Leadership Niagara

10/07/2026

As a reminder... tonight's event has been cancelled.

EVENT CANCELLATION

Classmates, Colleagues, and Friends,
Unfortunately, we have made the difficult decision to cancel Leaders & Libations scheduled for tomorrow, October 7.

We’re sorry for the change in plans and appreciate your understanding and continued support of Leadership Niagara. Thank you for planning to join us. We look forward to connecting at a future event!

10/06/2026

EVENT CANCELLATION

Classmates, Colleagues, and Friends,
Unfortunately, we have made the difficult decision to cancel Leaders & Libations scheduled for tomorrow, October 7.

We’re sorry for the change in plans and appreciate your understanding and continued support of Leadership Niagara. Thank you for planning to join us. We look forward to connecting at a future event!

09/23/2026

Classmates, colleagues and friends—join us for Leadership Niagara’s Leaders & Libations! 🍸
Come see some of your favorite community leaders and LN class members step behind the bar as guest bartenders for a fun evening of food, networking and reconnecting.
📅 Wednesday, October 7
⏰ 5:00–7:00 p.m.
📍 Brickyard, Lewiston
🎟️ $20 per person
Appetizers, basket auction, 50/50 raffle and cash bar.
Not an LN alum? No problem—everyone is welcome! Bring your friends, make new connections, reconnect with classmates and help support Leadership Niagara.
Register Here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/rceyhmj

09/19/2026

💚 Another Leadership Niagara love story! 💚

Congratulations to Kelsey Oliphant and Kennan Druding on their wedding! We’re especially excited to celebrate these two because their story began as members of the same Leadership Niagara cohort.

Kelsey and Kennan are now officially the second couple to meet through Leadership Niagara and go on to get married! Apparently, when we say LN builds lifelong connections, we really mean it. ❤️

And making the day even more special, their ceremony was officiated by Annette Tomlin, Leadership Niagara alum and former Board member — a true LN family affair!

Wishing Kelsey and Kennan a lifetime filled with love, laughter, adventure, and, of course, great leadership.

Congratulations from your entire Leadership Niagara family! 🥂💍

09/16/2026

Classmates, colleagues and friends—join us for Leadership Niagara’s Leaders & Libations! 🍸

Come see some of your favorite community leaders and LN class members step behind the bar as guest bartenders for a fun evening of food, networking and reconnecting.

📅 Wednesday, October 7
⏰ 5:00–7:00 p.m.
📍 Brickyard, Lewiston
🎟️ $20 per person

Appetizers, basket auction, 50/50 raffle and cash bar.

Not an LN alum? No problem—everyone is welcome! Bring your friends, make new connections, reconnect with classmates and help support Leadership Niagara.

Register Here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/rceyhmj

09/09/2026

Leadership Niagara joins our community in mourning the passing of the Honorable William L. Ross, known to generations of Niagara County residents as Bill or “Coach.”

Bill was one of the founders of Leadership Niagara, and it is difficult to overstate the impact of his vision. He believed deeply that investing in people and developing strong leaders was essential to building a stronger community. That belief helped lay the foundation for Leadership Niagara and has influenced generations of leaders and public servants throughout Niagara County.

Bill’s own record of service was extraordinary. As the longest-serving Chairman in the history of the Niagara County Legislature, he was a highly respected public servant whose leadership, mentorship, and commitment to Niagara County spanned decades.

Today, Leadership Niagara continues a mission that Bill helped set in motion more than 40 years ago. Every leader who has passed through our programs, every relationship built, and every contribution our alumni have made to this community is part of the legacy of those founders who believed Niagara County would be stronger when we intentionally invested in its people.

We are profoundly grateful for Bill’s vision, service, and belief in the power of leadership.

We extend our deepest condolences to the Ross family and to his many friends, colleagues, mentees, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Niagara County has lost a remarkable leader and a great man. His legacy will continue through the countless lives he influenced and the community he dedicated his life to serving.

May he rest in peace.

