BUFFALO, NY – The Canisius University Board of Trustees appointed three new members to fill outgoing positions. The new members will each serve three-year terms, which became effective on July 1, 2025. The Canisius University Board of Trustees formulates and recommends policy to Canisius University President Steve Stoute. The new Board of Trustees members are:
Chris Kelly ’83, of Cleveland, OH. Kelly is a partner at the law firm of Jones Day, and the newly appointed board chair of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Kelly is a returning member of the Canisius University Board of Trustees. He earned a BA in political science and business from Canisius and a juris doctor from Duke University.
Joseph Lombardo ’00, of Buffalo. Lombardo is head of M&T Equipment Finance Group. He holds a BS in finance from Canisius and an MBA from the University of Michigan.
Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker ’82, of Buffalo. Perez-Bode Dedecker is the retired president and chief executive officer of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. She received her BA from Canisius University and her MS in education from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Brian M. Murphy ’95 will continue to serve as chair of the Canisius University Board of Trustees for the 2025-26 year. Cindy Skrzycki ’76 was recently elected to a three-year term as vice chair. Robert L. Baumet, Canisius University’s vice president for finance and administration, is treasurer of the Board of Trustees. Cecelia R. Gotham ’13, MS ’15, chief of staff for President Steve Stoute, is secretary. Jeff Bogart '93, president of the Canisius University Alumni Association, is an ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees.
Canisius was founded in 1870 in Buffalo, NY, and is one of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S. Consistently ranked among the top institutions in the Northeast, Canisius offers undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional programs distinguished by close student-faculty collaboration, mentoring and an emphasis on ethical, purpose-driven leadership.
