Academic Laureate
Alicia Ouellette, J.D.
A leader in legal education, Alicia Ouellette is the 18th President and Dean of Albany Law School. Since becoming president in 2015, she has transformed the school by executing a new strategic plan, expanding online graduate programs, fulfilling the affiliation with UAlbany, and more. As a scholar, her focus on health law, bioethics, and health and human rights has been highlighted in publications and presentations around the country and the world. Her impact goes beyond Albany Law, and she has held impactful leadership positions in professional and community organizations.
Community Laureates
Alice Green ’83 & Charles Touhey ’91
Pioneers in the fight for justice and equity around civil rights and liberties, Alice Green ’83, executive director and founder of the Center for Law and Justice, and her husband, Charles Touhey ’91, with a long background in both real estate and philanthropy, have a particular concern for poor communities and those of color. Both together and separate, their notable impacts reverberate throughout the Albany area, likely because they fuse their business talents with their intuition and passion. Strong supporters of several area organizations, they established the Touhey Family Fellows Program in UAlbany’s School of Education to support the diversification of teaching and counseling professions throughout the Capital Region.
Chet & Karen Opalka
Chet and Karen Opalka’s commitment to the Capital Region is unrivaled. A powerful duo, they have supported initiatives in the arts, education and health care throughout the Capital Region as well as nationally and globally. Co-founder of Albany Molecular Research, Chet is a scientist with nearly 30 patents and several scientific publications. A former elementary educator, Karen developed and implemented curriculum in all areas of academics and the arts. Now, they serve on several boards and have been the catalysts for the establishment of the Kiwi Foundation, The Global Child, and The Opalka Gallery at the Sage Colleges, and are strong supporters of UAlbany’s NYS Writers Institute.