2022 VIRTUAL
SIGNATURE CONFERENCE SERIES

Dalitso Sulamoyo has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission since June 2017. As the CEO, Dalitso oversees a multi-faceted government agency with over 100 different federal, state, and local grants and contracts with a budget of over $40 million. The agency’s services range from transportation planning, police training, community services, workforce development, economic and community development to early childhood education for income eligible families.

Dalitso Sulamoyo is the former President/CEO of the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies, a membership organization of 40 not for profits and public entities that serve economically challenged citizens and communities of Illinois. He served in that capacity for over 16 years before accepting the CEO position with the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission. He currently serves as the chair of the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies.

Dalitso was also the President & CEO of the Illinois Community Action Development Corporation, a statewide affordable housing development corporation and the President of the Illinois Community Action Fund, the advocacy arm for Community Action in Illinois. He currently serves as a board member of the Illinois Community Action Development Corporation.
Dalitso graduated from Illinois College (Magna Cum Laude) with a BA in Political Science and International Relations. Dalitso received a Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Labor Relations and two master’s degrees in political studies and Public Administration from the University of Illinois at Springfield. He holds a Ph.D. in Organization Development from Benedictine University.
Dalitso has been published in books and leading journals about global organization development, capacity building and change management.
Dalitso serves on numerous local, state, and regional boards. He has been widely recognized for his contributions toward social and economic justice for Illinois residents. In August 2021, he was elected to chair the National Community Action Partnership, a national organization representing the largest poverty fighting network of community-based organizations in the United States of America.

He has been trained on Human Rights at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies University of London in England, Humanitarian Law at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of the University of Lund in Sweden, and International Humanitarian Law in Geneva, Switzerland. He is an Advocate of the High Courts of Kenya and Tanganyika and a Certified Mediator. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Certified Public Secretaries of Kenya FCPS (K), a Fellow of the Kenya Institute of Management (FKIM), and an Honorary Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences (FAAS). He is the Chairman of Farafina Investment Group in Monrovia, Liberia, and the Economic Strategic Growth and Development Initiative for Africa based in Nigeria.

In addition, Dan manages the M&T Charitable Foundation which donates close to $1.5MM to over 200 organizations in the Rochester area. Dan is a board member/past chair of Greater Rochester Enterprise, YMCA of Greater Rochester, the Monroe Community College Foundation and United Way of Greater Rochester. Dan is a board member of the University of Rochester Medical Center, St. John Fisher College and the CMAC/Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center.

Faheem launched his career at ESL in 1991 as a senior financial analyst and was later named manager of financial planning and analysis in 1994. He was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer (1997) of ESL Investment Services, LLC (ISLLC). Three years later, he was also named vice president/corporate product development and in 2003, he was promoted again to senior vice president/marketplace director.

Faheem received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Allegheny College and earned an MBA from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Active in the community, Faheem serves on the board of directors of the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Greater Rochester, Geva Theatre Center, and Lifetime Health Care Companies and its Rochester Regional Advisory Board. He also serves on the Finger Lakes Region Economic Development Council, as well as the New York and National Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank.

Mr. Birmingham has a long history of community service and currently serves on several not-for-profit boards including: AAA of Central and Western New York (Past Chair), Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, MCC Foundation, New York Bankers Association, Business Council of New York State, St. John Fisher College (Past Chair) and University of Rochester Medical Center.

He received his undergraduate degree from St. Lawrence University and his MBA from the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester. In May 2018, Mr. Birmingham was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from St. John Fisher College.

Mr. Birmingham has a long history of community service and currently serves on several not-for-profit boards including: AAA of Central and Western New York (Past Chair), Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, MCC Foundation, New York Bankers Association, Business Council of New York State, St. John Fisher College (Past Chair) and University of Rochester Medical Center.

He received his undergraduate degree from St. Lawrence University and his MBA from the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester. In May 2018, Mr. Birmingham was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from St. John Fisher College.

