award, GRAWA’s President’s Award, GRAWA’s Crennel-Branch Award, the RBJ’s Women of Excellence Award, a Finalist for the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce Athena Young Professional Award, Nazareth University’s Outstanding Alumni Award, and a Finalist for the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce Athena Organizational Award.

Randi enjoys spending her time as a strong female role model however possible, including as mother to her two children Levi and Lilah.

CLE CO-CHAIR

Hon. Jacquelyn Grippe
Judge, Rochester City Court
Acting Judge, Monroe County Court and Monroe Family Court

The Honorable Jacquelyn Grippe, is a Rochester City Court Judge also serving as an Acting Judge for both Monroe County Court and Monroe Family Court. She began her ten-year term on January 1, 2023. She presides over the Youth Part, criminal cases, landlord-tenant disputes, and various civil matters.

Judge Grippe graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Antioch College (2006), and went on to graduate Cum Laude with her Juris Doctorate and Masters in International Relations from the Syracuse University School of Law and the Maxwell School of Citizenship (2012).

After law school, Judge Grippe spent more than ten years as an Assistant Public Defender at the Monroe County Public Defender’s Office. There, she represented thousands of clients on felony, misdemeanor and violation level offenses.

Judge Grippe lives in the City of Rochester with her husband three children. In addition to her work in the court system, Judge Grippe is an active member of the Rochester community. She serves on the Board of the Rochester Imagination Library, a non-profit that mails one free, brand-new book each month to children under five years old living in the City of Rochester. Additionally, she works with the Adams Street Rec Center and is proud to host an annual Trunk or Treat and Easter Egg Hunt right in her neighborhood. Judge Grippe is also a member of the Gender Fairness in the Courtroom Committee, the Monroe County Bar Association, and was newly appointed to the Board of the Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys.

Judge Grippe enjoys travel, reading, cooking, exploring farmers markets, and tending to her five backyard chickens. 

CLE CO-CHAIR

Nichole Austin
Attorney
Faraci Lange, LLP

Nichole is an attorney at Faraci Lange, LLP, in Rochester, New York, where she focuses on personal injury, medical malpractice, and torts litigation. She holds a bachelor's degree from SUNY Geneseo, a master's degree from SUNY Albany, and a juris doctor degree from UB Law. She is an active member of the Monroe County Bar Association, serving as the past chair of the Lawyers for Learning Committee. She is currently the co-chair of GRAWA's Family and Careers Committee and also serves as a Media co-chair. Ms. Austin resides Penfield, New York, with her husband and son. 

DIVERSITY CO-CHAIR

Michelle Johnson
Associate Counsel
University of Rochester

DIVERSITY CO-CHAIR

Caroline Rodriguez
State Prosecutor
Monroe County District Attorney's Office

Caroline is a state prosecutor at the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office in Rochester. She works in the Public Integrity and Economic Crimes Bureau focusing on helping victims and safeguarding the public from white collar crime. Caroline grew up in an old farmhouse in Lima, New York. For middle school, she moved with her family to Bogota, Colombia where she attended Collegio Nuevo Granda. After the stint abroad, she graduated from Honeoye Falls-Lima High School. She attended Cornell University, majoring in Spanish Language and Literature and minoring in Art History. She became interested in law after taking a Comparative Health Care Course while studying abroad in Havana, Cuba. She learned that the legal priorities of both countries helped shape the direction and goals of medical care. Upon graduation from Cornell University, she moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina for two years. She worked as a language and math tutor, and volunteered at the United States Embassy as the General Manager of the American Citizens Services Association and as an organizer of legal conferences. She also read 3-5 books a week and learned how to cook. Upon returning to the United States, she attended Albany Law School.

When not working, Caroline enjoys reading, running, and eating amazing food. You can also find her volunteering as a board member of the City of Rochester Bilingual Charter School, Eugenio Maria de Hostos. She looks forward to bringing her diverse background to GRAWA’s DEI committee and to the greater Rochester community.

Yolanda is an attorney at Rochester Elder Law, where she concentrates her practice on adult guardianships, estate planning, and Surrogate’s Court matters. She also advises clients on Medicaid planning and asset protection, as well as skilled nursing facility admissions. Yolanda is a frequent presenter on legal and financial planning topics and was recognized by the Rochester Business Journal for the past two years as a Top 20 Trusts and Estates Attorney in the Rochester area.

