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Angie D’Agostino, Dean for Student and Campus Affairs at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, was honored with the Honorable Richard J. Daronco Distinguished Service Award by the Columbian Lawyers Association of Westchester County at the organization’s annual dinner on June 13, 2025. The prestigious award recognizes individuals of Italian heritage who have made significant contributions to the bench or bar and who exemplify service, leadership, and a deep commitment to community.

The Honorable Richard J. Daronco Distinguished Service Award is named in memory of the former Justice of the Supreme Court of Westchester County and later the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and celebrates his legacy of integrity, compassion, and dedication to justice. Past recipients include the Honorable Janet DiFiore, Chief Judge of the State of New York and the Court of Appeals; Carl A. Vergari, former Westchester County District Attorney; the Honorable Mario Cuomo, former Governor of New York; and the Honorable Francis A. Nicolai, former Chief Administrative Judge for the Ninth Judicial District, among other distinguished Italian-American jurists and attorneys.

Dean D’Agostino’s career at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University spans nearly 40 years. She began as an assistant in the Office of Admissions and rose steadily through the ranks, ultimately serving as Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs. During that time, she admitted and guided hundreds of law students, shaping their academic journeys through scholarships, mentorship, and unwavering support. In 1999, while working full-time, she earned her law degree from what was then Pace Law School, and in 2000 was appointed Dean for Students—a role she has held ever since with steadfast dedication, compassion, and purpose.

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Affectionately known as “Dean D” by generations of students and alumni—many of whom now call her a friend and colleague—she has cultivated a culture of community at Pace Haub Law. Under her leadership, the Law School has expanded its mental health and wellness programs, providing critical resources to students during some of the most challenging times in their academic and personal lives.

The award was presented by Hon. Daniel Angiolillo, who praised Dean D’Agostino’s deep commitment to “Family, Faith, and Pace.” In his remarks, Horace E. Anderson Jr., Dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law, reflected on the many lives she has touched over her decades of service.

“Dean D’s impact extends far beyond the walls of the law school. For nearly 40 years, she has been a guiding force in the lives of thousands of law students—many of whom are now legal professionals in our community,” said Dean Anderson. “Her care, encouragement, and willingness to step in during some of the most difficult moments in a student’s life have made all the difference. There are countless attorneys today who would not be where they are without her.”

I’ve been blessed to serve at an institution where Opportunitas—the opportunity for first-generation students to rise—has mirrored both my personal journey and my cultural heritage.

—Dean Angie D'Agostino

During her heartfelt remarks, Dean D’Agostino spoke about her journey from humble beginnings, the transformative power of education, and the responsibility that legal educators carry as gatekeepers of the profession—one she has approached with deep seriousness and care.

“I’ve been blessed to serve at an institution where Opportunitas—the opportunity for first-generation students to rise—has mirrored both my personal journey and my cultural heritage,” she shared.

Dean D’Agostino has been a long-standing, involved member of the Columbian Lawyers Association, which has been a generous partner to the Law School, supporting many deserving law students through its scholarship program.

Dean D’Agostino’s award acceptance speech (PDF)

Barbara A. Abeles and Sabrina A. Griffin ’92 bring a shared dedication to leadership, philanthropy, and student success

Pace University’s Board of Trustees announced the election of two new members, Barbara A. Abeles, owner, chairman and chief executive officer of CBL Ceramics Ltd, and Sabrina A. Griffin ’92, inaugural chair of the Pace Alumni Association Leadership Council, to its Board of Trustees.

“Sabrina and Barbara exemplify Pace’s mission of expanding opportunity—Sabrina through her continued alumni leadership and Barbara through her longstanding philanthropic commitment to education,” said Rob Sands, chairman of Pace University’s Board of Trustees. “We are proud to welcome them to the board and look forward to the insight, perspective and leadership they bring to our community.”

