About Us
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Who We Are
The Western New York Sustainable Business Roundtable (SBR) is a collaborative group of 70+ member organizations across our region that are demonstrating how to integrate sustainability into their organizations to benefit staff, the environment, and their bottom line. Our business leaders across industries and in both public and private companies are optimizing use of energy and materials, reducing waste and pollution, and enhancing community investment.
By leveraging the collective knowledge and lessons learned from our member organizations, along with sustainability subject matter experts across our network, we offer advice and inspiration, along with access to tools that help reduce risk and advance sustainability.
Mission & Vision
Our Mission
The mission of SBR is to foster collaboration that enables our member businesses to create, build and act on sustainability goals, grow prosperity, and promote healthy communities.
Our Vision
Our vision is to grow and support an environmentally and economically resilient community that prioritizes the well-being of current and future generations.
Our Work Matters
By leveraging the collective knowledge of a diverse business pool, SBR offers members practical advice, inspiration, and access to tools that can be implemented to reduce environmental impact while achieving economic gain and risk reduction. We provide leadership to create competitive advantage and contribute to a thriving, sustainable future for the Western New York region.
Our History
Earth Day 2014
SBR was kicked off with 35 founding member businesses after months of behind-the-scenes planning. Six months later, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced award of a grant to Empire State Development and Erie County to fund a staff person for two years to assist the steering committee.
2015
Members adopted Bylaws and elected our first Board of Directors.
2015
SBR launched the Sustainable Business EXPO, which transformed into our annual signature event, the Sustainable Business Summit.
2018
SBR implemented membership dues. In addition to a more diversified funding strategy, this enabled SBR to hire a full-time coordinator in 2019 to better advance SBR’s mission and vision on behalf of our members.
2020
The Board of Directors approved our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy that commits to a nondiscriminatory approach and provide equal opportunity for employment and advancement in all aspects of our programming. It also outlines action items that SBR is committed to to help promote diversity and inclusion in our workplace and the sustainable business community we serve.
2021
SBR’s Board of Directors presented a Strategic Plan Summary to the membership.
Board of Directors
Stephanie Tisdale
President
Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives Expert
M&T Bank
Willems Ransom, AIA
Vice President
Principal
McCallum Sather Architects
Bobbie Thoman
Director
Director of Sustainability and Innovation
NOCO
Bonnie Lawrence
Director
Deputy Commissioner
Erie County Department of Environment and Planning*
Ryan McPherson
Director
Chief Sustainability Officer
University at Buffalo*
Sarah Quintal
Director
Senior Consultant, Sustainability, Energy and Climate Change
WSP
Jennifer Brazill
Director
Co-Founder and Owner
Borderland Music Festival
Anna Attea
Director
Sustainability Program Manager
Life Storage, Inc.
Patrick Goraj
Director
Director of Facilities and Engineering
Catholic Health
Amanda Pike
Director
Head of Operations
thinkPARALLAX
Whitney Skeans
Director
Senior Program Manager, Electric Vehicles – NY
National Grid
* Erie County and University at Buffalo hold permanent seats.
Acknowledgements
We’d like to extend our appreciation to the following individuals for serving on the steering committee during the development of SBR.
Eric Lindstrom, CannonDesign
Deb Gondek, Rich Products
Jeff Oliver, McCullagh Coffee
Mark Casell, Siemens Industry US
Thomas R. Hersey Jr., Erie County
Andrew Goldstein, Erie County
Mark Shriver, Curbell
Staff Members
Alexandra Holland, PhD
Executive Director
alex@wnysustainablebusiness.org
Alexandra holds a PhD from the University of Bristol, England, where she studied the impacts of climate change in the Arctic, with a particular focus on the melt rate of the Greenland Ice Sheet. After finishing her degree, Alex desired a more hands on approach to tackling climate change and recognized that businesses have a key role to play in forwarding innovation and solutions. She relocated back home to Buffalo, where she began volunteering as SBR’s first Fellow. Alexandra worked directly with SBR’s previous executive director, becoming fully immersed in all aspects of the organization. Alexandra also co-leads Erie County’s Community Climate Action Plan Nature Based Solutions working group.
Brenna Reilly
Program Coordinator
brenna@wnysustainablebusiness.org
Brenna Reilly is a recent graduate of the University at Buffalo School of Architecture & Planning, having earned both her Master in Architecture, as well as Master in Planning with an Advanced Certificate in Historic Preservation. While at UB, Brenna worked in the Resilient Buildings Lab where she researched the impacts of a changing climate on the social and physical aspects of the Great Lakes Region, while also interning at KTA Preservation. This has given her a unique multidisciplinary approach to climate mitigation. Currently Brenna is part of the Olmsted Park’s YPOP class of 2022, and continues to consult on preservation projects.