Prior to joining the Common Ground staff, Dr. Clark served Common Ground as a clinical advisor and as a member of the Community Technology Advisory Board (CTAAB). She was a member of the African American Health Coalition for 18 years, including serving as co-chair. Dr. Clark has chaired the annual Faith and Medicine conference and

Active in community-based organizations and in the medical community, Dr. Clark, co-founder, serves as the chair of the Board of Directors for the Black Physicians Network. This mission of this organization is to decrease health disparities and improve community health through an increase in Black physicians.  Mentorship and advocacy of those in the pipeline to medical careers is a keen area of focus as is community education.

She serves on the board of directors of St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Center. She chairs the Committee on Health Equity of the Medical Society of The State of New York and the Monroe County Medical Society’s (MCMS) Quality Committee. She recently helped form the Equity and Diversity Committee of the MCMS, and serves as its chair.

During the pandemic, she helped organize Community Fighting COVID, a widely collaborative group put together to help combat COVID in primarily underserved communities of color through education, testing and vaccination. She has served tirelessly to help educate the community, collaborating on Facebook Live, leading a speakers bureau, and providing education in many settings, including churches, workplaces and jail.

Dr. Clark is an active member of the Executive Committee for the American Baptist Church Rochester Genesee Region. She is a member of the Interdenominational Health Coalition and supports their work in the community and collaborates on projects with them.

Honors for her community service include the Raymond L. Graves Beloved Community Award, the Woman of Distinction Award from Girl Scouts of Western N.Y., the Chi Eta Phi Founder’s Day Community Leader Award and UPrep’s inaugural Woman of Substance Award.

Dr. Linda Clark earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Brown University, her medical degree from the University of Virginia and her master’s degree in epidemiology from SUNY Buffalo. She is board certified in occupational medicine and in general preventive medicine and public health.

Married to Wardell Lewis Jr., an esteemed church musical director, together they have two adult children. For relaxation, Linda enjoys spending time with family, reading, gardening, playing the piano and participating in a book club.

Sherita is also a Rochester native and single mom who has lived and worked in the Rochester community for over 30 years. Inspired by her own birthing experience, she accepted a position at the agency, known then as Perinatal Network of Monroe County (PNMC), and has worked with every agency grant and every program related role progressing to the Executive Director position.
Sherita's focus fueled by HBN's mission is to ensure every parent has the education, information, and support needed to have a healthy baby born into a nurturing home. Her work centers on Black families and the racial health and birth disparities surrounding pregnancy. She's affectionately known as, "The Baby Lady", for simply, "Saying the THING" in kindness, and crafting innovative interventions based in listening to consumer lived expertise and collaborating to improve the systems we work within to provide care. She believes in the skills of bringing everyone impacted by an issue together to decommission barriers, and that the elimination of racial health and birth disparities is possible with the right collaborators and strategies; if we work with our entire community until we succeed. Each of our lives, and those of our descendants depends on it; for Babies, their Parents, and our entire Community.

Dr. Cuyler received her medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, where she also completed her Internal Medicine residency. A fellow of the American College of Physicians and an Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society member she is co-founder and past president of Black Physicians Network of Greater Rochester—a 501(c)3 nonprofit agency dedicated to addressing healthcare disparities.

Dr. Cuyler serves on the boards of the Rochester Area Community Foundation and the Community Technology Assessment Advisory Board at Common Ground Health. She is co-chair of the UR Black Alumni Network and is a member of both the University of Rochester Diversity Advisory Council and Rochester Network Leadership Cabinet. 

She remains active with teaching, mentoring, and holds a voluntary faculty appointment as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Rochester and has served as a faculty advisor for the GE National Medical Fellowship Program.

Dr. Cuyler has received numerous awards for service including the 2017 UR Presidential Diversity Award, the 2017 Gerhard Neighborhood Outreach Center Award for Outstanding Community Service, and the 2019 Top 20 Women in White Coats Award.

Dr. Cuyler currently lives in Rochester with her husband. She enjoys focusing on preventive care, countering health disparities, holistic community empowerment, and devoting time to her faith, family, and friends.

