WNYMMP ALUMNI
The first two students of WNYMMP's program where
Naniette Coleman from University of Buffalo
and Jennifer Whitson from Buffalo State College in 1999. Naniette H. Coleman
Naniette H. Coleman is a PhD Candidate in the Sociology Department at the University of California Berkeley where she studies culture and organizations generally and changing notions of privacy in our connected world specifically. Naniette is a Joint Fellow at the Center for Long-term Cybersecurity & the Center for Technology, Society, and Policy, the team lead for the Berkeley Social Science Matrix Research Team on Privacy in the Digital Age, and the Founder and Executive Director of the Interdisciplinary Research Group on Privacy (IRGP).
Prior to returning to school, Naniette’s professional career included work at the local, state (New York), and federal government levels (US Department of Commerce, and the Office of the US Trade Representative), as well as work for two international organizations (the World Bank and the United Nations), and a university (Harvard). Naniette holds a Master of Public Administration with a specialization in Democracy, Politics, and Institutions from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and both an M.A. in Economics and a B.A. in Communication from the University at Buffalo, SUNY.
Finally, Naniette’s proudest service and philanthropic achievements are the founding of Night Out / Night Off (NONO) at Berkeley’s Cal Performances and the Random Acts of Kindness fund at the University at Buffalo. NONO is an event held at Cal Performances twice yearly for Graduate Students of Color. First hosted in 2016, the event, now in its 3rd year of operation attracts several hundred students and friends. The event has also attracted funding from the Chancellors Office as well as Cal Performances. Finally, the Random Acts of Kindness Fund was founded by Naniette at the University at Buffalo SUNY in 1997. The fund provides grants to students who encounter personal or familial difficulty while in college (death of a parent, personal illness, etc.). It brings the support of the university with it also so they can stay focused on school. The endowed fund, now in its 21st year, funds 30+ students per year. The fund took on particular significance once Coleman lost her own parents when she was in her early 20s. WNYMMP ALUMNI
JENNIFER WHITSON Class of 1999
Jennifer Whitson is 199 graduate of Buffalo State College with BA degree in public communications.
She completed an advance program at George Washington university in meeting and Event Planning. Jennifer is currently a Senior Program Associate in Leadership Development at American State Colleges and Universities.
Some of her greatest experiences came while working for many years on Capital Hill in the House of Ways and Means Committee for U.S. Representative Charles Rangel, and she worked for Bishop T.D. Ministries Potter’s House in Dallas TX for a few years.
WNYMMP ALUMNI KAWANZA HUMPHREY
Vice President & Corporate Responsibility Officer Rochester and Central New York Markets KeyCorp
Kawanza Humphrey is Vice President, Corporate Responsibility Officer for KeyBank’s Rochester and Central New York markets.
She is responsible for administering the bank’s Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) programs and implementing KeyBank’s National Community Benefits Plan in the Rochester and Syracuse areas. Under the plan, the bank will invest $16.5 billion in its communities from Maine to Alaska over a five-year period that started January 1, 2017.
Humphrey is also a member of the Corporate Center Masterminds Alliance. This team works to simplify and integrate processes, create greater collaboration, connectivity and information sharing, champion diversity and inclusion and increase engagement across the bank’s Corporate Center Division.
Before taking on her new role in mid-2017, Humphrey served as Vice President and Area Retail Leader for KeyBank’s branches in the City of Buffalo. She joined Key in 2012 when the bank acquired part of HSBC’s branch network in Upstate New York. Before starting her career in banking with HSBC in 2001, Humphrey was an account executive with both WGRZ-TV and WIVB-TV in Buffalo.
Humphrey holds a BA in English/African American Studies from the University of Buffalo and a MS degree in Executive Leadership and Change from Daemen College and is a Phi Beta Kappa. She is a 20 year member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority currently serving as chaplain, is a graduate of Leadership Buffalo’s Rising Leaders Program and currently serves on the Diversity and Inclusion Council for the Buffalo Niagara Partnership.
