RENÉE L. BEHRENS/ PRESIDENT

Renée L. Behrens currently serves as Associate Counsel at the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (DHSES) where she specializes in litigation. Prior to joining DHSES, Ms. Behrens worked in Counsel’s Office at the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles, as the Bureau Chief of the vehicular crimes unit at the Rensselaer County District Attorney’s Office, and as an Assistant District Attorney at the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. She specializes in both criminal and civil litigation. Ms. Behrens has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Albany, College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity (CEHC) where she has taught a technical writing class on intelligence briefing and another class on civil liberties. 

Ms. Behrens obtained her Juris Doctorate from Albany Law School. She also holds a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration, and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with dual concentrations in Journalism and Public Relations & Advertising, and a minor in Political Science. 

Ms. Behrens joined the CDWBA in 2017. She has served as a Board Member, Corresponding Secretary, First Vice President, President Elect, and now as President. She also sits on the Board of Directors of the Albany Law School National Alumni Association.  She volunteers much of her time at the law school judging moot court competitions, mentoring students, assisting with mock interviews, and delivering lectures as a guest speaker. Renée has served as a member of the Third Department Appellate Division Committee on Character and Fitness for Attorney Admissions since March 2022. She recently joined the Third Judicial District Gender Fairness Committee.

Renée was the recipient of the Teaching Award for Emergency Management and Homeland Security in May 2023 from the University of Albany’s College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity; the recipient of the Outstanding Young Alumni Award in September 2021 from Albany Law School and the National Alumni Association; and she was the recipient of the Gabrielli Memorial Award in April 2016 for her dedication to the Albany Law School Moot Court program.

Outside of her professional life, Renée enjoys running, hiking, and golfing. She is a five-time marathoner, an Adirondack 46-er, and a member of the Capital Region LPGA Amateur Golf Association. Renée and her husband Scott enjoy traveling with their son.

KAYLA (POTTER) MEAGHER/ PRESIDENT ELECT

Kayla (Potter) Meagher is an Assistant District Attorney with the Albany County District Attorney’s Office where she is a member of the Street Crimes Unit handling primarily drug possession and quality of life crimes. Prior to joining the Albany DA’s Office, she served as an  
Assistant District Attorney for Saratoga County where she was a member of the Vehicular Crimes, Special Victims, and General Felony Units.

Kayla has remained in the Capital Region since receiving her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at the University of Albany in 2017. She then graduated from Albany Law School in 2020.

Outside of work, Kayla previously served as a Big Sister in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region program. She is an active alumni member of Albany Law School through continuous participation in the Moot Court Program and is a newly elected member of the National Alumni Association. She also serves as a board member for the Saratoga County Bar Association.  

Kayla first became interested in the Capital District Woman’s Bar Association after participating in the mentorship initiatives as a student at Albany Law School. Since graduating and joining the legal profession, she has served as a member on the Board participating in the CLE and Membership Committee, and has previously served as the Treasurer.

Outside of her legal career, she enjoys spending time with her husband Ryan, daughter Sophia and their goldendoodle Maui.

JULIA PALMERINO/ FIRST VICE PRESIDENT

Julia V. Palmerino (formerly Kosineski) is an Associate at the law office of Lauren L. Hunt, Esq. handling family and matrimonial matters. Prior to joining Lauren Hunt, Julia worked at the Schenectady County Public Defender’s Office representing indigent clients in family court. 

She obtained her B.S. from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, where she was the President of Delta Gamma and founded the Female Leadership in Hospitality Club. After graduating from Cornell, Julia moved to New York City to work in event marketing at a startup. Julia returned to the Capital Region to pursue her law degree and graduated summa cum laude from Albany Law School in 2019.

Julia has been a member of the Capital District Women’s Bar Association since 2017 and currently serves as the First Vice President Secretary. Outside of her legal career, Julia is a new mom to her son Giovanni (“Gio”) and enjoys spending time with him, her husband, Mike, and their first born: a French Bulldog named Hank.

RACHAEL OUIMET/ SECOND VICE PRESIDENT

Rachael Ouimet is honored to serve as Second Vice President of CDWBA.  Previously, she was the  Correspondence Secretary of CDWBA.  Rachael is currently an Assistant Attorney General in the Litigation Bureau at the NYS Office of the Attorney General.  In the past, she has been employed as a public defender for Schenectady County, staff attorney at The Legal Project, and in private practice.  A graduate of Albany Law School and Union College, Rachael lives in Clifton Park with her two children, husband, and their two dogs.

JENNIFER STORM/ RECORDING SECRETARY

Jennifer Storm is the Supervising Attorney for the Victims Legal Assistance Program (VLAP) at The Legal Project. She leads a dedicated team of attorneys and support staff providing holistic, trauma-informed legal services to victims and survivors of domestic violence and other crimes in civil legal proceedings. Ms. Storm began her career at the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York (LASNNY), where she worked as a staff attorney on several grant-funded projects. Her work included representing homeless domestic violence victims in Albany County, individuals impacted by HIV/AIDS throughout upstate New York, and LGBTQ victims of domestic violence across the region. In 2010, Ms. Storm transitioned to private practice, founding a solo practice focused on low-bono (and pro bono) representation, with a particular emphasis on serving the LGBT community and survivors of domestic violence.

TORI DEYO/ CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

Tori L. Deyo is a trial attorney at Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP, where she practices exclusively in the area of family and matrimonial law. Tori earned her J.D. summa cum laude from Albany Law School in May 2022, where she was recognized for her academic excellence and where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Albany Law Review.

Tori also holds both a Bachelor’s Degree (2015) and a Master’s Degree (2017) from The College of Saint Rose, graduating summa cum laude from both programs. Tori lives in Albany, New York with her fiancé, their two cats, and dog. 

CHERYL LEE/ TREASURER

A.A.G. Cheryl J. Lee is a prosecutor for the Criminal Enforcement of Financial Crimes Bureau in the Albany office of the New York State Attorney General. She investigates and prosecutes complex financial crimes, including embezzlement, tax evasion, elder financial exploitation, contractor fraud, public benefits fraud, and other white collar crime.  She joined the Office of the New York State Attorney General (OAG) in September 2017.  Prior to her employment with the OAG, Ms. Lee was an Assistant District Attorney in the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office (WCDAO) for ten years.  Ms. Lee also served as law clerk to the Honorable Cecelia G. Morris, former Chief Judge of Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York, from 2003-2006, after which she joined the law firm of Ropes & Gray as a Business Bankruptcy and Corporate Restructuring Associate, before joining the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.  She graduated summa cum laude from Pace University School of Law and magna cum laude from New York University with a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing.  At Pace Law School she was Case Note and Comment Editor for the Law Review, and graduated first in her class, as valedictorian.