In every generation, there comes a moment when an organization pauses—not to look back, but to look forward. For the Westchester County Bar Association, that moment is now.

Over the past year, our Association has thrived through collaboration, creativity, and community. We have built bridges among our affinity bars, expanded opportunities for member engagement, and created new ways for lawyers to learn, lead, and serve. Now, we are channeling that same energy into something transformative: a bold new initiative to define the WCBA’s vision for the years ahead.

This spring, we launched the WCBA Strategic Planning Initiative, a forward-looking effort to ensure that our Association continues to grow, adapt, and inspire. To lead this important work, we established a Special Committee on the Future of the Bar, chaired by David Markus, and composed of some of the most thoughtful and committed leaders in our community.

A Committee of Leaders and Doers

The Special Committee was intentionally designed to reflect the richness and diversity of our Association—across practice areas, experience levels, and professional settings. Its three working groups will explore the essential pillars of our organization:

• Membership & Engagement: Ashley Arcuri (Falcon Rappaport & Berkman LLP), Lisa Capone (Kurzman Eisenberg Corbin & Lever LLP), Lauren Enea (Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP), Kapila Juthani (Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University), and Noah Mittman (Stolzenberg Cortelli LLP).
• Public Service & Professionalism: Clare Degnan (Legal Aid Society of Westchester County), Michael Reed (Yankwitt LLP), Andrea Soto (Soto Law, PLLC), Steven Waldinger (Gettinger Waldinger Monteleone Gushue & Hollis LLP), and Lisa Zeiderman (Miller Zeiderman LLP).
• Governance & Finance: Maxine Jeffers, Jim Landau (Past President; Lachtman Cohen & Belowich LLP), Latoya Matthew (Cabanillas & Associates), and Marc Sheridan (Vice President; Markus & Sheridan LLP).

As President, I serve on the Special Committee ex officio alongside Hon. Karen Beltran, our President-Elect, and Isabel Barney, our Executive Director. Every one of these members is a proven leader—someone who steps forward, contributes ideas, and cares deeply about the profession. Collectively, they embody what has always defined the WCBA: people who show up for each other, for justice, and for the greater good.

Why Strategic Planning—and Why Now?

The legal profession, like the world itself, is evolving at an unprecedented pace. Technology, shifting economics, and generational change are transforming how lawyers connect, learn, and serve. Strategic planning is our opportunity to pause and ask:

• What do our members need most from the WCBA?
• How can we strengthen engagement and inclusion, ensuring that every lawyer in Westchester feels at home in this community?
• How can we expand our impact on public service and access to justice?
• How do we ensure that the WCBA remains financially sound and organizationally strong for decades to come?

The process will include, among other things, listening sessions, leadership engagement, and a facilitated retreat, culminating in a clear, actionable roadmap—a Strategic Plan that defines priorities, timelines, and accountability. But more than that, it is a chance to rediscover our purpose: to remind ourselves why we belong to this Association and why it matters.

Guided by Experience, Grounded in Purpose

To help us through this important process, we have engaged Elizabeth Derrico of Elizabeth Derrico & Associates, a nationally recognized consultant who has worked with more than 150 bar associations across the country. With more than 30 years of experience—including two decades at the American Bar Association and three years as Associate Executive Director of the New York State Bar Association—Elizabeth brings a deep understanding of what makes bar associations thrive.

Elizabeth will guide us through preparation and consultation, a leadership survey, and a comprehensive off-site planning retreat. The final product will include a concise written plan, a strategic matric, and a “jump-start” action list to move from discussion to implementation. Elizabeth’s approach is collaborative, engaging, and practical—precisely the qualities that will help us turn this vision into action.

Looking Ahead

Strategic planning is not just an exercise in management; it is an act of imagination. It is about asking what we want the WCBA to become—for our members, for our profession, and for the community we serve. It is about honoring 125 years of history while embracing the opportunities that lie ahead.

In my first column, I wrote about the power of showing up—how every meaningful opportunity begins when someone decides to get involved. This initiative is that philosophy in motion. Our Special Committee has shown up. Our Board has shown up. And now, we invite you, our members, to join us. Lend your ideas, your experiences, your hopes for what the WCBA can be.

Because the future does not just happen. It is built—by those who care enough to create it, and by those who show up to make it real. 

Together, we are not only planning for the years ahead, but we are also shaping the legacy we will leave for the generations of lawyers who will follow.