Active in the community, Humphrey was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for the Sisters Hospital Foundation in Buffalo, NY. She has received several business awards: Black Achiever in Industry, Buffalo’s Business First 40 under 40 and the HSBC Way Award. Humphrey holds several volunteer positions, in addition to leading Key’s partnership in the Eastside Innovation Zone with the Buffalo Public Schools.
WNYMMP ALUMNI
JEANINE HUNTER Writer/Producer
Born in Buffalo, NY, Jeanine Hunter is an entrepreneur and Emmy award winning Writer/Producer.in 1998 Jeanine obtained a B.A. in Public Communication with a minor in Creativity and Innovation at the State University of New York College at Buffalo. Her professional career began in radio at WUFO 1080 AM as the Morning On-Air host, Production Coordinator and Promotion Director.
In 2000, she moved to Washington, DC where she obtained an M.F.A. in Film from Howard University in 2005. She has been a Writer/Producer for On-Air Marketing for over 12 years for a number of networks and broadcast companies including, Discovery Communications, Turner Broadcasting, TLC and helped launched Discovery's first 24-hour environmental friendly network, Planet Green.
Out of her kitchen in 2007, she launched Browniebar, LLC, A gourmet brownie company. In 2009, Jeanine launched her production company, Suite76, LLC where she is the Executive Producer. Through her company she has worked on a variety of films, videos and a number of television commercials and promos with Discovery Communications, LLC and Turner Broadcasting.Jeanine has been highly recognized in the film/TV industry and nominated for a number of awards. In 2010, she won a National Capital Chesapeake Bay Emmy for Director of Post Production for Planet Green. In 2016, Jeanine embarked on her next endeavor and longtime dream of owning her own beauty supply store. She began training with the Beauty Supply Institute and started forming Hunter’s House of Beauty.
Jeanine currently is a Writer/Producer for TV One and lives in Washington, DC.
WNYMMP ALUMNI
FREDERIKA McCLARY
Frederika McClary is a fighter! Born in Buffalo, NY as the youngest of five to a stay at home mother, who was known as the neighborhood mom, and an engaged providing father. She was raised in a home with two older brothers and a rotation of cousins and friends who needed a safe place and great meal.
From an early age it was clear that whatever she did speaking up and out would be a part of it. She often got in trouble for telling it like it was and not backing down. So, it was no surprise that while attending magnet schools she opted to participate in debate and leadership teams and to sit on faculty hiring and youth summit committees.
She majored in communications, specifically public relations, with dreams of going into event planning. And in her spare time hosted book review and panel discussion segments on an urban late nite talk show. But the universe had other things in mind. Due to the persistence of a mentor, Frederika interviewed for the AFL-CIO’s Organizing Institute and made the cut.
Her first assignment was as a union organizer with the United Teachers of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Since that time, she has worked in many cities, with many and on various campaigns all centered around workers fighting for a voice, dignity and respect in their place of work.
Currently Frederika McClary is the Director of Organizing for Nurses and Health Professionals at the American Federation of Teachers.
WNYMMP
ALUMNI
SHEMISA ALI
the 100th Anniversary of the SheMisa,
Holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English-CommunicationsBROADWAY & Public Relations, and a Master’s of Science degreeTHEATRE in Executive Leadership (now known as Leadership & Innovation) 1914 - 2014 from Daemen College.
SheMisa began her media career as an intern at Ch. 7 WKBW under the mentorship of Michael Quinniey, and has worked various media positions for TV and radio as an on-air personality. She currently is an entrepreneur building Dream Big Marketing Solutions and is the founder of non-profit, Humanity 911 based out of Buffalo, NY. SheMisa also works in Corporate Accounting full time at Tech company, Ronco Specialized Systems.
She is multi-lingual as an Ethiopian-Arab American and is married with two children, Libya & Pharaoh.
y 23 historic African- WNYMMP ALUMNI
EMMA ORN
Emma Orn graduated from Santa Monica College in 2006 and continued her studies at Buffalo State College until 2008, majoring in journalism. In 2007 I worked for Upfront TV and then continued working for Channel 4, both in Buffalo, New York. In 2009 she moved back to Sweden and worked for the governmentally run radio in the news department. Today she works for the unemployment office in Gothenburg, Sweden.