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Abeles is chairman and CEO of CBL Ceramics Ltd., a Wales-based manufacturer of advanced ceramics for the global electronics industry. She has led the company for nearly three decades, overseeing global operations across finance, regulatory compliance, sales, and human resources. Under her leadership, CBL has become one of only three firms internationally producing a highly specialized class of industrial ceramics.

A longtime resident of Westchester County, Abeles has demonstrated a deep commitment to education and philanthropy. She serves on the Foundation Board of Westchester Community College and Pace University’s President’s Council. She is a major supporter of Pace’s Community Impact Internship Program and established a permanently endowed scholarship to address gender disparities in the sciences. Abeles holds a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and a master’s from Boston University.

“I’ve long admired Pace University’s commitment to creating opportunity through education,” said Abeles. “It’s an honor to join the Board of Trustees and to support a community so dedicated to empowering students to reach their full potential.”

Griffin served for more than 30 years at the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, most recently as assistant vice president and diversity manager. During her tenure, she successfully managed and implemented leadership development programs geared towards women, people of color and LGBTQIA+ employees.

She currently serves on Pace University’s President’s Council, as inaugural chair of the Pace University Alumni Association Leadership Council and as a member of the Development, Alumni Relations and Public Affairs Committee. Griffin also serves on The Mahaffey Leading Ladies committee for The Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts, in St. Petersburg, FL. helping bring live theater, books, art and music to more than 30,000 students annually. In addition, she serves on the arts and finance committees of the St. Petersburg Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, a national women’s organization committed to education, health and civic engagement. She holds an MBA in finance from Pace’s Lubin School of Business and a bachelor’s degree from NYU’s Stern School of Business.

“Joining the Board is an opportunity to give back in a way that’s intentional and inclusive,” said Griffin. “I want to help create pathways that meet people where they are—whether they’re students figuring it out or alumni reconnecting after time away. If we design experiences that reflect our community’s needs, we’ll keep building something truly meaningful together.”

About Pace University

Since 1906, Pace University has been transforming the lives of its diverse students—academically, professionally, and socioeconomically. With campuses in New York City and Westchester County, Pace offers bachelor, master, and doctoral degree programs to 13,600 students in its College of Health Professions, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Elisabeth Haub School of Law, Lubin School of Business, Sands College of Performing Arts, School of Education, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.

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The Westchester County Board of Legislators honored Horace E. Anderson Jr., Dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, during its annual celebration of Caribbean American Heritage Month on June 16, 2025. Held at the Westchester County Center—with Dean Anderson’s name prominently displayed in lights for the evening—the ceremony recognized the extraordinary achievements and contributions of individuals who have made a significant impact on education, civic life, and public service in Westchester County, while celebrating the rich cultural legacy and community influence of Caribbean Americans.

Dean Anderson was celebrated for his unwavering commitment to advancing equity in the legal profession and expanding educational access, demonstrated through the Law School’s many partnerships aimed at diversifying the legal pipeline. Dean Anderson’s leadership has elevated the Law School’s national profile and strengthened its core mission of justice, academic excellence, and community engagement.

Board Chairman Vedat Gashi reflected on Dean Anderson’s journey as a first-generation American and pioneering educator, calling him an “exemplary Caribbean American whose contributions embody the values we celebrate.”

“As the first Black dean in the history of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, Dean Anderson has demonstrated exemplary leadership, elevating the Law School’s national standing and expanding its impact within our community. His commitment to fostering academic excellence, advancing diversity within the legal profession, and championing innovative programs in environmental law, social justice, and civic engagement has set a remarkable standard,” added Majority Leader Tyrae Woodson-Samuels. “We celebrate Dean Anderson as a distinguished leader and an outstanding representative of the Caribbean American community, whose contributions continue to enrich our institutions and inspire future generations.”

Also honored during the evening was Annmarie Smith, a longtime advocate for public education in Yonkers and a respected PTSA leader. Over decades of service, Ms. Smith has been a consistent voice for equitable school funding and quality education for all students.

Students from Pace University’s Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems concluded the Spring 2025 semester with an international trip—by teaming up with peers from across Europe to take on disinformation through game design.

