Meet the Team

Visit Buffalo Niagara is governed by the Board of Directors and employs a staff of talented tourism professionals, dedicated to promoting tourism in Western New York.  The sales, marketing and services departments design, develop and deploy compelling tourist packages, engaging marketing campaigns, collateral materials and strong relationships with local partners and national media outlets in order to effectively maximize the region’s cultural and historic assets.

Administration

Patrick Kaler

Patrick Kaler

President/CEO
716-961-0200
kaler@visitbuffaloniagara.com

David Marzo, CPA

David Marzo

Chief Financial Officer
716-218-2935
marzo@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Judy Smith

Judy Smith

Director of Administration
716-218-2938
smith@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Heather Nowakowski

Heather Nowakowski

Business Intelligence Manager
716-218-2932
nowakowski@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Michele Butlak

Michele Butlak

Accounting and Benefits Manager
716-218-2923
butlak@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Destination Experience

Renata Toney

Vice President of Destination Experience
716-218-2943
toney@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Jo Ann Blatner

Industry Relations Assistant
716-218-2926
blatner@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Marketing

Edward J. Healy

Edward J. Healy

Vice President of Marketing
716-218-2930
healy@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Karen Fashana

Karen Fashana

Senior Director of Marketing
716-218-2931
fashana@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Drew Brown

Drew Brown

Director of Media & Content Strategy
716-218-2937
brown@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Kate Scaduto

Marketing & Social Media Specialist
716-218-2922
scaduto@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Michelle Kearns

Communications Manager
716-218-2939
kearns@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Convention Sales & Services

Michael Even, CDME

Michael Even

Vice President of Sales & Services
716-218-2927
even@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Meaghan Zimmer

Meaghan Zimmer

National Sales Director
716-218-2947
zimmer@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Shannon Jenkins, MBA, MA, CGMP

National Association Sales Director
410-530-8521
jenkins@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Karen Cox

Director of Convention Services
716-218-2925
cox@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Emma Carlo

National Sales Manager
716-218-2940
carlo@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Marisa Urbano

Administrative Sales Assistant
716-218-2945
urbano@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Sports Commission

Gregory Gelinas

Director of Sports Development
716-218-2929
gelinas@buffalosportscommission.com

Lauren Vargo

Sport Services Manager
716-218-2920
vargo@buffalosportscommission.com

James Adler, MSA, SDLT

Sports Sales Manager
716-218-2928
adler@buffalosportscommission.com

Tourism Sales

Leah Mueller

Leah Mueller

Director of Tourism Sales
716-218-2936
mueller@visitbuffaloniagara.com

Board of Directors

Cindy Abbott-Letro (Chair)

Business Manager
Law Offices of Francis A. Letro

Mark Alnutt

Director of Athletics
State University of New York at Buffalo

Thomas Beauford, Jr. (Secretary)

Chief Executive Officer
Buffalo Urban League

Melissa Brown

Executive Director
Buffalo History Museum

Dan Castle, AICP

Deputy Commissioner of Planning and Economic Development
Erie County Department of Environment and Planning

Matthew Chiazza

General Manager
The Reikart House

Dottie Gallagher

President & Chief Executive Officer
Buffalo Niagara Partnership

Mark Glasgow

President, Buffalo Urban League Young Professional Group

Patrick J. Kaler (President)

President and Chief Executive Officer
Visit Buffalo Niagara

Thomas Long

General Manager
The Westin Buffalo

Kimberley Minkel (Vice Chair)

Executive Director
Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority

William Paladino

Chief Executive Officer
Ellicott Development

Steven P. Ranalli, PE

President
Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation

Mary Roberts (Immediate Past Chair)

Executive Director Emerita
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House

Donald Spasiano

Professor Emeritus
Erie Community College Hospitality Management

Huseyin Taran (Treasurer)

General Manager
Buffalo Marriott HARBORCENTER

Gail Wells

President, CopperTown Block Club
Founder, Buffalo Freedom Gardens