WNYMMP ALUMNI
Mary Kay Makanjuola (née Gisel)
Mary Kay joined the Upfront team back in 2007 reporting for both Upfront Magazine and Official Heat.
In 2008, she took a leap and moved to New York City, where she has spent the past ten years working behind the scenes at MSNBC in Rockefeller Center. Throughout her time there, her experience has included covering three presidential elections, Olympics programming as well as many high-profile breaking news stories. In the last five years, she has been exclusively working on prime time shows including All In With Chris Hayes, The Beat with Ari Melber, Hardball with Chris Matthews, Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell and The Rachel Maddow Show.
In 2014, as a creative outlet, Mary Kay launched her own blog / website called MAKA STYLE which focuses on fashion and beauty. With a goal in mind to help women find their inner strength and confidence through style tips and inspiration, she is currently working on transitioning into the career of personal styling. With a knack for style, she both hosted and co-produced a web series last year entitled Lights, Camera, Fashion in which she both predicted and highlighted award show red carpet fashion.
While she frequents WNY to visit family and enjoy snacking on her favorite chicken wings, she still cheers on her hometown teams from afar. After 10+ years in the city, she has also discovered a new-found interest in baseball, rooting for the NY Yankees. On her down time, as an ardent fan of music who has been singing and writing songs since the age of 15, she enjoys discovering new music through the diverse local music scene that the city has to showcase. She currently resides in NYC with her husband, Timi and their dog, Buji.
WNYMMP
ALUMNI
MICHELLE VISA
Michelle Visa is a radio personality, educator, producer, host, and business owner. She fell in love with music at an early age. Her father had a massive record collection and was a bodyguard for Rick James. He often brought her to the studio and recording sessions. As far as she can remember she has always been involved in music and hip hop culture. She learned how to play the saxophone and violin as a child. As a teen, Visa created Phat Magazine where she would interview local artists and write it up in her self made editorial. Visa even began making mixtapes by recording songs off the radio and giving them out to her friends. She was also lead in a all girls rap group called the Troublemakers. The group dissolved and she negam her run a s a solo performer. Over the years, Michelle performed in numerous cities throughout the country, but wanted to do something different with her voice.
Michelle received her Bachelor’s degree in communications and became an on air personality for 93.7 WBLK. Michelle Visa have conducted exclusive interviews with some of the most stylish, trendsetters, rappers, artist and entrepreneurs in the industry. You can listen to Michelle on “The Visa Report” Monday-Friday 11:30am, 1:30pm, 6:30pm, and 10:30pm on 93.7 WBLK.
In addition to music, Michelle is very passionate about the youth. She created the Teen Talk podcast on wblk.com as a platform for students to express their thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Young people from all over the city of Buffalo joined Michelle at radio station and discussed important issues such as gun control, social media, bullying, teen entrepreneurship, and more. Teen Talk has now expanded into after school programs located within several Buffalo Public Schools. The program aims to help young enthusiastic youth become journalists. Teen Talk promotes public speaking, and networking, and researching skills and has a direct to to ELA and other academic building skills. Teen talk creates opportunities for students to gain experience through conducting interviews within their school and community.
Michelle is also the co-owner of a successful women’s clothing boutique in the Walden Galleria Mall in Cheektowaga, N.Y.. After finding it difficult to find fashionable and sleek items in the city for women with curves, Michelle and her sister Ryan opened Privileged boutique. Privileged has provided clothing for singers, actresses, television stars, and other prominent women. The Boutique can also be found online at www.privgalleriamall.com. Michelle enjoys making other women feel beautiful.
