People
Munirah Ali
Prior to becoming ETECH's Founder and board President, Ms. Ali served as the Senator of the School of Education at SUNY Buffalo State through the Graduate Student Association. Ms. Ali's professional experience includes over 16 years in child-care and childhood education, instruction, community engagement, tutoring, management and leadership roles. Upon returning to her hometown of Buffalo, NY with her two children, Ms. Ali earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees from SUNY Buffalo State College in English Literature and Adult Education, respectively. While at SUNY Buffalo State, Ms. Ali received the President's recognition for community engagement, the Dr. Joan Rosso award for overcoming significant adversity while in pursuit of scholarship, and the Graduate schools' Diversity Fellowship. Ms. Ali also served on the planning committee for SUNY Buffalo State College's 150th Anniversary. In commitment to being a lifelong learner, Ms. Ali has become a graduate of the University of Buffalo's Center for Entrepreneur Leadership as an emerging minority and woman entrepreneur '22 and is currently seeking her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership at D'Youville University. As an educational professional, Ms. Ali has a passion for serving students from diverse backgrounds, a commitment to equity and social justice, as well as a resilience and persistence when faced with challenges that may hinder said passions.
Dr. Kevin J. Miller
Dr. Kevin J. Miller, Ed.D. has over 30 years' experience in the field of education. As a proud member of ETECH's founding board, his professional experiences include child-care worker/counselor, program coordinator at treatment facility for individuals with neurological impairments, bus aide, teacher aide, special education teacher. Dr. Miller has served as a teacher educator at West Virginia University, St. Bonaventure University, University of Central Florida, and Buffalo State College. He has served as
chair of the Exceptional Education Department and is the current Dean of The Graduate School at Buffalo State College. Dr. Miller has an extensive history of professional service and leadership at national, state, and community levels. He has also led several federally funded research and personnel preparation projects to increase the number of diverse well-prepared general and special educators to effectively work with students with disabilities in high need schools and promote the use of high-leverage evidence-based practices to facilitate student achievement. Dr. Miller is passionate about equitable educational opportunities for youth in the City of Buffalo.
Jonathon Ling
Jonathon Ling is an associate attorney at Cannon Heyman & Weiss. He focuses his practice on affordable housing, community development law, public and private financing transactions, municipal finance and low-income tax credits. Jonathon earned his law degree from University at Buffalo School of Law. During law school, Jonathon was the Treasurer of the Black Law Students Association, the President of the Law and Finance Society and a research assistant. Jonathon graduated in 2016 with a concentration in Economic Development.
Before moving to Buffalo, Jonathon built a large start-up agricultural business in Central New York. Under his management the startup farm became profitable in its fifth year. While growing the multispecies operation, Jonathon and his partner also made strategic investments in small businesses throughout New York State.
Jonathon currently also sits on the boards of the Broadway Fillmore Neighborhood Housing Services.
Sabu Adeyola
Sabu Adeyola brings to ETECH's founding board a wealth of experience in community engagement and board membership. Mr. Adeyola is a military veteran, whom we honor for his time, dedication, and commitment to our nation. His areas of expertise include
education, counseling, religion and ethnomusicology. Mr. Adeyola holds a degree in Education MSEd. Mr. Adeyola currently serves in the capacity as a Professor of Music at the University of Buffalo, Assistant Imam at the Islamic Cultural Center of Niagara Falls, Chaplain & Spiritual Advisor, and Professional musician as a member of the Colored Musicians Club of Buffalo. Mr. Adeyola also serves his community as a board member of CMC and the Langston Hughes Center of Buffalo. He believes the future of nations is inextricably linked to the education that youth receive. Our children are our future leaders. Children live what they learn and learn what they live, so we hope to create children who are leaders in the fields of engineering and technology!
Lisa Hicks
Lisa Hicks is the Director of Development for The City of Buffalo as well as the owner for Engineering For Kids Buffalo. Since arriving in the City of Buffalo from her hometown of Toronto, Ontario, Mrs. Hicks has contributed to the successful completion of new-build, adaptive reuse and historic tax credit real estate development projects. Her skill set includes expertise in CRE financial modelling, project budgeting and tracking, construction project accounting, CRE project management, municipal affairs, small business assistance and economic development.
Mrs. Hicks holds a Bachelor's degree from McMaster University and a Master's in Real Estate Development from SUNY University at Buffalo. She is a board member at The Exchange at Beverly Gray and the Broadway Market. When not giving back to the community through civic engagement and making sure students don't miss a chance to explore STEM, Mrs. Hicks enjoys spending time with her family and travelling.
Molly Gallagher
Molly Gallagher brings over 15 years of experience working with children in a variety of capacities. As a proud member of ETECH's founding board, her professional experiences include being a youth director for the Niagara Falls YMCA, high school educator in Buffalo, coordinator of staff and curriculum development for BOCES and an adjunct instructor for Trocaire College. She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees from Niagara University in Special and Childhood Education and Literacy Instruction.
Through her work as an ELA representative on the NYS Office of Standards and Instruction and collaborations with educators across the WNY region, Mrs. Gallagher continues to cultivate her passion as a lifelong learner that strives for equitable educational practices and opportunities for all students in each step of their educational path and in life.
Javier Mejia
As the founding Executive Vice President of Finance for ETECH, Javier Mejia currently works as a Grants and Contracts Analyst at a local law firm in the city of Buffalo. Providing an opportunity for students that yields educational growth is a significant aspect he encourages in his leadership. Mr. Mejia brings to the founding ETECH board experience as a bookkeeper and contract analyst with creative problem solving. Mr. Mejia also currently serves as the Vice President for Finance for the Graduate Student Association at SUNY Buffalo State College. His speciality is in economics and finance. Mr. Mejia believes that the community needs divergent thinkers and people who aren't afraid to be the change we need in our community.
Mike Broderick
Mike brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our community at Engineering & Technology Academy of Distinction Charter School. Mike has spent 20+ years in formal education and has served as the Director of Operations, Director of Guidance, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid and Athletic Director during his career. In 2013 he opened an Independent Educational Consultancy in a part-time capacity. There, he began to help families navigate the complex processes surrounding both University and Secondary School applications. While doing this he found his passion. Most recently, Mike served as the Founding Director of Operations at The Buffalo Creek Academy Charter School (Buffalo, NY). In the Fall of 2021 he decided it was time to retire from the hustle and bustle of the formal school building and take his long time side hustle full time becoming the first franchisee of Advantage College Planning, headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.
In his free time Mike likes to spend time with his family. He is an avid reader, skier and enjoys his daily walk through Delaware Park and Hoyt Lake.