Pace University Alumni Association
Leadership Council Vice Chair
Kelly Herbert ’06 grew up in a small town in Buffalo, NY. Herbert's identity as a part of the LGBTQIA+ community played a large role in her journey to Pace. When it came time to apply for colleges, Herbert feverishly searched for schools in a big city that could provide her with the sense of community and diversity that she longed for. As a student-athlete, Pace offered the best of both worlds—a diverse campus to pursue her academic and athletic interests with easy access to everything New York City has to offer, including its robust LGBTQIA+ community.
No stranger to new endeavors, after graduation, Herbert came back to Pace to work full-time in Pace’s Counseling Center. While in that role, she conceptualized the idea for an LGBTQIA+ and Social Justice Center that would support and serve the LGBTQIA+ community at Pace. After pitching the idea to her then-boss, she spent the next couple of years working to build the Center by assembling a coalition of students, staff, faculty, and alumni with that shared goal. Herbert's proposal for the new department ultimately made it to Dean Emerita Harriet Feldman's desk, who as the then-interim provost approved it. Herbert ran the Center for its first four years, while studying law at Fordham Law School at night.
Herbert is an attorney at Gibson, Dunn, and Crutcher in the New York office, focusing on complex commercial litigation, privacy matters, constitutional law, white collar defense, and government investigations. Her pro bono practice centers on immigration rights, racial justice, election law, and LGBTQIA+ issues. Herbert continues to serve the LGBTQIA+ community as co-chair of Gibson's LGBTQIA+ group, and as a member of Immigration Equality's Association Board.
The Center is now in its tenth year and Herbert is beyond grateful to the many students, staff, faculty, and alumni who helped build this essential space. Reflecting on the early years of the Center, she shares:
“Alumni were integral to the process of starting the Center. The network grew organically as passionate volunteers reached out to other alumni who had never before been asked about LGBTQIA+ issues they may have experienced or observed while a student at Pace. Before I knew it, these same alumni were making donations of gifts in support of the Center’s growth, and gifts-in-kind including items to provide a space of comfort for students."
Between her time spent as a student and staff member, Herbert dedicated thirteen years of service to Pace. In honor of her lasting contributions to the University, the Kelly Herbert Writing Award was established. The Award was endowed in 2011 and is awarded annually to students who demonstrate excellence in writing about LGBTQIA+ topics, life, and love.
Herbert’s appointment to serve as the Leadership Council Vice Chair for the brand new Pace University Alumni Association will call on her steadfast commitment to the Pace Community.
As a leader of the Alumni Association, Herbert aims to nourish a sense of shared responsibility to care for others and create a strong, tight-knit community for every member of the Pace Alumni Community to lean on. She shares:
“I hope to help build a bridge of understanding that the University’s mission of Opportunitas does not stop after graduation. Alumni enter a broad network of Pace graduates who are here to help and support one another. I look forward to showing alumni that they are not on their own." Herbert is excited about " the Association’s ability to demonstrate that the greatest benefit of being Pace alumni is that we inherit a diverse, accomplished network of people, who are ready and willing to help.”
Herbert hopes to strengthen the alumni network and create an environment where people are comfortable reaching out for opportunities and eager to support fellow alumni.