MIKE'D UP! with Mike DiCioccio

Gary serves as the President and CEO of the SPCA Serving Erie County, leading a team of nearly 120 employees and 1,900 volunteers. Gary joined the SPCA in 2016 after leading animal welfare organizations previously in Toledo, Ohio and Aiken, SC and volunteering and serving as a board member for animal welfare organizations in Florida. He had the privilege to play a role in capital campaigns leading to either new facilities, renovation of existing facilities or facility expansions in New York State, Ohio, South Carolina and Florida, as well as in construction projects in Florida in the mass transit and senior services field.

Gary was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, but lived in Florida for most of his life. His undergrad degree was in journalism and communications from the University of Mobile in Alabama. He earned a certificate in non-profit management from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, another in non-profit management from the Harvard Business School of Buffalo, as well as a graduate certificate in Gerontology and a Master’s in Public Administration from Florida Gulf Coast University.

He is a member of the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and is a board member for the New York Animal Protection Federation. Gary previously was a Rotarian in Toledo, Ohio and Aiken, SC and is a Paul Harris Fellow.

Born and raised in Lakewood, NJ Robert has always had a profound love for adventure.  Working with his father as an electrician and engineer, Robert learned from a very young age what the word "work" meant.  Always being interested he developed an interest in cameras.  Since 8 years old cameras, photography, aesthetics, interested him. Fast forward 23 years later, Robert now runs two successful companies, the first is the media production company Syslo Ventures, LLC which specializes in media production, digital video, web design, and graphic design.  The second is Interview Blueprint an online digital training course for anyone struggling to get a job.  Having worked around entrepreneurs for the previous 6 years, Robert decided it was time to develop his own company and help people the way he has always aspired to do so.  He has traveled the world as far as China and Latin America, the Caribbean and all across the US, starting in New York City where he interned for Micheal Mailer Films.

He's worked with Grant Cardone recently and now has hundreds of clients across the world, helping them develop their stories and share that story online.  In 2007, he was an early adopter on YouTube, when the platform started to take off.  For the last 16 years Robert is at the forefront of his industry and has changed digital video to become exciting, enthralling and most of all interesting to an audience.

 

Kate Glaser is a media marketing expert in the WNY region, first starting her career in television news. She spent time at both News 4 and Spectrum News Rochester + Buffalo (YNN at the time) as a live morning reporter and content producer. After many early mornings and receiving two awards for her compassionate reporting, she discovered her love for the nonprofit sector.

 

In 2011, she made the move to PR and Marketing, first at Make-A-Wish WNY and then Mercy Flight. Realizing her passion for transforming the lives of children with critical illnesses, she transitioned back to Make-A-Wish to help elevate the wish cause in her community. She is now Senior Manager of Brand + Communications at the world's leading wish-granting non-profit.

 

Kate is part of the 2015 Buffalo Business First "30 Under 30" class and she is the founder of Hope Rises News, an initiative that promotes stories of hope and love with a 50,000+ fan base. Together, with her community, she has raised more than $50,000 for nonprofits and families in need. She is a proud wife and mother of twin toddlers. Kate is also passionate about animal rescue and has three rescue dogs.

 

Her life motto is "lead with your heart and do the work that sets your soul on fire".

Del Reid became a Bills fan shortly after coming into this world, having been raised in a home that actually had a framed picture of OJ Simpson on the wall in the living room (until it came down in 1994). Del has always had a passion for bringing people together to celebrate things they share in common. As a result, he (quite accidentally) ended up co-founding the BillsMafia movement among Bills fans in social media -- which to this point is the coolest thing that has ever happened to him aside from his relationship with God, his wife, and his two awesome kids. He also is the founder of 26 Shirts, a website that sells limited edition tees to benefit local charities and families in need. To date, 26shirts.com has managed to raise and donate over $665,000 thanks to everyone who has believed in its mission, and loved its products.

Lavender Morantz has been serial entrepreneur with an obsession for personal freedom for more than 12 years. Beginning with interior design, then getting into home building, to online wellness, writing, speaking internationally and also coaching fellow entrepreneurs, Lavender inspires others to intentionally create a life they love. 

Jacki Roach is a process improvement strategist from South Buffalo, NY. Her past career in news media production combined with an MBA in Global Supply Chain Management have inspired a unique awareness of our labor environments. Jacki is a futurist, quantum science enthusiast, and lifelong learner.