Author: Maria Morreale

BNMC Director of Inclusion & Community Initiatives Featured in New Book

by Maria Morrealein BNMC Team, Community, Diversity & Inclusion

A powerful opinion piece by Kyria Stephens, Director of Inclusion & Community Initiatives, was recently selected for publication in a new e-book compilation, Resilience Matters: Collective Action for Healthier Communities. 

The essay, “People in need don’t want your pity,” explains why we need to rethink how we think about charity. As Stephens explains, people in need do not want pity; they need “solidarity, respect, and loving support.” These people are teachers, professors, CEOs, police officers, nurses, and artists. They save lives, drive the economy, and create culture. And they are successful, notes Stephens, “in spite of the obstacles placed (often intentionally) in our path.” By sharing time and resources, says Stephens, “you are not simply helping the less fortunate—you are nurturing the powerful.”

As a well-known speaker and thought leader on diversity and inclusion, Stephens is glad to see his message being shared with an even wider audience. “This is such an important time in our history,” said Stephens. “It’s going to take all of us, working together, to build a more equitable future. We must be detailed and strategic in how we move forward.”

At the BNMC, Stephens helps promote collaboration and inclusivity throughout the organization and community. His efforts have helped establish the BNMC as a regional and national model for diversity, inclusion, and equity.

Resilience Matters, published by the Island Press Urban Resilience Project, features contributions from dozens of leading authors, and is available for free online thanks to grant support from the Kresge and JPB Foundations. 

Island Press is a well-known publisher of critical ideas on both the natural and built environment. In 2022, they published City Forward: How Innovation Districts Can Embrace Risk and Strengthen Community, which highlighted the BNMC’s commitment to equity.

Campus Update: Ellicott Street is Reopened.

by Maria Morrealein Construction

As construction continues at the Trico building located at the corners of Ellicott/Washington Streets and Goodell, The City of Buffalo has advised BNMC that Kandey Corp, one of the contractors working on the project has reopened Ellicott Street, which had been closed since December 1.

About the BNMC

For more than twenty years, the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus organization (BNMC) has been a driving force in Buffalo’s economic renaissance. Throughout its management of the growth of Buffalo’s premier innovation district, the BNMC has foregrounded smart economic, social, and environmental development, prioritizing health & well-being, and sustainability. Today, the BNMC is focused on the next phase of Buffalo’s ongoing resurgence, cultivating inclusive innovation in partnership with our community. In 2021 BNMC spearheaded the initiative to bring the national programs forAll and Eforever to Buffalo. These proven programs support aspiring entrepreneurs from all backgrounds to help them start or grow a business. Program graduates will form the heart of Buffalo’s growing Innovation Community comprised of businesses large and small in an array of disciplines and leading the region’s next wave of economic development and growth.

IDEA Center Helps Design BNMC Touch Model to Improve Wayfinding for All

by Maria Morrealein Campus-wide, Innovation Center

BUFFALO NY– The Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental (IDEA) at the University at Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Planning, and Touch Graphics, Inc., collaborated to create a multi-sensory interactive 3D touch model to assist with orientation and wayfinding on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC).

The IDEA Center received a generous gift from the Chur Foundation in January 2021 and used the funds to design, develop, and install the model.

The recently unveiled interactive model is located at the BNMC’s Innovation Center, a home base for campus tours, and a site providing services for over 100 start-up companies and serving as a hub for research and knowledge exchange. The touch model allows users to preview the campus layout, locate buildings, and identify travel routes prior to setting out for their destinations. A user-friendly touch interface that includes visual, auditory, and tactile outputs allows visitors to simply hear or see information related to both the campus and individual buildings.  

All features of the model are touch responsive, including roads, parks, parking lots, and Metro stations. Additional features for accessibility and legibility include braille labels and aerial photographs of building rooftops printed on the 3D buildings.

Jamie Hamann-Burney, Director of Planning and Implementation at BNMC said “We are so grateful to our colleagues at the IDEA Center for bringing this project to us. The model unites a range of technologies being developed at the Center that will speed the creation of more inclusive environments for everyone.” 

