The Canisius University Board of Trustees is the governing body of the university. Members are appointed to three-year terms. The full board meets four times per year and oversees, formulates, and recommends policy to the Canisius University president to ensure that the university fulfills its mission and purpose. As fiduciaries, they are accountable for the academic quality, strategic planning, and fiscal well-being of the university. The university's senior leadership team works closely with the board and serves as staff liaisons to the board’s committees.
Members of the Board of Trustees for 2024-2025 include:
Chair: Brian M. Murphy '95
Vice Chair: Cindy L. Odom '90, MS
Treasurer: Robert L. Baumet
Secretary: Cecelia R. Gotham '13, MS '15
JERRY G. CANADA, JR ‘86
President, Harris Healthcare Group
Niagara Falls, NY
NELSON D. CIVELLO ’67, HON ‘17, emeritus
Former President of the Fixed Income
Capital Markets Group of Dain Rauscher, Inc.
Former Director, Golden Griffin Fund, LLC
Retired Professor of Finance, Canisius
Buffalo, NY
EILEEN CROTTY SENDOR, CPA '78
Accounting Consultant, Former CFO, Hodgson Russ, LLP
Buffalo, NY
JACK J. DEMPSEY '83
Senior Advisor,
Norwest Equity Partners
Minneapolis, MN
JAMES R. DEUSCHLE '84
Retired Executive VP & CFO
Rich Products Corporation
Buffalo, NY
REV. JASON G. DOWNER '03, MS '06, SJ (ex-officio)
Superior, Canisius Jesuit Community
Buffalo, NY
NORA EBERL PLIZGA '92
Co-Owner/CFO, Eberl Iron Works, Inc.
Buffalo, NY
HON. LENORA FOOTE-BEAVERS '92
Judge, Erie County Family Court
Buffalo, NY
JESANA D. GADLEY '20
Vice President, Community Strategy and Emerging Talent
M&T Bank
Buffalo, NY
ANTHONY B. HABIB '95
President,
Pellicano's
Amherst, NY
REV. DANIEL R. J. JOYCE, S.J.
Vice President, Mission & Ministry, Saint Joseph's University
Philadelphia, PA
REV. GERALD THOMAS KRETTEK, S.J.
Visiting Associate Professor
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, IL
FRANCIS M. LAZARUS ’66, PhD, emeritus
President Emeritus, University of Dallas
Ashburn, VA
WILLIAM LORENZ JR. '09 (ex officio)
President of Alumni Association
Deputy County Clerk, Erie County Clerk's Office
Buffalo, NY
BRIAN M. MURPHY '95
Partner, Lawley Insurance
Buffalo, NY
CINDY L. ODOM ’90, MS
President & CEO, New City Kids
Grand Rapids, MI
MARGARET W. PAROSKI ’76, MD, MMM
President and CEO, Catholic Medical Partners
Buffalo, NY
CRYSTAL J. RODRIGUEZ-DABNEY, JD
Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer,
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
REV. PATRICK D. FRANCIS ROGERS, S.J.
Vice President for Mission Integration
Le Moyne College
Syracuse, NY
VINCENT GILBERT ROUX ’90, MBA
Global Head of Corporate Development
Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.
Newark, NJ
CYNTHIA L. SKRZYCKI ’76, MS
Senior Lecturer, English Department
University of Pittsburgh (Emerita)
Pittsburgh, PA
THOMAS G. SMITH '71
Retired Partner, Harter Secrest & Emery LLP
Rochester, NY
ANTHONY B. SPADA, JR ’80, MBA '87
Retired President & Chief Executive Officer
AAA Western & Central New York
Williamsville, NY
STEVE K. STOUTE (ex officio)
President, Canisius University
Buffalo, NY
TIMOTHY T. TEVENS
Retired President & CEO
Columbus McKinnon Corporation
Managing Director, T Cubed Enterprise, LLC
University Park, FL
JOYSON C. THOMAS '03
Chief Financial Officer
WhiteHorse Finance, Inc.
New Hyde Park, NY
MICHAEL J. TODARO
Executive VP and Chief Risk Officer
M&T Bank
Buffalo, NY
LAURA A. ZAEPFEL '86
Vice President, Corporate Relations
Uniland Development Company
Amherst, NY
JARRETT A. ZIELINSKI '02
President & CEO
Torq Energy Logistics Ltd
Calgary, AB