WNYMMP ALUMNI
DESIREE WILEY
Desiree Wiley is a native of Lockport, NY, and graduated from Buffalo State College in 2012 at the age of 20 and received her bachelor’s degree in Journalism with a concentration in Political Science and Economics. Desiree most recently worked in Boston as a weekend morning anchor for NBC Boston Weekend Today at NBC 10 and a reporter for the station. She began working for NBC 10 in August 2016 and, during her time there, covered breaking news, including multiple Nor’easters, crime, the State House and much more. On the lighter side, Desiree also covered stories surrounding the New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins and Boston Ballet. Desiree Wiley joined News 4 in Nashville Tennessee in April 2018 as weekend morning anchor and weekday reporter. Desiree competed several times for the title of Miss New York through the Miss America Organization. She placed in the top five each year she competed and was first runner-up twice. During her time with the Miss America organization, she promoted her platform of “Knowledge is Power.” Desiree spent time volunteering and speaking with underprivileged students about the importance of education. She also partnered with Upstate New York Transplant Services to promote organ, eye, tissue and blood donation. On a personal level, the move to Nashville means that Desiree and her husband, Titans running back and special teams player David Fluellen Jr., can once again live in the same city. After dating for five years, Desiree and David got married in July 2017.
WNYMMP ALUMNI
Janice Elaine McKinnie
Janice Elaine McKinnie serves as Executive Director for True Community Development Corporation, the development arm of True Bethel Baptist Church which she was instrumental in creating, a former (pioneer) Administrator of True Bethel Baptist Church where she served in her role as the church’s first administrator for 10 years as well as served as the Executive Assistant to Bishop, Darius G. Pridgen. Janice is currently an active member an officer of the Buffalo Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., she is on the board for the Parent Network of WNY as well as The Resource Council of WNY.
Janice has been the organizer of many important initiatives in Buffalo to include, but not limited to administrating the first multi-million dollar “Technical Assistance” grant from NY State for the clean-up efforts of 858 E. Ferry Street a hazardous waste site with oversight from the Department of Environmental Conservation. The clean- up efforts of this East side property along with community support and collaboration has enabled Janice to successfully redevelop this site now called True Bethel Town Homes a 30 unit multi-family project, True Bethel Senior Estates- 50 units of senior housing and Woodlawn Housing Development- the new construction of single family homes creating home ownership on the East Side of Buffalo, E. Ferry Homes the second phase of single family homes are completed and sold. In 2012 Janice stepped into entrepreneurship creating Developments BY JEM a consulting firm specializing in pre- development planning, business development and consultation for organizations looking to reinvest in building sustainable communities through housing, retail and workforce development.
Awards and honors received Community Service Award for the coordination of the City-Wide “Safe Summer” Stop the Violence initiative from Buffalo Weed & Seed, YWCA WNY Girls, Inc. award, Building Women and Communities Award, Inaugural Class of the Mayor’s Citizens’ Participation Academy, Women Making History Loyalty Award as well as featured in Black WNY- September 2014 issue as the “Quiet Builder”. Janice loves to share with young women, focusing on pregnant and parenting teens to instill in them the will and confidence to succeed against all odds.
Janice was born and raised in Buffalo, NY attending Buffalo Public Schools and Mount St. Joseph Academy High School. Janice graduated from the State University College at Buffalo, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Communication and receiving her Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from Medaille College. She is also a licensed real estate agent with Barnes Real Estate Group.
Janice lives in Buffalo with her husband Sean and is proud of her 6 daughters and 4 grandchildren. In the words of Oprah Winfrey: Don’t worry about being successful but work toward being significant and the success will naturally follow.
WNYMMP ALUMNI
CARMA DEE RIVERA Multimedia Personality And Entrepreneur
Born in Buffalo, N.Y. but raised in Camden N.J. received an A.A.S, Degree in communication & Media from Erie Community college. This dynamic multimedia personality and social media guru began her career in the military before finding her love for modeling. Shortly after that her modeling career began, Carma founded and directed Lully Entertainment & Model Management until an opportunity to host Official Heat a music and entertainment show airing on ABC WKBW-TV in Buffalo/Toronto area.
The alter ego Carma Dee was born and developed a huge following and hosted the show for four years. Following the advice of WKBW-TV producers she launched Carma Dee TV an internet blog. The blog would feature celebrity news and interviews, fashion, lifestyles and interviews with unsigned artists and entrepreneurs. Carmadee.com had 1 million hits on her website within the first month it went online. Business owners where contacting her to advertise their businesses on her page, along with a variety of products and merchandise owners. Social media websites where emerging and Carma became an internet star, boasting more followers and friends than some Hollywood and sports entertainers. In all truth Carma dee had outgrown her hometown.
