2025 Annual Award Winners
We presented our 6th Annual Awards Program during our 2nd Public Service Recognition Week and Annual Awards Dinner on Friday, May 2, 2025 at Wurlitzer Events. The keynote speaker was Maria Garozzo-Payne, MPA, retired Principal Assessor for the City of Buffalo and Board President of Centro Culturale Italiano di Buffalo. Three awards were given to deserving public administration professionals:
Excellence in Government Administration:
Jordan Then, MPA
IT Manager, Mid-Atlantic Area
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Lieutenant Colonel
U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
Excellence in Public Administration Education:
Suparna Soni, Ph.D., MPA
Associate Professor, Public Administration
SUNY Buffalo State University
Excellence in Non-Profit Administration:
Julie Starr
President/Founder
Buddy’s Second Chance Rescue
2024 Annual Awards Program
We presented our 5th Annual Awards Program during our first-ever first Public Service Recognition Week and Annual Awards Dinner on Friday, May 10, 2024 at Wurlitzer Events. Town of Hamburg Supervisor Randy Hoak delivered a keynote address. Three awards were given to deserving public administration professionals:
Excellence in Government Administration:
Melissa McMahon, MPA
Director of Certification, Social Services
Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services
Excellence in Public Administration Education:
Lisa K. Parshall, PhD
Professor of Political Science
Daemen University
Excellence in Non-Profit Administration:
Cheryl Buttino
Director of Senior Services
Schiller Park Senior Center
2023 Annual Meeting and Awards Program
We presented our 4th Annual Awards Program during our 2023 Annual Meeting on Wednesday, June 21. Three awards were given to deserving public administration professionals:
Excellence in Government Administration:
Joseph Gramaglia, MPA
Commissioner of Police
City of Buffalo
Excellence in Public Administration Education:
Kenneth Stone, MPA
Deputy Director and CFO, Buffalo & Erie County Public Library
Lecturer of Public Administration, SUNY Buffalo State University
Excellence in Non-Profit Administration:
Mark Talley
Founder and Director
Agents for Advocacy
2022 Annual Meeting and Awards Program
We presented our 3rd Annual Awards Program during our 2022 Annual Meeting on Wednesday, June 15. Two awards were given to deserving public administration professionals:
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, 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 2022 tragedy on Jefferson Avenue.
During the 2022 Annual Meeting, ASPA Buffalo Niagara Chapter also recapped the 2021-2022 year, conducted elections for new Board Members, and heard from
Rene Petties-Jones, President of the National Federation for Just Communities of WNY, Inc., who delivered a presentation on what public administration professionals can do in their workplaces to support diversity and social justice.
2021 Annual Meeting and Awards Program
We presented our 2nd Annual Awards Program during our 2021 Annual Meeting on Wednesday, June 16. Three awards were given to deserving public administration professionals:
Excellence in Government Administration:
Oswaldo Mestre, Jr.
Chief Service Officer & Director of Citizen Services
City of Buffalo
Excellence in Non-Profit Administration:
Myron Glick, M.D.
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Jericho Road Community Health Center
Excellence in Public Administration Education:
Jason D. Rivera, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Political Science and Public Administration
SUNY Buffalo State
During the 2021 Annual Meeting, ASPA Buffalo Niagara Chapter also recapped the 2020-2021 year, conducted elections for new Board Members, and heard from Douglas Kohler, Erie County Historian, as he delivered a presentation on EC200: Erie County’s bicentennial.
2020 Annual Meeting and Awards Program
During our 2020 Annual Meeting on Wednesday, June 17, ASPA Buffalo Niagara Chapter recapped the 2019-2020 year, conducted elections for new Board Members, and heard from Kendra Stewart, 2020-2021 ASPA National President.
Our chapter also presented a first-ever Annual Awards Program. The following individuals were nominated by chapter members in good standing and received unanimous approval from the Board.
Excellence in Government Administration:
Oluwole A. McFoy
General Manager
Buffalo Sewer Authority
Excellence in Non-Profit Administration:
Diane Oyler, Ph.D.
Vice President of Programs
Health Foundation for Western & Central New York
Excellence in Public Administration Education:
Laurie A. Buonanno, Ph.D.
Professor of Political Science
SUNY Buffalo State
2026 Annual Awards Program
Nominate a deserving public administration professional for one of three awards. Deadline to submit nominations: TBD
Please see the award descriptions below, followed by an online entry form.
1.) Excellence in Government Administration
2.) Excellence in Public Administration Education
3.) Excellence in Non-Profit Administration
Excellence in Government Administration for the Year 2026: To recognize a non-elected professional government administrator displaying professional integrity, of high moral character and reputation, who fostered a more democratic society, served as a champion of social equity, improved the way a government agency operates, and served as role model for other public servants.
Excellence in Public Administration Education for the Year 2026: To recognize a higher education student, teacher, administrator, volunteer, or organization that has demonstrated scholarship and leadership in public administration or a closely related field of study or has made a noteworthy contribution to the education of public administrators or made a significant contribution to advancing the public administration field of education.
Excellence in Non-Profit Administration for the Year 2026: To recognize a non-profit administrator displaying professional integrity, of high moral character and reputation, who fostered a more democratic society, served as a champion of social equity, improved the way a non-profit organization operates, and served as role model for other non-profit workers.
NOMINATION FORM
ASPA Western New York Chapter 