Dr. Cuyler received her medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, where she also completed her Internal Medicine residency. A fellow of the American College of Physicians and an Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society member she is co-founder and past president of Black Physicians Network of Greater Rochester—a 501(c)3 nonprofit agency dedicated to addressing healthcare disparities.

Dr. Cuyler serves on the boards of the Rochester Area Community Foundation and the Community Technology Assessment Advisory Board at Common Ground Health. She is co-chair of the UR Black Alumni Network and is a member of both the University of Rochester Diversity Advisory Council and Rochester Network Leadership Cabinet. 

She remains active with teaching, mentoring, and holds a voluntary faculty appointment as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Rochester and has served as a faculty advisor for the GE National Medical Fellowship Program.

Dr. Cuyler has received numerous awards for service including the 2017 UR Presidential Diversity Award, the 2017 Gerhard Neighborhood Outreach Center Award for Outstanding Community Service, and the 2019 Top 20 Women in White Coats Award.

Dr. Cuyler currently lives in Rochester with her husband. She enjoys focusing on preventive care, countering health disparities, holistic community empowerment, and devoting time to her faith, family, and friends.

Having grown up on a farm with 11 siblings, Harry’s parents taught him the importance of family, hard work and community service. Those early lessons have had a lifelong impact and, having come from very modest means, Harry learned the value of public education.

After earning an undergraduate degree in Public Justice from SUNY Oswego, Harry attended the University of Buffalo, where he earned a Juris Doctor. Formerly a partner at the law firm of Blitman and King, he focused on anti-discrimination employment law, labor issues, employee benefits and litigation. Harry has lectured throughout the state on employment law and justice issues.
Firmly believing public office is a privilege granted by our community, Harry recognizes that those who are given this privilege have a responsibility to maintain the highest ethical standards. Each policy decision Harry makes is based on the foundation of this public trust.

Harry has always stood with workers and the labor community, fighting for workers’ rights for all New Yorkers. As a member of the Assembly Committee on Labor, Harry is a strong advocate for policies that will ensure good pay with benefits and safe workplaces. He helped pass into law a minimum wage increase and paid family leave program which provides 12 weeks of paid leave. He also authored the legislation that restores the constitutional intent of the prevailing wage law. These initiatives will go a long way toward ensuring hardworking New Yorkers can provide more for their families and meet the rising cost of living.

As the Chair of the Assembly Standing Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry, Harry oversees economic development and business regulation throughout New York State. Harry is committed to ensuring our investments in economic development are complimented by investments in workforce development, so our emerging and expanding industries have access to skilled workers and our families have more opportunities to succeed.

Additionally, as the Assembly’s Legislative Liaison to the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council (FLREDC), Harry is directly helping our region’s families obtain good-paying jobs by growing our local economy.
As a member of the LGBTQ community, Harry is committed to equality for all people. Harry’s work embraces and promotes the simple principle that all human beings have dignity and that no matter who you are, what you look like, who you love, how you identify or where you come from, we all deserve full equality, justice, and the opportunity to succeed.

Harry has worked tirelessly to ensure our children get the education they deserve. As a member of the Assembly Committee on Education, Harry will continue to support the success of New York’s students and educators.
Harry previously served as Chair of the Legislative Commission on Skills Development and Career Education and Chair of the Assembly’s Committee on Aging.

As a small-business owner, Harry knows that small businesses are the backbone of our economic engine. Harry is a co-owner of Equal=Grounds, a coffeehouse noted as an inclusive public meeting place and eatery in the South Wedge neighborhood of Rochester.

Harry is honored to represent the 138th Assembly District and is dedicated to helping all individuals and families in our community thrive.

Senator Brouk is the Chair of the Senate Committee of Mental Health, and has made improving access to lifesaving resources a legislative priority. To that end, she proactively finds opportunities to address the intersection of mental health with topics like education, substance abuse, criminal justice, and healthcare. She serves on the Aging, Alcoholism & Substance Abuse, Education, Elections, Health, and Women’s Issues Committees. Senator Brouk is also a Co-Chair of the Joint Senate Task Force of Opioids, Addiction, and Overdose Prevention.

