Karen Beltran ’02 Named President of the Westchester County Bar Association
The first woman of color to lead the WCBA in its 130-year history has been a rising star and “raising the bar” for almost two decades.
In law, leadership, and public service, the Honorable Karen T. Beltran, Esq. ’02 (anthropology), has served Westchester County government for more than 15 years.
Currently a City Court Judge in Yonkers, NY, Beltran was Deputy Administrator for the County’s Independent Office of Assigned Council and Senior Assistant County Attorney for litigation and family court.
She is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Westchester County Black Bar Association and has served on the Board of Directors of the WCBA since 2019, before being elected President, a voluntary leadership position.
Beltran spoke about her two main goals as she assumes leadership of the WCBA: strengthening its community of legal professionals and advancing its presence throughout Westchester.
“My leadership style is collaborative,” says Beltran, “but I believe in getting things done. I believe in clear goals, shared accountability, and forward momentum.”
Supporting Student Achievement
As co-chair of the WCBA’s Diversity Committee, Beltran coordinated the WCBA’s summer internship program connecting high school students with opportunities, mentors, and a window into the legal profession.
“That work was personal for me,” says Beltran, who immigrated from Colombia at age seven as a non-native speaker, settled with her family in Yonkers, and became a naturalized citizen at age 18. “I knew what it meant to need a door opened.”
Giving Back to Purchase
Active in alumni initiatives at Purchase, Beltran serves on the board of directors of the Yonkers Partners in Education (YPIE), which provides scholarships to eligible students.
She has also participated in the Purchase LatinX Alumni Network (PLXN) in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month.
A member of the EOP program, Beltran earned a Juris Doctor Degree from the University at Buffalo School of Law after graduating from Purchase with a BA in Anthropology.
