LaVonne E. Ansari is a dynamic leader with more than 20 years of expertise spanning workforce development, senior administration, health care, higher education and community activism. She is chief executive officer and executive director of the Community Health Center of Buffalo, Inc., where she directs strategy, community partnerships and policy implementation across all sites, while maintaining a deep commitment to accessible, quality care for underserved populations.

Her career has bridged health and education, including roles such as vice president of operations and special assistant to the president for equity and diversity at SUNY Niagara. A dedicated advocate for public health, Ansari has served on numerous local and state boards, including her current leadership roles as chair of the Buffalo Together Fund and Acting Chair of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority. She is also a board member of the James H. Cummings Foundation and Community Health Center Association New York State.

Ansari also holds a BPS in therapeutic recreation, an MS in management in human services and a PhD in educational leadership and policy from SUNY Buffalo.

Ansari is nationally recognized for her vision, service and advocacy. With her deep roots in Buffalo, she has spent decades uplifting historically marginalized communities through both institutional leadership and grassroots action. Her work reflects a lifelong commitment to justice, opportunity and community-centered change.