In addition to her work in the New York State Senate, Brouk is a returned volunteer of the United States Peace Corps., having spent two years as a health educator in rural Guatemala. Following her return to the United States, Senator Brouk’s work in the nonprofit sector focused on organizations that protect the environment, help seniors age in place, and addressed education inequities. 

Senator Brouk and her husband Brian live in the City of Rochester.

Dr. Conyers' interest also include addressing the social determinants of health in the work towards social justice. She is passionate about increasing students from under-represented groups in nursing and, in her role as president of the Rochester Black Nurses Association, Inc., this is one of her goals.

George is a veteran of the United States Navy, where he served eleven years of Active Duty and ten years within the Naval Reserves. He was enlisted as a submarine nuclear power plant operator in 1974, and led more than 100 sailors as a Surface Warfare Officer. George served as an ROTC class officer while in the reserves. At the time of his retirement, he had risen to the rank of Commander.

Following his Navy career, George worked for IBM for nearly 30 years. While there he worked as a Client Executive dedicated to building business relationships with customers including Eastman Kodak and General Dynamics. During his time at IBM, George completed his MBA at the University of Rochester.

George is heavily involved in youth and educational programs within his district. He coaches both baseball and soccer youth teams, and is the current President of the Rochester District Youth Soccer League (RDYSL). He also works as a mentor for the First Robotics Team 2340 at Our Lady of Mercy High School.
George and his wife Margaret have lived in Webster since 1990. Their two daughters, Hanna and Emily, are currently in college.

Currently, Mr. Lightfoot serves as the Vice President of Rochester City Council, area Council Member and as Rochester's City Council Member-at-Large. He also proudly serves as the Monroe County Democratic Committee District Leader of the 25th Legislative District. Mr. Lightfoot has served on many committees. He currently holds the position as Head Chair of the Rochester Public Safety Committee and was an appointed Commissioner of the Rochester and Mourne County Racial and Structural Equity Commission (RASE); where he honorably leads its Business Development Committee.

In addition, to all of this, Mr. Lightfoot is an NYS licensed Barber and Barber Examiner. He is also an entrepreneur, and the owner and developer of a large multipurpose building and property known as, LIGHTFOOT SQUARE; where he owns and operates New Creations Barbers Unisex Shop. Mr. Lightfoot is currently the President and Founder of the United Professional Barbers and Cosmetologists Association (UPBCA). Mr. Lightfoot also founded the annual "Cut the Violence" free haircut event and the Roe Against Gun Violence Coalition. Mr. Lightfoot gracefully balances wearing all of these hats, while gratefully serving as Pastor of Prayer House Church of God By Faith, Inc.

After graduating RIT, Mary began a career in tech as a PC Repair Technician, and then as a Computer Programmer. As she grew in her corporate roles, so did the feeling that she was not serving a higher purpose.

During this time Mary began studying social justice, and joined service-oriented organizations such as the Red Cross Disaster Action Team and the Blessed Sacrament Social Justice Team. She was a founding member of the Monroe Village Farmers' Market, and eventually left her corporate career to become the Assistant Director of Saint Peter’s Soup Kitchen on Brown Street.

Mary has spent time working with children in deeply impoverished areas of Guatemala City with Camino Seguro. She has worked for the Catholic Family Center (CFC) in several capacities including: as a Fundraising Assistant in the Homeless and Housing Department, as a member of their IT Department, and as a member of CFC’s Antipoverty Task Force, which was the precursor to the Rochester Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI). Mary worked as a Bi-Lingual Reading Interventionist at Henry Hudson School #28 in the Rochester City School District, leaving to join City Council.

First elected in 2019, Mary is a community activist turned public servant, and was inspired to run for office after Bernie Sanders' influential 2016 presidential campaign. Mary is passionate about fighting poverty, institutional racism, housing rights, and improving the quality of life for all Rochesterians. She is active in community efforts to halt displacement and create access to quality, affordable housing as a volunteer with City Roots Land Trust and the City-Wide Tenant Union. She is a member of Mothers Out Front, a group mobilizing to preserve a livable climate and inspire bold local action to achieve a sustainable future for our children. She has served as their representative to the Police Accountability Board Alliance.

