MSW grad elected to UB Alumni Association board

The UB Alumni Association Board of Directors has elected six alumni to serve two-year terms. The group represents the interests of more than 300,000 graduates around the globe. 

Six additional board members have been appointed to represent each of the constituent associations, including the Dental Alumni Association, Law Alumni Association, School of Management Alumni Association, the Graduate School of Education Alumni Association, the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Alumni Association and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Alumni Association.

“We are thrilled to welcome a total of 12 new board members to the UB Alumni Association Board of Directors,” says Joseph Stefko, PhD ’03, MA ’99, BA ’97, president of the UB Alumni Association. “Each of these individuals represents important skillsets, attributes and experiences that are valuable for the UB Alumni Association and the university. I am excited to work with them to represent our 300,000 alumni in 150 countries around the globe.”

Joining the board are: 

William “Bill” Bohen, PhD ’17, MA ’02, BA ’01, of Buffalo. A school principal in the Williamsville Central School District, Bohen has held several positions in the field of education in Western New York. He serves as president of the UB Graduate School of Education Alumni Association, and joins the UBAA board as a liaison to the Graduate School of Education Alumni Association.

Sudha Bommidi, MBA ’07, of East Amherst. Chief operating officer of RPCI Oncology PC, and senior executive director of the Roswell Park Care Network, Bommidi is responsible for overall operations, administration, finances and human resources of the Roswell Park Care Network. She serves as president of the UB School of Management Alumni Association and is a board member of the Harvard Business School Club of Buffalo. She has received the School of Management’s Achievement Award for Service to the school, as well as alumnus of the year from its Career Resource Center. Bommidi joins the UBAA board as a liaison to the School of Management Alumni Association.

Rob Brucato, JD ’90, BA ’87, of Buffalo. Brucato opened Counsel Press’ Buffalo Office in 1992 and has managed it continuously since then. He serves as president of the UB School of Law Alumni Association and co-chair of the Bar Association of Erie County’s Appellate Practice Committee. He joins the UBAA board as a liaison to the School of Law Alumni Association.

Jennifer M. Carlson, MSW ’94, of Buffalo. Carlson serves as director of clinical development for the Sheridan Medical Group, a primary care medical practice serving the Buffalo community. Her UB degree in social work enabled her to develop a novel model for embedding behavioral health services into a medical setting. Carlson supervises a team of behavioral specialists who address the psychological, social and emotional needs of patients to support good health and well-being. She is also a clinical associate professor with UB Family Medicine in the Division of Addiction Medicine, where she works with experts in a wide array of professions to advance research in addictions and safer use of medications.

Genene Crofut, DDS ’03, BS ’92, of Amherst. Crofut is founder and dentist for her general family dental practice in Getzville. She is committed to service and volunteerism, most recently completing her two-year term as the UB Dental Alumni Association president. She is very involved in the annual Buffalo Niagara Dental Meeting that brings together dental practitioners, professionals, staff and alumni for continuing education and reunion in support of UB’s dental school and the community. Crofut also holds a BS in physical therapy from UB. She joins the UBAA board as a liaison to the Dental Alumni Association.

Devon L. Dee-Mbappe, MA ’07, BA ’03, of Washington, D.C. Dee-Mbappe is a speech-language pathologist and assistive technology specialist who focuses on speech and language intervention, assessments and consultations, as well as assistive technology intervention and evaluations for students with challenges in reading, math, writing and communication.  She offers training to individuals who are neurodivergent with a variety of functional communication difficulties and executive functioning challenges. While a UB student, Dee-Mbappe was a leader in numerous organizations, including the Black Student Union, Residence Life, Student Life and the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

Donna M. Manion, BA ’94, of Hoboken, N.J. Executive director of operations and personnel for the firm Cahill, Gordon & Reindel LLP, Manion manages the firm’s business affairs and administrative systems and is an adviser to its executive committee. She also advises firm management on strategic planning and formerly served as Cahill’s director of legal recruiting and personnel.

Durval Morgan, MS ’08, BS ’08, of Brooklyn, N.Y. Morgan began working as head athletic trainer at Physicians of Brooklyn in 2014, assigned to Lehman College. In this role he oversees daily operations of the college’s sports medicine program, responsible for the prevention, immediate care and rehabilitation for 250 student athletes in all 18 varsity sports programs. Morgan is a member of the National Athletic Trainer’s Association (NATA), the Eastern Athletic Trainer’s Association and the New York State Athletic Trainer’s Association. He serves as a mentor within the Ethnic Diversity Advisory Committee of NATA, where he mentors several up-and-coming athletic trainers. Durval has been instrumental in creating and organizing the UB SOUL brunches and 2022 Homecoming Reunion.

Sylvia H. Regalla, MD ’75, BA ’70, of Buffalo. Regalla has practiced internal medicine for more than 25 years in the Buffalo community. In addition to her role as adjunct professor of nutrition at the Northeast College of Health Sciences, she is also an adjunct professor of nutrition at Maryland University of Integrative Health and Notre Dame of Maryland University. She specializes in functional medicine, nutritional medicine and nutrigenomics. Regalla is a past president of the Medical Alumni Association (2012), current emeritus member of the Medical Alumni Association, governing board (since 2007) and is co-founder of UB DoctHERS Network at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She previously served as a director of the UB Alumni Association and on the Scholarship Committee. Regalla joins the UBAA board as a liaison to the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Alumni Association.

Annika R. Samuels, MBA ’06, BS ’03, of Buffalo. Samuels is director of diversity and inclusion at National Fuel Gas Distribution Company, a position she has held since 2020. In this role, she champions development of the company’s initiatives in diversifying the employee group, supplier group, and internal and external communication. As a student, she was a member of the National Society of Black Engineers and the Collegiate Science Technology Entry Program. 

Briana (Bree) N. Tom, MBA ’17, BS ’17, of Buffalo. A sales engineer with Harper International, Tom works mainly in the battery, ceramics and carbon fiber space to provide unique high-temperature thermal processing solutions to her clients. She holds board positions with UB’s Engineering Alumni Association, UB’s Young Alumni Council, the American Ceramic’s Society Young Professional network and Big Brother’s Big Sister’s Young Ambassadors Board. She is also active with Camp Good Days, WNY Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and WNY Women’s Foundation. 

Jordan Walbesser, JD ’10, BS ’07, of Amherst. Walbesser is director of legal and business affairs at Mattel, where he helps develop the company’s digital gaming portfolio, AI strategy and other technology offerings. His role also includes leading legal efforts related to strategic product and brand partnerships throughout Mattel. Walbesser is an adjunct instructor in UB’s Entrepreneurship Law Clinic. He joins UBAA as liaison to the Engineering Alumni Association, where he has served since 2016, including terms as president from 2019-23 and immediate past president in 2024. UB has recognized him for his activities and dedication to service by naming him as one of the UB Law School’s Ten Most Innovative Alumni, and recognizing him as a Blackstone LaunchPad Luminary. Walbesser joins the UBAA board as a liaison to the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Alumni Association.

“Our global alumni network is powerful, impactful and provides incredible value to the university, our students, our faculty and each other. I am appreciative for the continued support, dedication and commitment from the UB Alumni Association Board of Directors, including our respective school constituent associations,” says Thomas McArthur EdM ’08, associate vice president for alumni engagement and annual giving.