With the close of the conference, new volunteer members officially join ALA’s standing committees and the Board of Directors. President Travis C. Armstrong, CLM, CPA, and the 2025–2026 ALA Board took office. We’d also like to give a special thanks to the 2025 Annual Conference Planning Committee for all the work they did to make Nashville a huge success!
The 2025-2026 ALA Board of Directors
From left to right: Eryn Carter, CAE, ALA Executive Director; Daniel P. Atcheson, Director; Kelli Taylor Sanders, CLM, MSLA, Director; Jessica L. VanTroost, Director; Elyssa A. Goldstein, CLM, PHR, SHRM-CP, President-Elect; Travis C. Armstrong, CLM, CPA, President; Amanda R. Koplos, CLM, CPA, Immediate Past President; Terri D. Moore-Natal, SPHR, Director; Carrie Valenzuela, MBA, Director; Rose A. Jaworecki, Director; Angelina Angelov, CLM, MBA, Director; Lisa A. Waligorski, CLM, PHRca, SPHR, Director; Ken Koehn, CLM, CPA, CMA, Director
Congrats to Our 2025 Award Recipients
On May 19, conference attendees gathered to honor ALA’s award recipients at the Association Awards Gala.
Chapter Award
Chapter Awards are designed to recognize chapters that have created innovative and successful initiatives in one of three areas: in member value; in diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA); and in business partner relations. These awards are separated into smaller chapter and larger chapter categories.
Chapter Award in Business Partner Relations — Large Chapter
The Business Partner Relations Award acknowledges efforts in recruitment, retention, engagement, programs or anything else where business partners are the main focus. For the second year in a row, the first recipient is the Boston Chapter, which launched a social media campaign of short video interviews with business partners. These short, impactful videos — taking only 10 minutes to produce at no cost to the chapter — have become a cornerstone of their communication strategy. Business partners get the chance to discuss their services, ALA members get to learn about innovative products and the Boston Chapter gets a significant increase in social media impact.
The second Large Chapter Award in Business Partner Relations was awarded to the Greater Los Angeles Chapter. The Greater LA Chapter created the Business Partner Reverse Expo, an event that allowed business partners to better understand the needs of members and tailor their services to benefit members more effectively. By providing a platform where business partners can engage directly with firms, the chapter fostered deeper connections and mutual understanding.
Chapter Award in Business Partner Relations — Small Chapter
This year, the Richmond Chapter received the Small Chapter Award in Business Partner Relations. Richmond had three business partners volunteer as active members on their chapter committees, which created opportunities to go beyond traditional networking to foster genuine partnerships built on trust and shared goals. This initiative led to six of their 19 partners renewing at a higher level than the previous year.
Chapter Award in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility — Large Chapter
The first Large Chapter Award in DEIA went to the New York City Chapter for the second year in row in recognition of the “Explore New York with ALANYC” initiative, a curated program designed for members and business partners to connect with educational institutions and landmarks throughout the city. The initiative aims to enhance understanding of the rich heritage that shapes the city and examine its history, culture and community dynamics. The program is a yearlong commitment to visiting notable institutions such as the Museum of Jewish Heritage, the Stonewall Inn and a Harlem Renaissance-themed walking tour. It’s sure to become a staple of their DEIA programming for years to come.
The second recipient of the Large Chapter Award in DEIA is the Minnesota Chapter. Prior to COVID, the Minnesota Chapter hosted annual career fairs attended by three local high schools with diverse student groups. When this became impossible, the Minnesota Chapter pivoted and made the decision to bring the career fair to the schools instead. Chapter members were more than willing to speak to students about the amazing opportunities in law firms as legal administrative professionals, and students welcomed speakers with genuine interest in their professions. With other programs such as a high school diversity scholarship and a partnership with a nonprofit organization to collect books showcasing children of color, Minnesota has shown a true commitment to DEIA.
Chapter Award in Member Experience — Small Chapter
This year, the Small Chapter Award in Member Experience goes to the Raleigh-Durham Chapter. Over the past year, Raleigh-Durham experienced impressive growth thanks to the outstanding efforts of their membership team. In 2024, the team implemented a strategy to personally engage new members by meeting for coffee or lunch, fostering connections and promoting deeper involvement. This hands-on approach has helped build strong relationships and encouraged active participation within the chapter. Raleigh-Durham also launched a Past Presidents Council to engage past leaders and keep them actively involved in chapter activities. The chapter has once again reminded us of the importance of building personal relationships.
Chapter Award in Member Experience — Large Chapter
The Member Experience Award recognizes initiatives and programs including membership efforts in recruitment, retention, engagement or any other area in which member experience is the primary focus. The large chapter recipient is New York City for creating two initiatives that addressed membership through its Sustainability Fair and its new newsletter, SustainALANYC. These initiatives highlighted actionable insights and trends in sustainability not only in the legal industry, but also in members’ personal lives by emphasizing environmental and social responsibility while fostering member participation and collaboration. By combining the hands-on experience of an in-person event with the longer-term strategy of a newsletter, the New York City Chapter demonstrated a well-rounded approach to keeping their members engaged and connected.
