Mayor-elect Sean Ryan Transition Team

INTRODUCING OUR TRANSITION TEAM

Sean M. Ryan

Mayor-elect of Buffalo, NY

Sean Ryan is Buffalo’s incoming Mayor and a longtime advocate for fairness, transparency, and opportunity in government.

As a State Senator and former Assemblymember, he championed legislation to strengthen Western New York’s economy, expand affordable housing, and revitalize neighborhoods.

He has been a leading voice for clean water, gun safety, and reproductive freedom — and now leads a transition focused on rebuilding the basics of city government and delivering results for every neighborhood.

Learn More About Sean

Trini E. Ross, Esq.

Co-Chair, Mayor-elect Ryan Transition Team

Trini E. Ross is the former United States Attorney for the Western District of New York and a nationally recognized leader in law, justice, and public service. Over the course of her more than 30-year career as a federal attorney, she has litigated and managed complex cases, led high-level investigations, and championed fairness and integrity across the justice system.

As U.S. Attorney, Trini led a team of more than 100 attorneys and staff responsible for prosecuting violations of federal criminal law and representing the United States in civil matters. Her tenure included oversight of several high-profile cases with national and international impact, including the Buffalo Tops Market mass shooting, the murder of a Rochester police officer, and the assault of a member of Congress.

Prior to her presidential appointment, Trini served as Director of the Office of Investigations for the National Science Foundation’s Office of Inspector General, as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Western District of New York, and as Assistant Counsel in the Department of Justice’s Office of Professional Responsibility. She is also a Certified Fraud Examiner and a dedicated mentor and advocate for equity in the legal profession.

Trini has been recognized with numerous awards, including the New York State Bar Association’s Kay Crawford Murray Award, the Bar Association of Erie County’s Lawyer of the Year Award, and the Minority Bar Association of WNY’s Trailblazer Award. She serves on the University at Buffalo School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council and remains active in the NAACP, the American Bar Association, and several professional and civic organizations.

A proud Western New Yorker, Trini holds a J.D., cum laude, from the University at Buffalo School of Law, an M.A. in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University, and a B.A. from SUNY Fredonia.

Dr. Marie Cannon

Co-Chair, Mayor-elect Ryan Transition Team

Dr. Marie A. Cannon is the President and CEO of Community Action Organization of WNY. The designated anti-poverty agency that provides safety net services, housing assistance, senior and youth activities, workforce development, foster care assistance, afterschool programs, summer camps, food pantry services, mobile produce markets, HeadStart, and early HeadStart programming, hosts Buffalo Futures and operates a substance use disorder clinic.

She is the first woman to lead the organization. She previously served as the Commissioner of Erie County Department of Social Services, the largest department of county government with a $618 million annual budget, and a staff of over 1,600. She was the first African American to hold the position.

Marie has served as Chief Executive Officer for several not-for-profit organizations and has over 35 years of executive management experience in community-based organizations serving vulnerable communities. Marie’s community involvement includes serving on Governor Hochul’s’ Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council, Co Chaired the Live Well Erie Taskforce, as well as the COVID 19 Emergency Child Care and Housing Taskforces. She was the 2nd Vice President of New York Public Welfare Association representing the 62 counties of NYS.

Marie has served as a past board member of Western New York Women’s Foundation, past President of the Buffalo and Erie County Girl Scouts, Director of Breath of Life Ministries, and currently serves on the Buffalo Together and Tower Foundation boards.

Marie holds a bachelor’s degree from Canisius College and a master’s and doctoral degrees in social work from the University of New York at Buffalo. She is a Health Foundation Fellow and a Management Fellow of the Anderson School of Business at UCLA. Marie has received several awards and honors: Business First’s 2025 and 2024

100 Power Leaders of Color, 2024, 2023 and 2022 Power 200 Women Award, HOME Advocacy Recognition Award, Business First’s 2021 Women of Influence. She was named the US and Canadian Binational Community Advocate of the Year by Niagara University. She also received the Black Achievers Award, as well as the Women Touching the World Award.