Yolanda is actively involved in several professional and community organizations. She is the immediate past Chair of the Elder Abuse Committee of the New York State Bar Association’s Elder Law and Special Needs Section and is a member of the Monroe County Enhanced Multidisciplinary Team (E-MDT), which works to prevent elder financial abuse locally. In addition, she is the co-chair of the Rochester Area Latino Giving Circle, a member of Rochester Latino Rotary, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Rochester Regional Library Council.

Yolanda earned her law degree from Rutgers School of Law–Newark in 2007. She began her legal career in family law, representing children and survivors of domestic violence. Her commitment to justice and supporting families ultimately led her to her elder law practice. Outside of work, Yolanda enjoys yoga, boating during the summer months, and spending time with her son, Anthony. 

LEGISLATIVE CHAIR

Bridget O'Toole
Principal Attorney
O'Toole Law Group PLLC

MEDIA CHAIR

Kristin Merrick
Partner
Faraci Lange, LLP

Kristin is a partner at Faraci Lange, LLP and focuses her legal practice on all types of personal injury litigation, including negligence matters, products liability, medical malpractice, motor vehicle accident and premise liability matters.  Kristin has been selected for inclusion as a Best Lawyer in America each year since 2020 and in the Upstate New York Super Lawyers as a Rising Star from 2018-2022. She was recognized as an Up & Coming Attorney (2016), a Top Woman in Law (2020), and Forty Under 40 (2024) by the Daily Record and was an ATHENA Young Professional finalist (2024).

Kristin currently serves as GRAWA’s social media co-chair.  Previously, she served as a GRAWA board member from 2020-2022 and as the Women’s Health Committee Co-Chair from 2019-2020 and 2023-2025.  In addition to serving on the GRAWA Board, Kristin serves on the Board of the Monroe County Bar Association’s Lawyers for Learning Committee and has been a volunteer for Lawyers for Learning since 2015 where she meets and mentors students weekly.

MEMBERSHIP CO-CHAIR

Jayla Lombardo
Partner
Lacy Katzen, LLP

MEMBERSHIP CO-CHAIR

Lauren Whiting
Senior Fiduciary Officer
ESL Trust Services, LLC

Lauren is a Senior Fiduciary Officer at ESL Trust Services, LLC. In her role, Lauren administers estates and trusts and ensures all accounts comply with legal, regulatory, and estate planning document guidelines. Prior to joining ESL Trust Services five years ago, Lauren was a Private Clients Associate Attorney at Nixon Peabody LLP and a Trusts and Estates Planning Associate Attorney at Pullano & Farrow PLLC. 

Lauren is on the Monroe County Bar Association (MCBA) Board of Trustees and also serves on the MCBA Foundation Jazz for Justice Committee. She is involved with GRAWA and is the Membership Co-Chair this year. Lauren is also on the Rochester Regional Health Foundation Board and is a new member of the Advancement Committee for the Rochester Area Community Foundation.

Outside of professional activities, Lauren enjoys her free time with her three children and her husband and loves to hike, run, and travel. 

NOMINATING CHAIR

Leigh Ann Chute
Staff Attorney
Legal Aid Society of Rochester

PROGRAMS CO-CHAIR

Jennifer Cintron
Counsel
Axiom Global

As an in-house corporate specialist, Jennifer has been working as fractional in-house counsel, serving various companies, large and small, local and international. Focused on risk management and regulatory interpretation, she works with business stakeholders across teams to identify weaknesses and create controls to clarify obligations and guide sound decision-making. Jennifer spends her days constructing contracts, perfecting policies, and keeping as many people out of trouble as she can.

Jennifer received her B.A. from Hunter College CUNY. After several years as a corporate compliance officer, Jennifer decided to attend law school to deepen her skills and received her J.D. from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Outside of work, Jennifer is deeply involved in her community, as a volunteer with organizations from her local PTSA to various local nonprofits. She lives in Brighton with her husband and son, and is a serial book club joiner.

PROGRAMS CO-CHAIR

Courtney Kleiman
Assistant District Attorney
Monroe County District Attorney's Office

Courtney Kleiman is an Assistant District Attorney in Monroe County, where she serves in the Special Victims Unit prosecuting cases involving sexual assault, child abuse, domestic violence, and other crimes against vulnerable victims. She is passionate about advocating for victims, protecting children, and helping individuals navigate some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

WBASNY DELEGATE

Claire Bopp
Litigation Attorney
Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC

WBASNY DELEGATE

Teagan Dolan
Attorney
Faraci Lange, LLP