The design of the model was developed by first documenting the campus, drawing digital models of the campus’ buildings and landscape, 3D printing the buildings, and laser printing a tactile skin of the landscape. The 3D buildings were treated with a conductive layer and then both tactile skin and the 3D buildings were adhered to the large touch screen. The model works by simple touch commands including tapping once to hear the name of the building and a second time to hear descriptive information. An application was developed to listen to finger touch and provide a corresponding audio description.

“The touch model is an excellent example of how inclusive technology benefits a broad range of users. We’re hoping that this touch model is not only useful for the visitors and staff of the BNMC, but also inspires the thought leaders and tech developers at the Innovation Center to consider the needs of individuals with disabilities in their own work.” Heamchand Subryan, Director of Interaction Design at the IDEA Center.

In addition to the BNMC, similar touch models have been installed at large tech companies, museums, and a national park. The BNMC touch model demonstrates how integrating universal design into wayfinding technology can benefit all visitors and serves as a best practice for similar maps at other medical campuses.


About the IDEA Center

Aside from this project, the IDEA Center, part of the University at Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Planning, is also collaborating with colleagues at the Toronto Rehab Institute/University Health Network and the U. of Pittsburgh on a National Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Universal Design in the Built Environment and partnering with Carnegie Mellon University on a five-year RERC project to advance public transportation for people with disabilities. Both initiatives are funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). 

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB’s more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.

About Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus  

For more than twenty years, The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus organization (BNMC) has been a driving force of Buffalo’s economic renaissance. Throughout its management of the growth of Buffalo’s premier innovation district, the BNMC has foregrounded smart economic, social, and environmental development, prioritizing health & well-being and sustainability. Today, the BNMC is focused on the next phase of Buffalo’s ongoing resurgence, cultivating inclusive innovation in partnership with our community. In 2021 BNMC spearheaded the initiative to bring the national programs EforAll and Eforever to Buffalo. These proven programs support aspiring entrepreneurs from all backgrounds to help them start or grow a business. Program graduates will form the heart of Buffalo’s growing Innovation Community comprised of businesses large and small in an array of disciplines and leading the region’s next wave of economic development and growth. BNMC  www.bnmc.org. 

Presenting the 2nd Annual Food as Medicine Symposium, “A Bridge to Health.”

by Maria Morrealein Healthy Communities

BUFFALO NY– On October 13, the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus’ Health & Well-Being division presented its second annual Food as Medicine Symposium, bringing together a range of national and local pioneers in the field to discuss research and policy in the Food as Medicine space. The Keynote address “Food as Medicine: Dietary Priorities and Policy Actions After the White House Conference,” was presented by Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, Dean of Policy at Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. The symposium was held at the UB Center for Bioinformatics and Life Sciences at 701 Ellicott Street in Buffalo. More information about the event can be found here.

BNMC and its partner institutions have been a driving force in a campus-wide effort to improve access to healthy food in hospitals and the surrounding community, collaborating with Kaleida Health, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, and other medical facilities on the Campus. Together, they have implemented the Farm to Hospital program which has connected local farmers and growers to food procurement systems at area hospitals. This program has allowed BNMC partners to serve healthy, locally sourced food to the tens of thousands of patients and visitors that rely on campus resources each year while also benefitting local farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs.

More recently, the BNMC has spearheaded the formation of the Western New York Food as Medicine Coalition, a group that brings more than 40 partners together to share best practices and expand and accelerate the impact of Food as Medicine programs on advancing health in our region.

Elizabeth (Beth) Machnica, Director of Community Well-Being at BNMC said, “Food is undoubtedly a major factor in the determination of medical outcomes, decades of research have shown us this. What we are missing is a broader awareness of the concept and the movement. Our symposium is open to all that would like to learn more and join us in discovering the latest developments and innovations to engage and empower our communities to evaluate the relationships between diet, medical outcomes, and overall health and well-being.”