Law Subcommittee

Jeremy Toth, Esq.

Vice Chair

Jeremy Toth was born and raised in Buffalo and is a product of public education going to Waterfront elementary school, City Honors High School, SUNY at Albany and SUNY at Buffalo for law school. Upon graduation from law school, Toth went into government becoming the Chief of Staff of former Assemblymember Sam Hoyt.

From 2000 until 2006 he was a Project Manager for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. In 2007, after a brief period in the New York State Senate as Senator Marc Coppola's Chief of Staff, Toth opened his own practice specializing in family and criminal law for the indigent as well as working on a variety of civil matters.

In 2012, County Executive Mark Poloncarz appointed him to be the Second Assistant County Attorney. He was promoted to First Assistant County Attorney in 2021 to supervise the litigation team. After the departure of Michael Siragusa to the Court of Claims, Poloncarz appointed Toth as County Attorney effective August 29, 2022.

Law Subcommittee Roster:

Lauren Breen
Deanna Eason
Nathan Feist
Sam Magavern
Honorable Robert T. Russell, Jr.
Nazmus Sakeeb
Karen Welch

Emergency Services Subcommittee

Joseph Gramaglia

Co-Vice Chair

Joseph A. Gramaglia was appointed as the 42nd Police Commissioner of the City of Buffalo on March 2, 2022 until he retired in January 2025. The Buffalo Police Department is the second largest city police department in New York State with a budgeted force of over 800 sworn members and 275 civilian professional members.

With over 31 years of police experience and almost 29 with the Buffalo Police Department, Commissioner Gramaglia rose through the ranks from police officer, Lieutenant, Captain as commander of the Homicide Bureau, district chief and deputy commissioner.

Upon his retirement, Commissioner Gramaglia was the President of the Major Cities Chiefs’ Association and had previously held board seats as 2nd VP and Eastern Region Representative.

Joseph is a graduate of Buffalo State University with a Master of Public Administration.

Additionally, he attended the FBI National Executive Institute, Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police and George Mason University Evidence-Based Policing course among many other seminars on data driven and evidenced based policing and sits on the advisory board of the University of Chicago Policing Leadership Academy.

Charlie Torres

Co-Vice Chair

Charles Torres was born in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico and after living in NYC for a few years, his mother moved the family to Buffalo, NY (the City of Good Neighbors). Charlie attended Grover Cleveland High School and the University of Buffalo before attending the New York State Police (NYSP) Academy. As a young trooper, then investigator, Charlie worked around the state – including assignments in Watertown, Syracuse, NYC, and Buffalo. He has been involved in investigations ranging from traffic violations to multi-state drug trafficking organizations, to homicides. He retired in June 2016, as a Senior Investigator after 31 years in the New York State Police. He was recognized throughout his career for his exemplary performance and was given awards by the NYSP, FBI, DEA, among others. Former Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown has also recognized Charlie’s professional work and community service by twice naming a “Charlie Torres Day in the City of Buffalo.”

In 2021, Charlie extended his investigative career by working for the Erie County Bar Association’s Aid to Indigent Prisoner’s Society (The Assigned Counsel Program) which aims to level the playing field by having experienced investigators and social workers assist defense attorneys in advocating for their indigent clients. In that role, Charlie assisted defense attorneys by reviewing police reports, evidence, video and interviewing witnesses. In some cases, mitigating factors were discovered that resulted in the reduction or dismissal of charges. In 2024 Charlie joined Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center where he conducted discrimination complaints based on Federal EEOC statutes and NYS Human Rights Law. He is currently the Regional Director of Hispanics United of Buffalo, overseeing an agency with a real estate portfolio which includes affordable housing, supportive housing, as well as domestic violence and preventative services programming and a health home.

Charlie not only served the community through his jobs, but through his volunteerism as well.