In May 2025, a group of Pace students from Seidenberg’s Game Development program traveled to Stuttgart, Germany, to participate in a unique international collaboration: the FMX PartnerDay Game Jam. Organized as part of the annual FMX (Film and Media Exchange) Conference, the experience brought together students from Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Germany, and the United States for a week of creativity, cross-cultural connection, and hands-on learning.

The Game Jam was the culminating in-person phase of a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), co-organized by several international universities and built around three core phases: digital preparation, international team-building, and finally, a 48-hour in-person challenge.

“Each team had students from different countries,” said Carmine Guida, Assistant Professor of Computer Science and director of the Game Development program at Seidenberg, who accompanied the Pace students.

They worked together to design games tackling the topic of disinformation—something every country is grappling with.

The program kicked off with the Digital Learning Experience phase, which was an online foundational course on Game Design that allowed students to explore key concepts and tools necessary for the future stages of the program, particularly focusing on game mechanics, narrative design, and user experience. In the second online phase, the International Team-Building Workshop, teams from all participating countries focused on simulating real-world, international collaboration by equipping the students with cultural exchange and fostering communication skills across borders and time zones.

For the third and final phase of the program, students traveled to Stuttgart, Germany. The highlight of this phase was a 48-hour Game Jam, during which all participants delved into an intensive weekend of work with diverse and interdisciplinary teams, and resulted in the creation of exciting, inventive game prototypes. These fully playable games—available online through itch.io—were created by the international student teams consisting of artists, coders, and designers who united their various talents to bring their visions of fighting disinformation to life.

Following the Game Jam, students exhibited their work at the FMX Educational Fair, a multi-day expo. They demoed their games, explored VR and motion capture demos, and attended industry talks—including sessions with industry-leading artists that created Arcane.

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“The games and the overall experience were amazing,” Guida shared.

The students were able to see what’s possible and got a glimpse of where the industry is heading.

Pace students also staffed a university booth, representing Seidenberg and the larger Pace community to a global audience of professionals, educators, and students. Guida added that “it was great for our students to have the opportunity to represent Seidenberg and present the results of the Game Jam at the FMX educational fair, allowing for broader exposure and networking with industry professionals and peers”

As the Seidenberg students returned with new skills, broader perspectives, and playable proof of their creativity, they brought with them stories that extend far beyond the screen, ready to continue tackling real-world challenges.

In his article, The 'Realness' Key to Compelled Passcode Production, published in the Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology (Vol. 115, 2025), Pace Haub Law Visiting Assistant Professor Gabriel Pell offers a novel framework for applying the Fifth Amendment’s Foregone Conclusion exception to compelled passcode entry. At the heart of the article is a key question: when the government forces someone to unlock a phone, are they permissibly being compelled to produce real evidence that exists outside of their mind—or are they revealing the contents of their mind in violation of their privilege against self-incrimination?

Drawing on the “act of production” doctrine, Professor Pell argues that where the average user experiences their passcode as something that exists outside of their mind, courts can conceptualize the passcode stored within a given device or the unlocked device itself as the 'real' evidence produced through compelled passcode entry. This conceptual shift can resolve a national split in authority among courts while protecting targets from compelled revelation of mere memorized information.

“[T]he government need not demonstrate pre-production knowledge of the contents of a locked device to satisfy the Foregone Conclusion exception,” Professor Pell writes, challenging assumptions some courts have made about the application of this paper-based doctrine to passcodes in the digital era.

• Read The 'Realness' Key to Compelled Passcode Production, Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology (Vol. 115, 2025)

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The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University is pleased to announce that Michael Hamersky has been appointed to serve as the Executive Director of the Pace Energy and Climate Center. In addition to leading the Center, he will teach Natural Resources Law at the Law School. Over nearly four decades, the Pace Energy and Climate Center has established itself as a national leader working at the intersection of energy and the environment.

