Robi Schlaff was appointed director of the Westchester County Office for Women in 2013. Prior to that, Robi was the director of the Westchester County Family Justice Center, located in the White Plains courthouse; one of OFW’s three on-site family court sites. As Director, Robi chairs the Domestic Violence Council, facilitates and acts as liaison to the Women’s Advisory Board and is an active representative to the 9th Judicial District Gender Fairness and Access to Justice Committees and other committees working with family violence. OFW administers and coordinates the Westchester County Domestic Violence High Risk Team (DVHRT), a collaboration to increase safety for victims and families.
For the majority of her legal career, Robi practiced family law, representing children in custody and abuse cases, adult victims of domestic violence, acted as a divorce and family law mediator and also practiced real estate law. Robi spent many years in government, as legislative director for New York State Assembly Member Pete Grannis, as assistant to the Westchester County Executive, as special counsel to Commissioner Pete Grannis of the NYS Department of Environmental Protection and for the last eleven years in her current position.
Robi has been involved in the development of many innovative programs in Westchester, including DVHRT. She won the End Violence Against Women International Game-Changer award for this initiative. Prior projects led by Robi include the Pace Women’s Justice Center/Legal Services Family Court Legal Program, the multi-disciplinary child abuse investigation team, and the NYS Sea Level Rise Task Force.
Robi received her J.D. from Benjamin Cardozo School of Law, where she was a member of the law review and her B.A. from SUNY Albany. She lectures and trains on matters related to family violence.