Charlie learned the importance of giving back and helping others through his mother and Aunt Abigail, who were founding members of the Hispanic Women’s League. Charlie was a member of the Hispanic Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Puerto Rican and Hispanic Day Parade, The Buffalo Police Athletic League, and Buffalo’s Commission on Citizens’ Rights and the Community Relations to name several.

As education and access are important to Charlie, being involved in the Ralph C. Wilson Centennial Park is also important. Having a state-of-the-art waterfront park (which is currently undergoing a $175 million dollar transformation) with enhanced playing fields, a music pavilion, kids park, programming and great views for family get togethers enhance the mental and physical wellbeing of our youth and their families.

Charlie is married to NYS Court of Claims and Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice Betty Calvo-

Torres and has four children: Jenny, Charles Jr., Katie and Christian.

Emergency Services Subcommittee Roster

Ron Barrett
Donna Berry
Pat Cray
Rev. James Giles
Rev. Dr. James Lewis III
Steve Keohane
Brian Ross
Mike Swanekamp

Planning, Permits, & Parking Subcommittee

Jessie Fisher

Vice Chair

Jessie Fisher is an urban planner with nearly thirty years of experience in the private, public, and non-profit spaces. Her work has covered a range of issues from neighborhood revitalization to historic preservation to environmental and watershed conservation.

Currently, Fisher serves as Chief Executive Officer at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House, an organization dedicated to restoring, preserving, and interpreting Frank Lloyd Wright’s greatest early-career residential work — the Darwin D. Martin House, a National Historic Landmark and New York State Historic Site. The Martin estate is comprised of six prairie-style buildings that occupy a 1.5-acre site in the historic Parkside neighborhood of Buffalo, NY. Fisher joined the Martin House in 2022 and leads a dedicated board, staff and 400 active volunteers in service to Wright’s organic principals and the continuing dialogue on the importance of architecture and design in contemporary lives.

Prior to joining the Martin House team, Fisher served as the Executive Director of Preservation Buffalo Niagara (PBN). During her tenure at PBN, Fisher expanded PBN’s operating support and membership and developed several new areas of programming including the New York State-funded $5 million East Side Commercial Building Stabilization Fund and the ground-breaking Preservation Receivership program, among numerous other accomplishments. Fisher also previously served as the Director of Planning at Buffalo Niagara WATERKEEPER. Fisher holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Studies and Political Science from Canisius College and a Master’s in Urban Design and Planning from the University of Washington. She was a recipient of a New York Architectural Leage individual research award, and a New York State Women of Distinction Award.

Fisher lives in Buffalo with her husband and four children.

Planning, Permits, & Parking Subcommittee Roster:

Brandi Barrett
Paul Ciminelli
Chris Dirr
Brenda McDuffie
Rev. George Nicholas
Christina Orsi
Melvin Taylor
Rocco Termini
Kayla Zemsky
Steve Zenger

Worker Relations Subcommittee

Deborah Hayes

Vice Chair

Debbie Hayes serves as Area Director for Communications Workers of America District 1 (CWA District 1) in Western New York, where she represents thousands of telecommunications and healthcare workers.

A registered nurse by training, Debbie was a founding member and the first president of CWA Local 1168 in Buffalo, leading the Local through its first strike and contract in 1983. Under her leadership, Local 1168 grew to over 4,000 members and expanded its role in healthcare labor advocacy.

In her current role, Debbie has been a lead negotiator in major campaigns, including the 2021 strike at Catholic Health, and has testified before the New York State Assembly on the urgent need for hospital staffing reform.

Her work reflects a deep commitment to workers’ rights, safe staffing levels, and strengthening the collective voice of union members in Western New York.

Worker Relations Subcommittee:

Denise Abbott
Brian Bray
Maurice Brown
Dr. Jacqueline Hall
Jim Jarvis
Jim Lakeman
Robert Mootry
Louisa Pacheco
Josh Pennel

Public Works & Parks Subcommittee

William E. Geary Jr.