09/02/2026

Leadership Niagara took leadership development out of the classroom and into the community for our annual Discover Niagara Tourism Session.
The goal of the day was bigger than experiencing some of Niagara County’s most iconic destinations. We wanted our cohort to better understand tourism as an economic driver, the importance of protecting our natural and cultural resources, and the leadership and collaboration required to tell Niagara’s story to the world.
Our day began at Niagara Falls State Park, USA with
Angela P. Berti, LN ’16, Marketing and Public Affairs Director for NYS Parks, who provided an overview of the park and the work behind one of the world’s most recognized destinations.
Andrea Czopp, LN ’16, Chief Operating Officer of Destination Niagara USA, then led a conversation about tourism as an economic driver and its impact on our local communities.
Traveling aboard the Discover Niagara Shuttle, the cohort visited the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, where Sara Beilein Capen, LN ’16, and Josh Poole, LN ’25, shared the important and often underrecognized role Niagara Falls played in the Underground Railroad.
At Old Fort Niagara, Executive Director Robert Emerson, LN ’01, and his team immersed the class in more than 300 years of history through an interactive tour and demonstrations.
And, of course, we couldn't have a Tourism Session without experiencing Niagara Falls up close. We ended our day back on Goat Island at the Cave of the Winds.
What stood out throughout the day was the interconnectedness of it all. Tourism, economic development, history, conservation, transportation, education, and community pride don't exist independently. It takes strong leaders and strong partnerships working across organizations and sectors to create the experiences and quality of place that benefit visitors and residents alike.
We are especially grateful to Angela P. Berti, Andrea Czopp, Sara Beilein Capen, Josh Poole, Robert Emerson, and the many individuals and organizations who opened their doors and shared their expertise with our cohort.
It was also great to see so many Leadership Niagara alumni helping to lead the organizations and initiatives shaping our region today. That is Leadership Niagara's mission in action.
Another great day of learning, connecting, and seeing Niagara through a leadership lens.

08/12/2026

Today, on International Youth Day, Leadership Niagara is proud to celebrate 25 years of developing the next generation of leaders through our Leadership for the Youth of Niagara Communities (LYNC) program.

For a quarter century, LYNC has provided young people throughout Niagara County with opportunities to develop their leadership skills, build meaningful connections, gain a deeper understanding of their community, and recognize their own ability to create positive change.

Since its inception, more than 2,000 youth leaders have participated in LYNC, and many of those alumni are now serving in leadership roles throughout our communities. That is the long-term impact of investing in young people: today’s emerging leaders become tomorrow’s business, nonprofit, education, government, and community leaders.

Programs like LYNC are possible because of partners who recognize the importance of developing our future leadership pipeline. We are grateful for the support of M&T Bank, United Way of Greater Niagara, and KeyBank, whose investment helps ensure that young people in our community have access to meaningful leadership development.

The future of leadership is already here, and we are proud to help develop it.

08/05/2026

July’s Leadership Niagara session focused on one of the most important sectors shaping our community, healthcare.

Our day began at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center with an outstanding leadership panel moderated by Robert Orlowski, Business Development Manager. We were privileged to hear from an exceptional executive team:
• Joe Ruffolo, President & CEO
• Rick Braun, Chief Operating Officer
• Susan Brooks, Chief Nursing Officer & Executive Vice President
• Renée DeLuke, HR Director/Recruiter
• Perry Sham, Chief Financial Officer

The discussion provided our class with a comprehensive look at the inner workings of a community hospital, the challenges and opportunities facing healthcare today, and the leadership required to guide a complex organization through constant change.

One leadership lesson that particularly resonated with our cohort came from Joe Rufolo. He shared his philosophy of empowering his team to take informed risks, recognizing that innovation requires trust and that, in most situations, if something doesn’t work, we can course correct. It’s a simple but powerful reminder that strong leaders create environments where people are encouraged to think, act, and learn.

Following the panel, our class toured Memorial’s impressive facilities, gaining a firsthand appreciation for the incredible people, technology, and coordination required to deliver exceptional patient care.

The afternoon shifted to leadership development, where participants explored Navigating the Multigenerational Workforce and participated in an engaging leadership activity demonstrating the power of influence, collaboration, and decision-making.

A sincere thank you to Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, and especially Robert Orlowski, whose thoughtful planning and coordination created such a rich and meaningful experience for our cohort. Thank you as well to Joe Ruffolo, Rick Braun, Susan Brooks, Renée DeLuke, and Perry Sham for sharing your time, expertise, and leadership insights. Your willingness to open your doors, provide an inside look at your organization, and invest in the leaders of our community made this an inspiring and impactful day.

06/30/2026

We want to hear from you. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts...

📣 We Want to Hear From You! 📣

At Leadership Niagara, we believe the strongest organizations are built by listening.

Whether you’re an alumnus, participant, partner, sponsor, board member, employer, facilitator, or supporter of Leadership Niagara, your perspective matters.

As we look toward the future, we are conducting a Stakeholder Survey to better understand:
✨ What’s working well
✨ Where we can improve
✨ What leadership needs are emerging in our community
✨ How Leadership Niagara can remain relevant, impactful, and responsive

Your feedback will help shape the next chapter of Leadership Niagara and ensure we continue developing leaders who strengthen Niagara.

Please take a few minutes to complete our survey:
🔗 Survey Page https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sv/0HY23KC/2026StakeholderSurvey

Thank you for investing your time and helping us continue to grow and evolve.