Conference organizer and BNMC Associate Director of Health and Well-Being Marla Guarino added “The food as medicine discipline is growing and gaining momentum in the United States, at the BNMC we want to ensure our campus and community are at the forefront of innovation and leadership in the field. This is important for our city which has been, and still is, home to food inequities in our communities. Our symposium will spotlight that and point us toward how we can make meaningful change.”

About Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus  

For more than twenty years, The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus organization (BNMC) has been a driving force in Buffalo’s economic renaissance. Throughout its management of the growth of Buffalo’s premier innovation district, the BNMC has foregrounded smart economic, social, and environmental development, prioritizing health & well-being, and sustainability. Today, the BNMC is focused on the next phase of Buffalo’s ongoing resurgence, cultivating inclusive innovation in partnership with our community. In 2021 BNMC spearheaded the initiative to bring the national programs EforAll and Eforever to Buffalo. These proven programs support aspiring entrepreneurs from all backgrounds to help them start or grow a business. Program graduates will form the heart of Buffalo’s growing Innovation Community comprised of businesses large and small in an array of disciplines and leading the region’s next wave of economic development and growth. BNMC  www.bnmc.org. 

Introducing City Forward, the story of the BNMC.

by Maria Morrealein Buffalo, News

We are delighted to share the news that City Forward: How Innovation Districts Can Embrace Risk and Strengthen Community, a new book by Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) President and CEO, Matt Enstice with Mike Gluck, was published today by Island Press.

The book tells the compelling story of the establishment and growth of Western New York’s premier innovation district.

Innovation districts and anchor institutions—like hospitals, universities, and technology hubs—are celebrated for their ability to drive economic growth and employment opportunities. But the benefits often fail to reach the very neighborhoods they are built-in. As CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Matt Enstice took a different approach. Under Matt’s leadership, BNMC has supported entrepreneurship training programs and mentorship for community members, the creation of a community garden, bringing together diverse groups to explore transportation solutions, and more. Fostering participation and collaboration among neighborhood leaders, foundations, and other organizations ensures that the interests of Buffalo residents are represented. Together, these groups are creating a new model for re-energizing Buffalo—a model that has applications across the United States and around the world.

City Forward explains how BNMC works to promote a shared goal of equity among companies and institutions with often opposing motivations and intentions. When money or time is scarce, how can equitable community-building remain a common priority? When interests conflict and an institution’s expansion depends upon parking or development that would infringe upon public space, how can the decision-making process maintain trust and collaboration? Offering a candid look at BNMC’s setbacks and successes, along with efforts from other institutions nationwide, Enstice shares twelve strategies that innovation districts can harness to weave equity into their core work. From actively creating opportunities to listen to the community, to navigating compromise, to recruiting new partners, the book reveals unique opportunities available to create decisive, large-scale change. Critically, Enstice also offers insight into how innovation districts can speak about equity in an inclusive manner and keep underrepresented and historically excluded voices at the decision-making table.

Accessible, engaging, and packed with fresh ideas applicable to any city, this book is an invaluable resource. Institutional leadership, business owners, and professionals hoping to make equitable change within their companies and organizations will find experienced direction here. City Forward is a refreshing look at the brighter, more equitable futures that we can create through thoughtful and strategic collaboration—moving forward, together.

All proceeds from the sale of this book will be used to further diversity, inclusion, and equity-related efforts throughout our community, You can purchase a copy here.

You can read the full press release here.

Ted Walsh to Assume Leadership of BNMC Board to Lead Next Phase of Region’s Economic, Social, and Environmental Development

by Maria Morrealein Entrepreneurship, Innovation, News, Small Businesses

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Edward F. Walsh, Jr. (Ted) as the new Chairperson of the Board of Directors. An active champion of community development and growth, Ted brings over 44 years of experience in leadership to the BNMC Board and is poised to lead the organization as it advances the next wave of Buffalo’s economic development. He succeeds David Zebro, who led BNMC to create one of the most environmentally sustainable areas in the City of Buffalo, while creating numerous opportunities for businesses and organizations in the medical and technology fields.