Vice Chair

William E. Geary Jr. has served as Erie County Commissioner of the Department of Public Works since 2017, overseeing four divisions — Buildings and Grounds, Highways, Fleet, and the Utility Aggregate Division. Under his leadership, the department manages over 1,200 center line miles of road, 290 bridges, 240 county-owned facilities, 1,100 vehicles, and 26 fueling stations, with responsibility for 500 team members and an annual operating budget of $100 million.

Prior to his appointment as Commissioner, Mr. Geary held key roles within the Department of Public Works, including Deputy Commissioner of Highways and Senior Highway Maintenance Engineer. He also serves as Vice President of the New York State County Highway Superintendents Association, contributing to statewide leadership in infrastructure management and policy.

A 33 year veteran of the United States Air Force, Mr. Geary retired in 2025 after earning distinction as “Reservist of the Year” in 2005. Throughout his military career, he served as the enlisted advisor to the commander, providing guidance on mission effectiveness, professional development, and the welfare of enlisted Airmen.

Mr. Geary resides in West Seneca, New York with his wife Erin and their three daughters.

Public Works & Parks Subcommittee Roster:

Jomo Akono
Jodi Battaglia
Paul Brown
Betsy Constantine
Katie Campos
Michael Galligano
Ted Rymarczyk
Noemi Waight

Finance Subcommittee

Ken Kruly

Vice Chair

Career experience spanning five decades included administrative and financial work in both the public and private sectors involving budgeting, forecasting, and analysis; financial reporting and control; capital budget planning; and union contract negotiations and administration.

Specific relevant work included three years of service as budget director for County Executive Dennis Gorski and five years as a member of the Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority. County budget successes included decreasing the total county operating budget while minimizing the impact on County residents; reducing the county’s long-term debt while eliminating its short-term debt; and improving the county’s bond rating.

As a director of the Fiscal Stability Authority I helped guide improved county finances following the “red-green budgets” controversy, which saved the county millions of dollars in debt service and other expenses.

Finance Subcommittee Roster:

Donna Estrich
Eva Hassett
Lavonya Lester
Jim Milroy
Chiwuike Owunwanne
Janet Penksa
Tracy Woodrow

Community Enrichment Subcommittee

Barbara A. Seals Nevergold, PhD

Vice Chair

Barbara Seals Nevergold graduated from Buffalo State University and received her PhD from the University at Buffalo. She held leadership positions in several organizations and retired as the Director of Student Support Services at UB’s Educational Opportunity Center. Dr. Seals

Nevergold served on the Buffalo Board of Education from 2012 to 2019, including four years as President.

In 1999, Dr. Seals Nevergold co-founded The Uncrowned Queens Institute to document Black women’s role in the 1901 Pan American Exposition. In 2026, the Institute will observe its 25th year of documenting and preserving the history of Western New York’s African American communities. The Institute’s programs include biographical and oral history collections, video and audio programs, preservation of historic assets, curriculum development, and community engagement.

Drs. Seals Nevergold’s publications uncover little-known history of local African American pioneers. Recently, she wrote: “Walter Hawkins, A New Look at His Story,” The Erie Canal, Vol. 1 Perspectives at 200, July 2024, “Faith and Perseverance,” New York Archives Magazine, 2024, “East Presbyterian Church: the Forgotten Congregation,” 2023; “Ida Dora Fairbush Buffalo’s First African American Teacher: A Pioneer”. Dr. Seals Nevergold has served on the boards of several community organizations. Currently, she is a member of the Botanical Gardens Board and a Trustee of the Buffalo History Museum.

She’s received numerous community service awards. She was inducted into The HistoryMakers in 2018.

Her biographic interview is included in the Library of Congress archive. She is a fellow

of the New York Academy of History and a member of the Erie County Historical Commission..

Community Enrichment Subcommittee Roster:

Ba Zan Lin
Melissa Brown
Ray Ganoe
Rachel Homewood
Rev. Dr. Dennis Lee, Jr.
Melissa Leonard
Dr. Henry Louis Taylor
Yuki Numata-Resnick
David Rust