After working for Hearst as a multimedia executive Carma relocated to Los Angeles in 2014 and began working for Sirius XM Dash Radio. Carma hosted the show with Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins from the R/B group TLC.
In 2016 Carma began managing entertainment events and social media platforms for Hollywood celebrities. In the summer of 2018 she launched www.shopjuse.com an online product and clothing merchandise store.
Email: [email protected]
WNYMMP ALUMNI
AISHA AL-MUSLIM
Aisha Al-Muslim is an award-winning journalist and Pulitzer Prize finalist at The Wall Street Journal. She is a reporter on the WSJ's Real-Time News Desk, for which she writes stories about breaking business news, company earnings, mergers and acquisitions, executive changes and economic indicators for the Dow Jones newswires, WSJ.com and the newspaper. On top of that, she covers online travel booking companies, cruise line operators, lodging providers, hoteliers, casino operators, car rental companies and other related companies in the travel and tourism industries.
Previously, Al-Muslim was a business reporter at Newsday, covering retail and small businesses on Long Island, New York from June 2014 to November 2017. She also covered some publicly- traded companies, including organic food giant Hain Celestial, celebrity perfumes and fragrances seller Perfumania, fast food chain Nathan's Famous, kitchenware and tableware provider Lifetime Brands, and online florist and gifts company 1-800-Flowers.
From January 2011 to June 2014, Al-Muslim covered the Town of Hempstead, the largest township in the United States with more than 750,000 people, and composed of 22 villages and 37 hamlets.
Al-Muslim's investigative story with her colleague Will Van Sant was part of a Newsday series on police misconduct named a 2014 Pulitzer Prize finalist in the Public Service category. Her story involved a case of a 19-year-old who was beaten by Suffolk County police officers, went into a coma and later died from his injuries.
Al-Muslim is also a former editor of the Spanish-language community newspaper, El Correo de Queens, and a former reporter for its sister newspaper, The Queens Courier.
Al-Muslim is a December 2009 graduate of the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate School of Journalism, where she studied journalism with a concentration in urban studies. Al- Muslim is also a graduate from Lehman College of the City University of New York, where she majored in multilingual journalism, and minored in Italian and Black Studies. She was on the Dean's List and graduated with summa cum laude honors in May 2008.
W WNYMMP ALUMNI
Dr. ASHLEY GOODWIN
Ashely is a 2008 Alumni of wnymmp and worked as Reporter/Producer/Editor for Upfront TV at WKBW-TV ABC Ch.7 until she graduated from Buffalo State College.
Dr. Ashley Goodwin is a first-generation collegiate scholar who deems it an honor to not only be the first in her family to receive a terminal degree, but also the first African- American woman in the world to receive this particular doctorate.
On Thursday, May 17, 2018, a ceiling shattering scholar made history as she walked across the stage at the University of the Virgin Islands. On this day, Dr. Ashley Christina Goodwin became the first African-American woman to be awarded a doctorate with a focus on Creative Leadership for Innovation and Change, which is the first ever doctoral program of its kind. “I’m still in awe that I have seen this accomplishment all the way through,” said Dr. Goodwin when asked what it felt like to break such a barrier. “I’m a woman who sought out to achieve the impossible, and come out a champion, that just goes to show that we are all unstoppable if we just believe!”
Dr. Goodwin’s research in Cognitive Diversity Appreciation stems from 11 years of consulting work, developing programming and training corporations – both domestic and international – on creative problem solving and diversity. She is the Chief Diversity and Innovation Specialist at the Maverick Agency, “Where Innovation and Inclusivity Live.” She continues to make her mark on the world by fostering a creative climate that many organizations need to thrive in our global economy. Dr. Goodwin is truly a pioneer in her field.
WNYMMP
ALUMNI
MONIQUE BELL
Monique Bell is from a New York City and received her B.A. in Communication Studies with a concentration in Broadcasting in 2008.