Prior to this role, Michael served as the Climate Change and Land Use Policy Fellow at Pace Haub Law where he focused on the clean energy transition and the various barriers to, and incentives for, renewable energy deployment. Specifically, Michael has advised the United States Department of Energy, as well as end-users and municipalities, on how to best implement on-site distributed energy resources in the New York/New Jersey region considering the economics in light of regional energy markets. Michael has also developed recommendations to the New York State Research and Development Authority (“NYSERDA”) to update New York’s battery storage, and wind energy, systems model laws and has prepared resources related to large renewable energy project siting and permitting process, which is used by NYSERDA to educate municipalities throughout the state. Michael has also produced scholarship related to conservation in Indigenous communities and ocean governance.

“During his time at the Law School, first as an LLM student, and more recently as a Climate Change and Land Use Policy Fellow, Michael has established himself as a forward-thinking leader in the field of environmental law,” said Dean Horace E. Anderson Jr. “Our Pace Energy and Climate Center has established itself as a trusted Center and thought-leader, frequently engaging government decision makers and key stakeholders with objective research and analysis in law and policy. I am confident that with Michael serving as the Executive Director of the Center, our Center will continue to serve as a model and leader in the field.”

“I am beyond excited to join Pace Haub Law in this new capacity,” stated Michael. “I look forward to using this new platform to highlight the incredible work of the number one environmental law program in the nation’s talented students and to prioritize the Pace Energy and Climate Center’s work on the clean energy transition and the impact such transition will have on vulnerable communities.” Prior to joining the Haub Law community, Michael practiced corporate restructuring litigation for over fifteen years in New York City, and was an adjunct professor at the Fordham University School of Law. He received his JD from Fordham University School of Law and his LLM in Environmental Studies from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, with a focus on Energy Law and Climate Change.

I look forward to using this new platform to highlight the incredible work of the number one environmental law program in the nation’s talented students and to prioritize the Pace Energy and Climate Center’s work on the clean energy transition and the impact such transition will have on vulnerable communities.

—Michael Hamersky

Over time, the Pace Energy and Climate Center has grown from its initial focus on energy regulatory law and policies, expanding its focus to encompass transportation and fuels as well as climate change mitigation and resilience. Through the analysis and advancement of critical policies engineered to improve energy efficiency, accelerate renewable energy and distributed generation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and make our communities more resilient in the face of climate change impacts, the Center has continually reconfirmed its position at the leading edge of finding solutions to our energy and climate challenges on the local, state, regional, national, and international levels.

The Pace Energy and Climate Center was founded in 1987 as the Pace Energy Project by Dean Emeritus Richard L. Ottinger upon his retirement from the US Congress. Dean Ottinger recognized early on the significant environmental impacts of our supply and use of energy in the United States. From the very beginning, under Dean Ottinger’s leadership, the Center provided cutting-edge research and analysis of energy production alternatives’ social and environmental costs and benefits. Through careful and consistent engagement across communities, the Center was among the first organizations to highlight the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy as alternatives to conventional electricity generation.

In addition to being a force for legal and policy change, the Center also trains the next generation of smart energy leaders. Students from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University are actively involved in the Center’s projects. Haub Law student interns contribute directly to the creation and development of work products for both domestic and international projects, building important professional skills in policy analysis, legal writing, administrative practice related to electric utility law, and other areas related to energy law.

Students who participate in the Center’s work have gone on to careers at institutions central to the energy discussion, such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Energy Foundation, the California Independent System Operator, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the New York Power Authority, the New York Public Service Commission, and the New York Independent System Operator, to name a handful.

Prior to Michael’s appointment, Elisabeth Haub School of Law Adjunct Professor Joseph Siegel served as interim Executive Director of the Pace Energy and Climate Center. Previously, Joe worked for 38 years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2, office in New York where he was a Senior Attorney, co-chaired the Region 2 Climate Change Workgroup and the Office of Regional Counsel’s Climate Change Workgroup, managed the Region 2 Environmental Collaboration and Conflict Resolution program, and served on the Steering Committee of the Mid-Atlantic Federal Climate Partners.