Five Niagara University Alumnae Named to Buffalo Business First Power 200 Women

Five Niagara University alumnae were 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.

Joanne Israel, '06, general manager at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, has led the Seneca Gaming Corporation's largest gaming and entertainment resort property since 2022. She joined the organization in 2011 after five years in public accounting, and has held roles as corporate director of finance, casino controller, and general manager at Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino. She was named assistant general manager at Seneca Niagara in 2018, where she helped manage and facilitate the $40 million Seneca Arrival Experience project, which completely renovated and reimagined the east entrance to the resort.

Cheryl Klass, '77, chief operating officer at Kaleida Health, 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. She 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.

Kimberley Minkel, '88, executive director of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, is the first woman to hold that post. She is responsible for managing a transportation system that includes light rail, bus, paratransit, and two airports within Western New York. Under her leadership, the NFTA earned a coveted Gold Standard award from the Transportation Security Administration for the authority's overall high security standards and practices. She previously served as director of risk, health, safety, and environmental quality for the NFTA, providing functional leadership within those areas.

Anne Russell Musynske, '10, executive vice president, WNY retail market manager at M&T Bank, joined the organization when she was selected as a participant in its Management Development Program. She spent the first 10 years of her career working her way through management roles within the bank's branch network in Buffalo, Baltimore, Md., and New Jersey, before accepting an opportunity to learn call center operations back in Western New York. In 2022, she was promoted to her current role, leading WNY's retail branch network, which includes seven regional managers across 86 branches.

Kathleen L. Neville, M.A.'15, vice chair of the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission and a member of NU's Board of Trustees, 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.

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