Mary seeks to increase Civic Engagement by opening up the legislative process and to "Co-Govern" with the community, seeking their input consistently.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from SUNY College at Brockport in 1973. He began a 14-year teaching career with the Pittsford School District in 1974, teaching middle-level social studies and coaching football and ice hockey.
Howard holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development at the University of Rochester.

Miguel has an extensive background in Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), organizing various efforts by building on community strengths. He has the proven ability to address community concerns and has worked collaboratively to improve the built environment, safety, access to food, neighborhood play, and other essential health-supporting activities.

Miguel is a product of the Rochester City School District and a graduate of East High school. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in philosophy at St. John Fisher College. He is a husband, father of three, and a proud Northeast Rochester resident and current Rochester City Councilmember.

Cynthia has a passion for Rochester’s children and families who are economically and socially disadvantaged.  She is committed to this population’s move from poverty to self-sufficiency by working towards 100% of the student population graduating from the Rochester City School District, being career and college ready.   

Cynthia has spent many decades as a community activist in the Rochester community on behalf of its children and families.  She began her career at the age of 19 at the FIGHT organization where she participated in voter registration drives, political campaigns, and various advocacy efforts.  Additionally, she has worked in various community-based organizations providing educational, basic needs, healthcare and substance abuse services.

Cynthia is a graduate of Monroe Community College with an Associate’s in Liberal Arts, a Bachelor’s in Business Management from St. John Fisher College, a Master’s in Public Administration from SUNY Brockport and a Masters of Arts in Human and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University.  Additionally, Cynthia will be reenrolling at Fielding to complete her dissertation in African American Political Leadership and its impact on the poor in Rochester New York.

Cynthia enjoys reading, music and traveling. She has lived in the Rochester community for approximately 50 years. 

She holds an Associate’s degree in liberal arts from MCC and a Bachelor’s degree from St. John Fisher College in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations and a minor in Economics. She is a graduate of LLDP (formerly known as the Hispanic Leadership Development Program through United Way) as well as The Latino Alliance Political Academy.

LeBron works at Rochester Regional Health as a Community Health Worker and as the Coordinator for the Children’s Leadership Training Institute (CLTI) through the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) of Greater Rochester. She is actively involved in the community and is the elected leader of the Democratic Committee’s 25th Legislative District. Beatriz is passionate about serving others with a particular focus on disadvantage communities and works to ensure they have advocacy, linkages to resources and that they are provided support.

Mitch met Tom Ferraro, the founder and Executive Director of Foodlink, in 2008, and began working with him on addressing the root causes of hunger in the greater Rochester area. Since then, Mitch has become Foodlink’s Chief Program Officer and has helped develop and implement some of the most effective public health, anti-poverty programs in the region, including: Curbside Market, Lexington Ave. Urban Farm, and a culinary job training program. This worked prompted Governor Cuomo to appoint Mitch to his Council on Hunger and Food Policy.

While at Foodlink, Mitch decided to delve deeper into the historical causes of food inequality in urban areas. Mitch completed a PhD in history from the University of Rochester in 2016. His dissertation, “The Degradation of the Food Retail Landscape,” examines the history of the food retail trade in Rochester and the role city, state, and federal governments can play in creating a more equitable food system.

Mitch and his wife, Amy, were married at the Rochester Public Market in 2016 and have owned and lived in a house in the Susan B. Anthony neighborhood since 2014. He is excited to bring a public health lens to Rochester City Council and is honored to serve the city he loves.

Prior to his appointment to the Council, Michael was an elected member of the Monroe County Legislature where he served as the Legislator for the 29th Legislative District.

Michael has been active in social justice and political causes and was a past member of the Metro Justice Council and served as its Social Action Chair.
He is a lifelong City resident and attended Rochester public schools. He is married and has three children.