BNMC President and Chief Executive Officer Matt Enstice said “Ted brings a wealth of experience in leadership to the BNMC Board which will be invaluable as we continue to move the organization forward building on our legacy of innovation and entrepreneurship to advance our region’s economic, social, and environmental agenda. Our mission to create an innovation community in Buffalo that provides essential support for everyone, particularly those in historically underserved communities seeking to start or grow their business will flourish under Ted’s stewardship. Ensuring access to entrepreneurship for everyone is the essential next step for our community as we continue to drive our region’s resurgence. Ted is uniquely positioned to lead that effort.”

As it has grown and managed Western New York’s premier medical campus and Innovation district, BNMC has been a long-standing supporter of startup companies, particularly those engaged in the fields of environmental sustainability, providing the essential support that has enabled their businesses to thrive. As part of its work in developing a sustainable innovation district in Buffalo, BNMC has helped to develop and nurture enterprises such as GObike Buffalo and Shared Mobility, Inc. To broaden this effort, in 2021, BNMC partnered with the national organizations EforAll and Eforever, to bring their proven programs to Buffalo. In April of 2o22, a cohort of 14 Buffalo entrepreneurs graduated from the EforAll program which provided hands-on training, mentorship, and support to each new business.  The group will now join the Eforever program which will continue to provide resources and support as these nascent companies grow and develop. Program graduates will form the heart of Buffalo’s growing Innovation Community comprised of businesses large and small in a range of disciplines, leading the region’s next wave of economic development.

Speaking about his appointment, Ted Walsh noted “It has never been more important that our city engage in a significant effort to ensure more equitable access to the opportunity to start or grow a company. We need to support and develop entrepreneurs in every kind of business, not just those in the fields of science and technology, to ensure that our community’s continued economic development is built on a solid, diverse foundation across a range of disciplines. I look forward to leading BNMC in this vital endeavor.”

Ted Walsh has held several leadership positions at numerous organizations throughout Western New York including Chair of the Board at Kaleida Health, United Way of Buffalo and Erie County, Goodwill Industries of WNY, Nichols School, and the Center for Hospice & Palliative Care. In addition, he also serves as Treasurer of the John R. Oishei Foundation and as Chairperson of the Josephine Goodyear Foundation.

Ted has been recognized for his many outstanding accomplishments, both in his professional achievements as well as his dedication to serving the WNY community. In 2018, the Walsh family was recognized by NFJC with its annual family award. In 2013, Ted received recognition as a Red Jacket Award winner from the Buffalo History Museum. In 2011, he was honored to be Canisius College’s Business Executive of the Year Award recipient, a Goodwill Industries of WNY award recipient, and a Florence M. Conti Award recipient. In 2008 Kaleida Health dedicated the Edward F. Walsh, Jr. Emergency Department at the Buffalo General Medical Center in his name. In addition, Ted and his wife Ginna Remington Walsh were named the United Way Philanthropists of the Year by the Alexis de Tocqueville Society.

Ted graduated from Nichols School in 1972 and Williams College in 1976 and began his insurance career that same year with the Continental Insurance Company. He joined Walsh Duffield in 1977. As Chief Executive Officer, Ted is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the firm.

Ted lives in Buffalo, New York, with his wife, Ginna.  They have raised their two daughters, Liza and Ellie, in Buffalo. They are proud grandparents of Avery, Haley, Grant, Addison, and Colette.

About Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus  

For more than twenty years, The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus organization (BNMC) has been a driving force of Buffalo’s economic renaissance. Throughout its management of the growth of Buffalo’s premier innovation district, the BNMC has foregrounded smart economic, social, and environmental development. Today, the BNMC is focused on the next phase of Buffalo’s ongoing resurgence, cultivating inclusive innovation in partnership with our community. In 2021 BNMC spearheaded the initiative to bring the national programs EforAll and Eforever to Buffalo. These proven programs support aspiring entrepreneurs from all backgrounds to help them start or grow a business. Program graduates will form the heart of Buffalo’s growing Innovation Community comprised of businesses large and small in an array of disciplines and leading the region’s next wave of economic development and growth. www.bnmc.org.