Our Board of Directors

• President
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Northeastern Seminary, Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, New York
• Master of Science in Psychology , Concentration Cognitive Psychology, University of Phoenix
• Ordained Minister of American Marriage Ministries, 2012

The decision to undertake the demanding challenge of community service is the result of my aspiration to improve the quotidian of people’s lives, and I believe that Community Service is about serving this main purpose. It is toward this purpose that my keen interest in Community service and quality of life is based on. This aspiration to change people’s lives grew additionally into the form of true service and change. I therefore believe that through hard work and determinism, one can have a durable impact on this environment. As a result, I am an individual that is not afraid to be out of her comfort zone when challenges are tough. My previous experiences include the ability to understand, Analyze and quantify information. I am a confident team player with strong communication skills and have mature and polished leadership capabilities. These skills have been evident throughout my work experience, and I am proud to have always delivered the very highest levels of expertise and service.

Grace Tate

• Vice President

Grace Tate is the Vice President of Community Initiatives and Human Resources for the Buffalo Urban League (BUL). In her position with the Buffalo Urban League, Tate directs the Housing and Youth Build programs, as well as BUL’s Minority and Women’s Revolving Loan Trust Fund. Tate is a founding member of the Community Health Worker Network of Buffalo (CHWNB), and serves as a trainer for the Core Competencies and Stakeholder training. She is Vice President of the CHWNB’s Board of Directors. She also serves on the boards of the Black Leadership Commission on AIDS of Buffalo, Community Advisory Steering Committee for Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and the American Diabetes Association. Tate is the President and Board Chair of the First Shiloh Housing Corporation. As a volunteer, Tate has previously served for many years as Buffalo Urban League Guild President and a member of the Board of Directors, and on the board of St. Mary’s School for the Deaf.

Paula Kovanic Spiro, MPH, LMSW

She/Her/Hers

• Director, BRAVE
• Buffalo Rising Against Violence at ECMC
• SNUG, Site Administrator
• ECMC, Level I Trauma Center

Businessman, activist, and family man loves his community and always does the most that he can in giving back. Adel was born and raised in Buffalo, NY and his parents immigrated from Yemen at a young age, he is the eldest of six siblings. After high school he attended ECC for Business Administration, and while attending school Adel found his passion for assisting the underserved population of his community.

Adel has worked & managed his family’s businesses in the city of Buffalo for the last eighteen years. He was exposed to an underserved community and took it into his own hands to help and make a change. Mr. Munassar is currently the President of the Arab American Community Center, Arab American Business Association, was an advisor at ACCESS WNY a nonprofit organization that serves low-income families, has organized many community events such as food drives, school supplies drives, community appreciation events, and so much more. Adel has also been instrumental in assisting The Healthy Corner Store Initiative in improving access for residents which focuses on corner stores in lower-income communities. These neighborhoods often have the lowest access to healthy foods and the highest rates of diet-related disease. He has made so many strides with community members, organizations, and public officials to make sure his community is a better place for all. Adel is truly an outstanding, dedicated, and special individual and deserves to be recognized for his humanitarian work in our community.

Dr. James Lukan

Dr. James Lukan is the Surgical Director of the Vascular Access Center at the Regional Center of Excellence for Transplantation and Kidney Care, the Medical Director of Diversified Clinical Services at the ECMC Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine, and an attending staff surgeon at ECMC through the University at Buffalo Surgeons, Inc.

He is certified in vascular surgery by the American Board of Surgery and is a member of the Western New York Vascular Society. Dr. James Lukan is formerly the Director of the Trauma Institute at the University of Louisville Hospital.

An Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery and the Associate Program Director of the General Surgery Residency Program at the State University of New York at Buffalo, Dr. James Lukan has been the principal investigator on several clinical studies; the co-author of many peer-reviewed publications, abstracts, presentations, and book chapters; and an invited lecturer at grand rounds and symposia.

Mohammed Osman, born in 1989 in Sandwip, Chittagong, Bangladesh, completed his education in Bangladesh, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration. In 2012, he immigrated to the USA with his family and settled in Buffalo. It was in the same year that he ventured into the real estate industry, establishing Fortunes America Properties.

Through his company, Osman has played a pivotal role in helping numerous individuals become homeowners and fostering a sense of community in Buffalo. His efforts have focused on promoting peace, unity, and good neighborliness, particularly among the black community. Since 2014, he has been running campaigns such as “Bridge the Gap” and “Two Communities as One,” aiming to build strong bonds with the black African community and fostering peace and love among diverse community leaders.

Osman is actively involved in volunteering with various community organizations and is an esteemed member of MVP. His ultimate goal is to bring all communities together under one umbrella, fostering peace and love while advocating for the betterment of all. In addition to his real estate endeavors, Osman has spearheaded initiatives such as establishing a prayer place in Lockport and working on an international community center in Buffalo. He is also collaborating with the city to create a community graveyard.