Norwich – Hartford Superior Court Judge Nina F. Elgo was named the recipient of the 2015 Norwich Rotary Club and Women’s City Club Native Daughter Award on Tuesday.

Elgo, 52, who grew up on the West Side of Norwich on New London Turnpike, has held several different assignments in criminal and civil courts in Connecticut since being appointed as a judge in 2004, after having worked as an assistant attorney general handling children’s abuse and neglect issues for the state Department of Children and Families for 14 years.

“I was thrilled to have been a recipient of this award,” Elgo said. “It’s really nice of the Rotary Club to acknowledge me. It was really a surprise.”

The award, established in 1968, recognizes outstanding achievements by Norwich natives who have pursued careers outside the local area. Past recipients have been recognized for endeavors in the arts, science, education, sports, industry, religion, entertainment and philanthropy.

Elgo currently is assigned to the Civil Division of the Hartford Superior Court. Prior to that assignment, and as an assistant attorney general, she handled habeas corpus and criminal cases, including criminal jury trials and youthful offender matters. In 2005, she served as a faculty member for the 2005 Connecticut Judges Institute.

Elgo, daughter of Nilda and Loreto Elgo, who still live in Norwich, attended the John B. Stanton elementary school and attended Kelly Junior High School for seventh grade. She was in the first eighth-grade class to attend the new Teachers’ Memorial School in 1975, and graduated from Norwich Free Academy in 1980.

Elgo graduated from Connecticut College with a degree in government studies and worked as a paralegal in Boston before attending Georgetown University Law Center, where she graduated in 1990.

Elgo credited her early years in Norwich schools for getting her started and said she remembers many of her dedicated teachers, including then NFA English teacher Wally Lamb.

“I think Norwich is a fantastic town, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all of my education, elementary school and NFA is a fantastic school. … The value of education is something that is such an important part of a community that supports its students and families.”

She now lives in West Hartford with her husband, Chris Kriesen, and their 17-year-old daughter, Carolina.

Kevin D. Wickless, vice president of Norwich Rotary and chairman of the Nominations Review Panel, said the club had several high-quality applications this year for the Native Son/Daughter Award, “which made the decision a little challenging.”

Elgo was nominated by state Rep. Emmett Riley, D-Norwich, who met and got to know her parents during his campaign in 2012. Riley said he was impressed that Elgo, the state’s first Filipino Superior Court judge, was named recipient of the Edwin Archer Randolph Diversity Award in 2013 by the Lawyers Collaborative for Diversity.

Elgo said she was very grateful to Riley for nominating her and for the two clubs for selecting her for the "truly meaningful" award.

Nominees for the Native Son/Daughter Award must have been born in Norwich or to Norwich parents and must have lived in Norwich most of their lives and/or attended school in Norwich.

An award luncheon to honor Elgo will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 13, at the Holiday Inn in Norwich. The cost is $15 per person. Cash or check payment is required at the door. Registration is required.

Visit http://www.norwichrotary.org register or for more information. Questions regarding the event can be directed to Wickless at (860) 889-8804 or at kevinwickless@gmail.com.

c.bessette@theday.com

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