During her time in Buffalo she had the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of pursuing a career in television while interning at UpFront TV.
Michael Quinniey, Charles Quinniey, and Rameer Green are a few of the people who assisted her with production, producing, coordination, and many other aspects of career enhancing qualities in entertainment.
After returning home to New York Monique switched gears and received her Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration and continued her career in working to improve the quality within healthcare facilities and the lives of people in a few of New York City’s prestigious hospitals, including New York Presbyterian, Columbia University’s fertility clinic, and Mount Sinai.
Interning at WNYMMP taught Monique invaluable lessons that she takes with her in all facets of her personal and professional life. It is nice to receive but it is more important to give as those at UpFront had given her their time, had shown patience, and gave her many other tools to tackle this world.
WNYMMP ALUMNI
CLEMENT KWAKYE
A native of West Africa, Ghana Clement Kwakye graduated from
Leonardo Davinci High school in 2003.
He attended Monroe Community College (MCC) in Rochester, NY where he began his undergraduate studies in Communications with a focus on Broadcast Television. While attending MCC, Clement was a radio personality for the campus radio station WMCC and also interned at WBLK during the winter and summer breaks.
After a year at MCC, Clement transferred to Buffalo State College and became member of the BSCTV crew, a member of the campus Judicial Board and a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. (Beta Iota Chapter). In 2005, Clement was introduced to the Western New York Minority Media Professionals and has been a member since.
He joined WNYMMP as an intern and later became a mentor to other high school and college students who came through the internship program. Graduating in 2007 with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and Communications from Buffalo State College, he has since gone on to produce two television programs which aired in Buffalo and Rochester as a freelance videographer and editor.
Clement is now the Niagara County Director of Operations for the Community Health Center of Buffalo, Inc. and sits on the Board of Trustees for Health Sciences Charter School. Still an active member of WNYMMP, Clement is thankful for the opportunity and support the organization has given him.
WNYMMP ALUMNI
TYSHAUN D. TYSON The Left-Handed Bandit
My name is Tyshaun D. Tyson, but I also go by the name “The Left-Handed Bandit”. I am an independent artist out of Buffalo, NY specializing in both traditional and urban art. I am proficient in multiple mediums of art including drawing, painting, print making and much more.
My business “The Left-Handed Bandit Artistic Services” was founded in 2015; and based on a childhood nickname relating to the fact that I am left handed. I use my left hand to transform a wide variety of canvases and textures into works of art.
I received my Bachelors Degree of Art in 2013 from Buffalo State College. There I was exposed to the more structural ideologies behind Fine Art. I believe that there are infinite ways to create a beautiful piece of art. It is this very belief that sets my style and my work apart from other artists. I usually get most of my inspiration from the things that surround me on a daily basis such as my family, friends, peers and other personal encounters in life. I try my best to express myself in each and every canvas, making no piece the same as the last. I released my website in the fall of 2016 to begin showcasing my talents. My current aim is to showcase my talents as a career and network with like minded “ARTrepreneurs” like myself.
I have been practicing my craft for the last 20 years, and I fall deeper and deeper in love with the creative process everyday. I aim to inspire anyone; and everyone involved in the Arts to pursue their dreams and express themselves as freely, creatively and relentlessly as they can. Because at the end of the day its the art that will outlast us, and not the other day around. WNYMMP ALUMNI
SUFANA WAJED’S
Sufana Wajed is a native of Buffalo, NY and graduate of the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She attained a degree in Broadcasting and soon thereafter joined Buffalo’s ABC affiliate WKBW-TV as an engineer.
During the 13 years of Sufana’s career at WKBW-TV she became a member of the Western New York Minority Media Professionals, Inc. as the secretary and then vice president. Over the years Sufana and members of the organization employed at several media outlets began to see the many biases of news reporting and decided to create a magazine style program called Up Front TV. This program highlighted the positive contributions of blacks, not only in Buffalo, NY, but across the country. With her many years of experience, Sufana began as a producer and then on to become a reporter and host for Up Front TV.
