Dr. Debra Colley, executive vice president at Niagara University, was among the honorees included on Buffalo Business First's list of Power 200 Women, a group of local leaders whose talent and influence are fueling economic, social, and cultural growth throughout Western New York.

Dr. Colley has served as executive vice president since 2015. In this role, she provides leadership and guidance on matters related to the development, operation, mission and objectives of the university. She is responsible for areas including strategic planning, international relations, student affairs and housing, equity and inclusion (Title IX), institutional research, public relations and communication, information technology, service learning, Middle States accreditation, grants and sponsored programs, and the university general counsel. She also oversees the Levesque Center for Civic Engagement and the Brennan Center for Language, Culture and Leadership, and leads binational expansion, Ministerial consent, and operation of the university in the Province of Ontario.

Dr. Colley began her tenure at Niagara in 1999 as dean of the College of Education. She came to Niagara from the New York State Education Department, where she held positions in its Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities and its Office of Higher and Continuing Education, Division of Academic Program Review. She previously was a member of the faculty at the State University College at Buffalo and D'Youville College. She began her career as a teacher in the Buffalo Public Schools.

A member of numerous international, national, state, and regional boards and organizations. Dr. Colley has written and presented across the country on topics around education. She holds a bachelor of science in special education/elementary education from the State University College at Buffalo and a master of science in education and a doctor of philosophy from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She is a graduate of Harvard Graduate School of Education's Executive Leadership Program.

In addition, several other members of the NU community were named to the list, including Board of Trustees members Donna DeCarolis, president of National Fuel Gas Distribution Corp., and Kathleen L. Neville, M.A.'15, vice chair of the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, and former trustee and alumna Cheryl Klass, '77, chief operating officer at Kaleida Health.

DeCarolis was named president of National Fuel Distribution Corporation in 2019, after a 35-year career with the company that included the position of vice president for business development and manager roles in business areas including investor relations, quality assurance, human resources, corporate communications, energy marketing, and consumer business. DeCarolis is active in cultural and other nonprofit organizations serving communities throughout Western New York.

Neville is a nationally known authority on sexual harassment, gender equality, discrimination, and misconduct in the workplace, schools, and sports. She is also known for her extensive expertise in reputation management. In addition to her work with the Bridge Commission, she has served as a senior advisor to the National Football League's EVP of football operations on major social issues for the past 14 years. She is the author of two books on sex discrimination and sexual harassment.

Klass was named chief operating officer for Kaleida Health in August 2022 after having served as interim president of Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute since February of that year. She is credited with creating, organizing, and overseeing Kaleida Health's first-ever nursing plan of excellence, which resulted in improved nursing operations, nurse engagement, and care quality. Klass began her career as a registered nurse at Children's Hospital of Buffalo in 1977 and quickly advanced into nursing leadership roles with that hospital, as well as other hospitals in Buffalo and Chicago.

The Power 200 Women is sponsored by M&T Bank, BestSelf Behavioral Health, Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers, and Southtowns Radiology.

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