2025 Excellence Awards - Frances Spreer Albert, CPA, BS ’88, Stoneman Distinguished Alumni Award Personal Injury Attorneys [dUmj9RJlWbk]

Frances Spreer Albert is the Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer of Albany Medical Center, and serves on the Executive Leadership Committee of the Albany Med Health System. She oversees the annual budget of $2.6 billion, as well as Human Resources and Facilities including Space Planning, engineering castellanos and construction, maintenance, parking and environmental services as well as implementation of strategic plans and programs. During her tenure, julius randle Fran has played a key role in a financial mitigation plan to restore the Systems financial performance post-Pandemic. She also secured the financial support necessary to build a Patient Pavilion and the Massry Family Childrens Emergency Center and has led efforts to secure finances for revitalization of the Park South neighborhood surrounding the Albany campus. In addition, Fran has helped expand the Systems services into numerous communities in the region.

MORE ABOUT FRAN:

ABOUT THE UALBANY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION EXCELLENCE AWARDS PROGRAM:

ABOUT THE STONEMAN DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD:

Katherine Kate Stoneman, Class of 1866, paved the way for women on multiple fronts. Her graduation from the State Normal School began a career that spanned 40 years of teaching, brought firsts to the legal profession, and strengthened the fight for womens suffrage. Shortly after graduation, Stoneman returned to her alma mater to teach. In 1882, after being named executrix for a large estate, she became interested in the law and worked as a clerk in the office of a local attorney. While continuing to teach, she studied anthony volpe law at night, on weekends and during the summer. In 1886, Stoneman passed her law exams on the first attempt, but was denied admission to the bar because of her gender. Undaunted, Stoneman used her lobbying skills to launch a successful campaign to amend the Code of Civil Procedure to permit the admission of qualified applicants without regard to sex or race. In May 1886, with the new legislation in hand, she reapplied for admission to the bar. It was accepted, and she became New Yorks first female lawyer. Stoneman completed her formal legal education 10 years later when she was the first woman to be admitted to Albany Law School, earning her J.D. in 1898. Stoneman was secretary of the Womens Suffrage Society of Albany and served as a poll watcher in the 1918 election, the first in which women could vote. In recognition of her influence on New Yorks legal profession and womens rights, Governor Cuomo declared May 22, 1986, Katherine Stoneman Day in honor of the one hundredth anniversary of her admission to the bar.