Local Leader Speaker Series
Meet the people shaping Buffalo and Western New York
The Local Leader Speaker Series connects UB students with leaders whose work is making an impact across our region. Hear directly from local changemakers, learn from their experiences and explore the ideas, challenges and opportunities shaping our communities.
Lillie V. Wiley-Upshaw
Chair, Buffalo Niagara Freedom Station Coalition
Co-Chair, Michigan Street African-American Heritage Corridor Commission
September 29, 2026
5–6:30 p.m.
Silverman Library, 310 Capen Hall
Dejia Marie James
Director of Policy Advancement and Media, Partnership for the Public Good
October 21, 2025
5–6:30 p.m.
Silverman Library, 310 Capen Hall
Jeanne Beiter
Senior Program Manager of Ecological Programs, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper
November 18, 2025
5–6:30 p.m.
Honors College Colloquium Room, 107 Capen Hall
Jordan Walbesser
Founder and Executive Director, BootSector
Director and Senior Counsel of Legal and Business Affairs, Mattel, Inc.
March 4, 2025
5–6:30 p.m.
141 Park Hall
Jennifer Rizzo-Choi
Executive Director, International Institute of Buffalo
April 1, 2025
5–6:30 p.m.
Silverman Library, 305 Capen Hall
Brendan Seney
Planning Director, GObike Buffalo
Kevin Heffernan
Director of Communications, GObike Buffalo
September 19, 2024
6–7:30 p.m.
109 O’Brian Hall
Dawne Hoeg
Founder and Executive Director, Stitch Buffalo
October 3, 2024
6–7:30 p.m.
109 O’Brian Hall
The Local Leader Speaker Series is made possible through support from the John Templeton Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education.
For more information, contact PPE Civic Engagement Coordinator Micaela F. Lipman.