Wojtaszek-Gariano nominated by Sen. Grisanti as a 'Woman of Distinction'

Niagara County Family Court employee recognized for contributions to Western New York community

State Sen. Mark Grisanti, R-Buffalo, today nominated Kathleen Wojtaszek-Gariano of Niagara Falls as a New York state "Woman of Distinction."

Wojtaszek-Gariano has served as court attorney/law clerk to Judge David Seaman in Niagara County Family Court for the past nine years and has spent her 17-year law career focusing on family law. As a private practitioner she handled matrimonial and family court cases and represented children as a law guardian. She served as an assistant Niagara County attorney, where she prosecuted persons in need of supervision and juvenile delinquency cases in Family Court. She later served as Niagara Falls City Court judge and was later elevated to acting Family Court judge.

In addition to her service to the community in the workplace, Wojtaszek-Gariano serves on the board of directors for Community Missions Inc. and the Health Association of Niagara County Inc., and is a member of the Niagara County Bar Association and the Judges and Police Executive Conference of Niagara County.  

Wojtaszek-Gariano and her husband, Tom, have three children: Rob, Francesca and David, and reside in the City of Niagara Falls. Besides being an avid fan of her children's sports, she has coached soccer and basketball at Prince of Peace and St. Dominic Savio; has coached softball for the Cayuga Girls Softball League; and currently coordinates the soccer program for the Catholic Academy of Niagara Falls.

Wojtaszek-Gariano is a graduate of North Tonawanda High School, the University at Buffalo, and Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

The annual 'Woman of Distinction" program was created as part of the New York State Senate's celebration of Women's History Month, with honorees to be recognized and honored later this month.

Previous winners in the annual event have included leading women from the worlds of business, academics and civic life, as well as those who have performed heroic or selfless acts, made significant discoveries or provided examples of personal excellence against difficult odds.

In addition to recognizing present-day women, the Senate hosts a display in Albany that honors other distinguished women from New York's past.