Christopher Riano Named to NYSBA Executive Committee
11.29.2021
Christopher R. Riano has been named to the Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association.
Riano will serve as a member-at-large. He replaces Sandra Rivera, who was recently named senior adviser for legislative affairs to Gov. Kathy Hochul. The press release noted her variety of leadership roles at the New York State Bar Association.
The 30-member Executive Committee has the authority to speak and act on behalf of the association. It is comprised of the officers of the association, together with vice presidents from each of the thirteen judicial districts in the state (the 1st district has two vice presidents), eight members-at-large, and the immediate past president. All officers are elected to serve one-year terms.
The inaugural chair of the NYSBA LGBTQ Law Section, Riano also is the first openly LGBTQ member named as a commissioner to the New York State Gaming Commission. He previously was the first openly LGBTQ person to serve as general counsel of the New York State Liquor Authority.
Riano is the president of the Center for Civic Education, a position he assumed in June 2020. He previously served as assistant counsel to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
He is co-author of “Marriage Equality: From Outlaws to In-Laws,” with Professor William Eskridge of Yale Law School, which presents the 50-year history of same-sex marriage equality in the United States from 1967 to 2017.