NextGen Leader Award
The NextGen Leader Award recognizes individuals who demonstrate conviction, dedication and the relentless pursuit of personal and professional excellence through their engagement, advancement and influence in early interactions with ALA. These rising stars have been ALA members for less than five years but have already made a big impact.
This year’s first award winner is Julie Cooney. Julie joined the Central Florida Chapter in 2021 and has consistently exceeded expectations in her leadership roles. She joined the Chapter’s Board of Directors in 2022, serving as Chair of the Business Partner Relations Committee. Under Julie's guidance, the chapter produced its first profitable Legal Expo in years, a significant accomplishment that underscored her strategic vision and ability to execute. Her exceptional personal and professional growth as a Susan L. French Fellow drew praise from her peers and mentors alike. Julie is now the President of the Central Florida Chapter, and making history as the chapter’s youngest president — a testament to her remarkable leadership abilities and the trust she has earned within ALA.
The second recipient of the NextGen Leader Award is Amanda Hall. Amanda joined the Jacksonville Chapter in 2022 and quickly made her mark by diving into committee work and volunteering her time and talents. Within a year, she stepped into a board role as Vice President, where she led impressive membership growth — from 43 to 66 members in just two years. She’s also made a big impact as Chair of the Community Connections Committee, expanding the chapter’s outreach through service projects and partnerships with local institutions. Amanda’s creative, community-focused approach led to a meaningful collaboration with Epic Outreach, bringing members and business partners together for animal care events that boosted engagement and strengthened the chapter’s presence. Her passion, leadership and dedication continue to shape the organization in powerful ways.
The final NextGen Leader Award winner is Nancy Lewer. Nancy joined ALA in 2021 and quickly became active in the Minnesota Chapter. By 2024, she was co-chairing the Community Service Team and organizing quarterly events to support Twin Cities charities. After attending the Chapter Leadership Institute, she expanded her involvement by leading the chapter’s DEIA Student Scholarship outreach, contacting over 100 counselors and leaders to get the information to hundreds of students. She also coordinated events as part of the Membership Development Team to keep members engaged.
The first recipient of the Elevate ALA Award is the Boston Chapter. Boston had a milestone year filled with professional development, community engagement and innovative programming. Creative efforts like their monthly Coffee Connections and pop-up socials provided fun ways for members to get to know ALA, our business partners and each other. Boston deepened its DEIA work through service initiatives, including volunteer days and fundraising for the Women’s Lunch Place. Most notably, Boston celebrated the 50th Anniversary of its exceptional two-day Leadership Conference and Business Partner Expo, with over 200 attendees this year.
The second Elevate ALA winner is the Jacksonville Chapter. The Jacksonville Chapter embraced a local tradition with its own 904 Day, part of a city-wide celebration of the 904 area code to promote community pride and connection. JaxALA saw 904 Day as the perfect opportunity to introduce themselves to the broader community and showcase ALA. The chapter invited managing partners and legal administrators from local law firms and in-house legal departments from major institutions like colleges, banks and sports teams — including the Jacksonville Jaguars — and extended invitations to potential business partners to help gain attention. To foster collaboration within the local legal community, they also invited representatives from other legal organizations, and with support from Vibe Media, the chapter offered professional headshots and filmed testimonials, helping members boost their professional image and breaking down barriers for those in smaller firms or new roles. 
The Ambassador Excellence Award recognizes members who have provided an exceptional mentorship experience to an ALA member through the ALA Ambassador Program. The second-ever recipient is Elena Lopez Lane. Elena’s mentee shares, “Elena’s support goes far beyond career advice. She has a way of connecting on a personal level that makes her mentorship feel less like guidance and more like a partnership. She is always responsive, whether I need advice on a pressing issue or just a moment of reassurance. Her sense of humor adds a layer of relatability that makes our conversations both productive and enjoyable. Knowing I have someone like Elena in my corner has been a source of great comfort and motivation.” 
The first-ever recipient of the award is Debra (Debbie) Burgos. While Debbie works as the Human Resources/Office Coordinator at Boies Schiller Flexner, LLP, in Las Vegas, her passion is in supporting veterans and their families through crises related to suicide, mental health and wellness. Debra and her husband Bill Burgos founded Race to Erase 22 in 2016 in Las Vegas, with the mission of supporting veterans, active-duty military, first responders and their families. Race to Erase 22 is an all-volunteer organization made up of civilians, veterans, off-road enthusiasts, racers and advocates, all working together to educate the public, provide resources and promote compassion and connection to help prevent suicide. They encourage individuals to reach out to those who may be struggling, emphasizing that simple acts like checking in or offering a conversation can save lives. 
