Congratulations to Paul F. Keneally, partner in the Firm’s Labor & Employment, Litigation, and Municipal Law practice groups, for being honored by Literacy Rochester with the Queenie Zuehlke Visionary Award. He received the award during Literacy Rochester’s 60th Anniversary Luncheon held on July 17, 2024.
The Queenie Zuehlke Visionary Award was created as part of celebrating the 60th anniversary of Literacy Rochester and recognizes an individual or an organization that has helped Literacy Rochester over the years to be able to look past the present and to see the future impact of a project.
Literacy Rochester was founded in 1964 as a program of the local Church Women United group. A member of the group by the name of Queenie Zuehlke spearheaded the project. Working with Ruth Colvin in Syracuse, NY, she was able to train and launch an “Each One, Teach One” literacy program. In 1971, the “Each One, Teach One” program had grown so large that it broke away from the local Church Women United group and became its own nonprofit. Starting with just helping adults in the community to read, their programming has continued to grow and expand. Adding English language, math, and in 2013 officially launching a digital literacy program to help adults learn to use a computer and complete digitally based tasks. Literacy Rochester’s reading, math, and English language services are offered to any adult in Monroe County are no cost and is offered through one-to-one tutoring or small group classes.
Paul, who earned his B.A. from Amherst College and his J.D., cum laude, from Fordham University School of Law, serves as chair of Underberg & Kessler’s Labor & Employment practice group. He advises clients on a wide range of day-to-day labor and employment matters, helps resolve complex commercial, construction, and labor and employment disputes, and defends municipalities and public entities. Paul served two terms on the Literacy Rochester Board of Directors, and he currently serves as Legislative Representative to the Board of Directors of the Genesee Valley Society of Human Resources Management, and as Counsel to the Board of Directors and Management of the Tennis Club of Rochester.
In his acceptance speech, Paul mentioned impact the Literacy Rochester tutors have on the lives of students and the contributions of other Literacy Rochester Board members with him when the signature Brain Game fundraiser event was developed.