ASPA Buffalo Niagara Chapter honors local professionals, announces 2022-23 board

Special donation made to Resource Council of WNY

ASPA Buffalo Niagara Chapter – the local chapter for the American Society for Public Administration – announced recipients of its third annual awards program, plus 2022-23 officers and board members, during its recent 2022 annual meeting.

ASPA Buffalo Niagara Chapter recognized the following individuals for their “outstanding contributions to the field of public administration”:

√ Excellence in Government Administration: Kara Kane, M.A., public information officer, Erie County Department of Health

√ Excellence in Public Administration Education: Atta A. Ceesay, Ph.D., chair and associate professor of political science and public administration, SUNY Buffalo State

In lieu of a 2022 award for Excellence in Non-Profit Administration, ASPA Buffalo Niagara Chapter collected $200 in donations for the Resource Council of WNY, a social services organization at the forefront of response to the May tragedy on Jefferson Avenue.

After the awards presentations, ASPA Buffalo Niagara Chapter held elections for a slate of officers and board members for the 2022-23 year. The incoming chapter president is Chris Marcello, MPA, director of the New York State Office of Mental Health’s western field office. He lives in North Buffalo with his wife and two sons.

In addition to Marcello, officers are as follows:

√ President-Elect: Ryan Gadzo, MPA, Erie County Senior Services

√ Immediate Past President: Makenzie Docteur, MPA, SUNY Buffalo State

√ Secretary: Marisa Maloni, MPA, New York State Unified Court System

√ Treasurer: Kenneth Stone, MPA, Buffalo & Erie County Public Library

√ Communications Officer: Tony Astran, MPA, APR, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center / New York State Smokers’ Quitline

√ Membership Officer: Brian Poliner, MPA, Ph.D., New York State Assembly

 Board members are as follows:

√ Brian Bray, MPA, Erie County Department of Personnel

√ Maria Garozzo-Payne, MPA, City of Buffalo Department of Assessment & Taxation (retired)

√ Michael Hughes, MPA, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service

√ Kara Kane, MA, Erie County Department of Health

√ Rosaleen Nogle, MPA, PE, BCEE, PMP, Buffalo Sewer Authority

√ Lisa Parshall, Ph.D., Daemen University

√ Gordon Stewart III, MPA, Niagara Falls Fire Department

Nationwide, the American Society for Public Administration has 61 local chapters and nearly 10,000 members. The organization strives to advance the art, science, teaching and practice of public and nonprofit administration. Locally, ASPA Buffalo Niagara Chapter revived in 2018 and now comprises 30 members and growing. The organization regularly co-sponsors the annual Public Service Recognition Week conference in April at SUNY Buffalo State. More information is available at https://www.aspabuffaloniagara.org and the chapter’s social media sites on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.