Sufana is currently the production coordinator for Buffalo’s PBS station, WNED-TV. She has worked with numerous national and international producers on coordinating the production and delivery for broadcast of programs such as The War of 1812, Underground Railroad: The William Still Story, Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing America and countless others.
This past year Sufana became a founding member of Panthfrica, a collective of artists who create ways to inspire and re-imagine black lives through events, exhibits and workshops. She is an artist by nature and extends the limb of a family tree of artists. Sufana has a passion and love for colors, shapes and textures and how they play a role in design. She sees art in all that her eyes behold.
WNYMMP ALUMNI
Hon. APRIL BASKIN Majority Leader, Erie County legislature and Founder of The College Simulation Experience
Buffalo native April Baskin is passionate about community development for social change. In 2015 April developed The College Simulation Experience which uses arts based experiential learning to increase college retention rates in low-income populations in Western New York . She is dedicated to using creative learning methods as a platform for equipping youth who are lacking in resources with the tools needed to fully take advantage of the advancing educational opportunities afforded to them.
April holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from SUNY Empire State College, and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs at Buffalo State College. April is a member of the Buffalo Urban League Young Professionals, and was honored with their Community Engagement Award in May 2017. April was also honored with a 2017 Woman Touching The World Award by Unlimited Possibilities Overcoming Poverty Inc. She serves on The Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative's Buffalo Taskforce. April is a member of the NAACP Buffalo Chapter, Leadership Niagara class of '17 and a graduate of the Allstate Minority and Women Emerging Entrepreneurs (MWEE) program sponsored by the University of Buffalo.
In November 2017 April was elected to represent district 2 of the Erie County Legislature in the state of New York. She currently serves as the Body's Majority Leader, and Chairwoman of the Public Safety and Minority and Women Enterprise committees. Most recently April was a 2018 finalist for the international ATHENA Award in the Buffalo- Niagara region, and appointed to serve on the Erie County Industrial Development Agency Policy Committee, Erie County Central Police Services Board of Trustees, Erie County MWBE Utilization Advisory Board and The UB Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Board.
WNYMMP ALUMNI
CARRINGTON ROY
I moved to Buffalo, New York in fall of 2017 from Houston, Texas to work with Michael Quinney and his organization. As a student studying communications, this was an important step closer to my career. I joined Western New York Media Professionals not only to get more familiar with multimedia, but also to pursue my dreams of becoming a television reporter. With the amazing love and support of my WNYMP family behind me, I am making my dreams a reality.
Carrington Roy, Advanced Student
WNYMMP ALUMNI
ROXANNE DANIELLE ROLAND Media Personality Author, and Playwrite
Roxanne Roland began her career with WNYMMP in 2010 as producer/reporter trainee with Carmadee.com while she was attending Erie Community college where she received an Associate of Arts Degree in general Studies. In 2012 Roxanne earned B.A. degree Buffalo state College in communications and theater. In 2013 she also received M.S. Degree in Multidisciplinary Studies from Buffalo State College.
Determined to create her own multimedia platform Roxanne founded Doctor Rox Studios named after her alter ego Doctor Rox. Doctor Rox became an instant internet hit gaining thousands of fans seeking relationship advice. With that as inspiration behind her she wrote, produced and director several successful plays at Smith Theater. Her company also has a focus on women empowerment and youth leadership skills and has made several speaking engagements on the SUNY Collegiate circuit.
In 2017 Roxanne Danielle wrote a book called “Love Said fuck you too!”: A Doctor Rox Perspective which became a best seller on Amazon.com. Doctor Rox will say officially that she is doctor, she has been accepted to D’Youville College where she is employed as a Senior Associate Director in Marketing & Communications.
WNYMMP ALUMNI
Robert Hoffman, MFA Assistant Professor of Communication Arts & Media Concord University
Robert Hoffman is an educator and broadcasting professional originally from Buffalo, NY. Mr. Hoffman earned his bachelors degree from the University at Buffalo in 2004 and his masters from
The College at Brockport in 2015. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Communication Arts & Media at Concord University in Athens, WV.
Best Regards, Robert Hoffman, MFA Assistant Professor of Communication Arts & Media Concord University