As the Worcester County Bar Association’s long-time director retires, her successor looks to foster a welcoming legal community
Photo I Courtesy of the Worcester County Bar Association
Stephen Altobelli, executive director of the Worcester County Bar Association
The Worcester County Bar Association has made its first executive director change in more than 30 years, as Sandra DiLuzio has retired from the leadership position and Stephen Altobelli has stepped in to fill the role.
DiLuzio’s retirement follows a 43-year tenure with the bar association, with 33 of those years spent as executive director, according to a Dec. 19 press release from the Worcester County Bar Association.
A Worcester native, Altobelli comes to his new role having worked within a wide range of nonprofits and companies from industries including health care, financial services, and water utilities. He most recently served as chief of operations at the American Thoracic Society in New York, a nonprofit he was with for 10 years. Before that, he worked as senior vice president of New-York based public relations firm MikeWorldWide for eight years.
From his work in multiple industries, Altobelli said he knows how to adapt to the needs of an organization.
“I'm pretty comfortable learning the makeup of an organization of an industry, and what's important to those constituents,” said Altobelli.
When it comes to his decision to transition to the bar association, Altobelli was drawn to its inviting nature.
“It's a very welcoming, inclusive, collaborative organization, and that kind of goes against the stereotypes of the legal profession. Perhaps, I think, it sets the Worcester County Bar Association apart from others in a society that we're living in that can be litigious,” he said.
Because of this sometimes contentious nature, Altobelli said the community needs to have access to attorneys who are approachable and knowledgeable and know how to serve their individual clients.
People often have a love-hate relationship with attorneys, Altobelli said.
“They're one of the first people you call when you're in trouble. At the same time, you know, as a generalization, their reputation can be spotty,” he said.
To address these relationship dynamics, Altobelli looks to continue to foster a collaborative atmosphere within the legal community, one he sees\benefiting the region’s clientele.
“I have had several members say, in the brief time I've been here, ‘You're more apt to treat opposing counsel fairly, equitably, and transparently, if you know them.’ And that's in everyone's best interest, especially the clients,” he said.
Altobelli will aim to fulfill this goal by working to spread the word of the bar association to draw more attorneys to the organization.
Organizations from churches to professional groups have been experiencing a decline in membership, a trend amplified by the coronavirus pandemic, he said. It can be easy for people to isolate, and Altobelli wants to combat that in his new role.
Though still fresh into his executive position, Altobelli is looking forward to eventually developing a three to five year strategic plan for the bar association: a roadmap to ensure a successful organization, he said.
“It's a balance, a fine line balancing between the day-to-day, keeping the train running on time, and also looking at the big picture,” said Altobelli. “I have experience doing that, and I think that's one reason why I'm here.”
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion industries.
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