The New York Junior League is celebrating 125 years of continued service, leadership, and impact this year, and is paying homage to a Barnard alumna who helped create the group.
The Junior League was founded in 1901 by Mary Harriman, Barnard class of 1905, who was 19 at the time, along with nine of her friends.
Founding the Junior League was just the tip of the iceberg of Harriman’s remarkable life. At Barnard, she was a member of the 1905 class that founded the Greek Games, a long-standing tradition that continues to this day. She served as the Chair of the first consumer’s rights group, The Consumer Advisory Board of the National Recovery Administration after being appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
She helped write the Social Security Act and to this day – has a playground named in her honor, in Central Park: Rumsey Playfield. And in 2015, Rumsey was inducted into The National Women’s Hall of Fame for her humanitarian and philanthropic contributions further cementing her place in women’s history.
“As a young student at Barnard, Mary Harriman Rumsey founded the New York Junior League inspired by a simple yet powerful belief: that women, working together, could drive lasting social change in their own communities,” President of the New York Junior League, Jeri Powell, said. “The model she pioneered, with an emphasis on training women to respond to evolving needs on the ground, is as relevant today as it was in 1901. Her legacy endures through the work of nearly 300 Junior League chapters across the U.S. and around the world.”
Photo Credit: Madeleine Thomas/BFA.com
The New York Junior League recognized Valerie S. Mason ’80 with the 125th Anniversary Legacy Award at its largest fundraiser, the 74th Annual Winter Ball—Gilded Legacy: Celebrating 125 Years of Impact—on February 28. Mason graduated magna cum laude with Distinction from Barnard College and later received a law degree from Duke University’s School of Law. Valerie’s commitment to service is deeply personal. She is a wife, mother, and longtime Upper East Side resident, actively engaged in neighborhood and faith-based organizations
“Valerie S. Mason embodies the leadership the New York Junior League seeks to inspire,” Powell added, according to a news release. “Her career demonstrates how professional excellence, service, and mentorship can drive meaningful community impact. As we celebrate 125 years, we are honored to recognize a leader whose work reflects our mission and encourages others to lead with purpose.”
While at Barnard, Valerie played for the Barnard Tennis Team all four years while at the College, an original “Barnard Bear.” She was the Captain of the team for three years, while serving as the head of the Tripartite Athletic Committee and the Council on Intercollegiate Athletics. Valerie served as the Barnard representative to the Columbia-Barnard Athletic Consortium for the first four years of the program’s existence. Valerie’s senior thesis topic concerned the then recently enacted Title IX and what its future impact, the thesis merited Distinction.
For Valerie, leadership has always been rooted in service — to her profession, her community, and the city she has proudly called home her entire life. A native New Yorker, Valerie has dedicated her time and talents to supporting institutions that strengthen the lives of women, families, and communities across New York City.
For over two decades, she has been deeply involved in criminal justice reform through her service with the Women’s Prison Association, one of the nation’s oldest organizations dedicated to supporting women impacted by the criminal justice system and their families — and a longtime community partner of the New York Junior League. Valerie previously served as President of the organization’s Board of Directors and currently serves as Chair of its Development Committee and a member of its Audit Committee.
Photo Credit: Madeleine Thomas/BFA.com
Through this work, Valerie has developed a deep appreciation for the role of thoughtful governance in driving meaningful community change — a perspective she brings to her civic leadership. In November 2023, she was elected Chairperson of Manhattan Community Board 8, which encompasses the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Roosevelt Island.
She was first appointed to the board in 2017 and has served as both First and Second Vice Chair, guiding the board through complex policy issues with clarity and care. Her dedication to community advocacy has been recognized by the New York State Assembly, which named her a Woman of Distinction in 2017, and by Straus News, which awarded her an “OTTY” in 2019.
Valerie is a partner in the Banking and Finance Department at Otterbourg P.C., where she serves as Chair of the firm’s Lender Finance practice group. While Valerie’s professional accomplishments are significant, her commitment to civic engagement and nonprofit leadership is equally profound.
Just weeks ago, she was recognized by Crain's as one of 2026’s Notable Women lawyers.
Valerie credits both Barnard College and the NYJL with shaping both her leadership path and her long-standing commitment to service, much like Mary Harriman.
About The Junior League of the City of New York:
Since 1901, the New York Junior League (NYJL) has responded to New York City’s most pressing socioeconomic challenges.
Powered by 2,800 women volunteers, the NYJL works with more than 60 community-based organizations to advance children’s social-emotional learning and to provide life skills programs to youth and adults who are navigating periods of difficult transition. Bringing their diverse experiences and talents, trained NYJL volunteers engage women and children in health, education, and arts workshops specially customized to their needs.
The NYJL also responds to community partners’ requests for immediate support and invests funds and volunteers’ time in restoring public parks and community spaces to create welcoming environments conducive to fitness, health, recreation, and socialization.