TISH BRADY, SECRETARY
Tish Brady joined the board of Transforming Care in 2016 and currently serves as the board secretary. Tish served as the Chief Operating Officer of Catholic Charities in Buffalo, NY for 18 years, until her retirement in 2018. In that capacity, Tish was credited with the expansion of the range of services to families. Through her efforts, Catholic Charities was awarded the administration of the Women's Infants and Children's Nutritional Program (WIC) for Erie and Chautauqua's Counties. Tish obtained a grant to introduce new methods and strategies to support families of Alzheimer's patients. Tish's areas of expertise include clinical behavioral health, innovative program design, organizational management, partnerships with federal, state, and local entities, outcomes identification and delivery, contract negotiation, and service delivery compliance. Tish is a graduate of Leadership Buffalo and was named one of Buffalo Business's First Most Influential Women. Tish has been actively involved in her community, serving on the Town of Brant Planning Board, chair of the DeVeau Scholarship Fund of Niagara University, a member of the Whiting Foundation and the New York State Council of Family and Child Care Agencies. Tish is active in her Episcopalian Faith Community. She is the mother of two adult sons.
MAGGIE BUCKLEY, CO-FOUNDER
Maggie Buckley is a co-founder of Transforming Care. For many years, she worked as a School Psychologist in an urban school district while completing a Ph.D. in Human Development, studying development within a broad cultural context, with particular emphasis on examining the ideologies that impact our systems of care for individuals with disabilities. Maggie uses her personal, professional, and educational experience to facilitate Transforming Care’s Intentional Communities of Care Work Group. She served on the Board of Parent Network in its initial year over 35 years ago. Maggie also designed and wrote grants for a respite program as part of the Bornhava Preschool, an inclusive program for preschool students with disabilities. She has authored two book chapters, From risk to resilience: Promoting positive family adaptation through Self Determination in Mental Health and Wellness Supports for Youth with IDD and Where Do Families Turn: Adults with Disabilities in a Care(less) Culture in Driving social innovation: How unexpected leadership is transforming society. (2022). Maggie is the parent of two adult daughters. Her daughter Carly has Down syndrome.
TASHAWN FAISON
Tashawn Faison chairs the Fundraising and Resource Development Committee. Tashawn joined the board in 2018. She has a bachelor’s degree in information technology as well as several IT certificates. Tashawn is currently an Account Relations Manager with a nonprofit fundraising CRM software company. She is active in the church and community with memberships in the Buffalo Urban League, the Buffalo Urban League Young Professionals, the NAACP, and the Junior League. Tashawn serves as support parent volunteer/advocate at the WNY Parent to Parent Network. Tashawn has two young adult sons; her youngest has a developmental disability.
PAUL CESANA, CO-FOUNDER & CHAIR
Paul Cesana co-founded Transforming Care and became the Board Chair in 2016. Paul holds an LMSW and a Certificate in Mental Health service Administration. He has extensive experience in the field of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Paul served as the Executive Director of the Resource Center, the largest agency serving people with developmental disabilities in Chautauqua County NY. Paul's leadership at the Resource Center for over twenty years allowed the agency to thrive in always changing and sometimes threatening funding and regulatory environments. Paul's knowledge, skill, and expertise in all areas including program design, implementation, regulations, and funding intricacies is awe inspiring. Paul's management style and very real concern for others were a constant source of inspiration for the Resource Center staff. Additionally, Paul was actively committed to several organizations including but not limited to past president of the Board of the New York State Rehabilitation Association, a member of the Executive Committee of the American Conference of Community Supports and Employment Services and the ARC of USA National Council of executive Directors. Paul is active in the Episcopalian Faith Community. He is the father of two adult sons.
ROWAN KETCHUM, TREASURER
Rowan Ketchum joined the Transforming Care Board as Treasurer at the start of 2019 with over a year of prior board experience for another small local 501(c)(3) that serves those with disabilities and special needs. He is a Certified Public Accountant and works as a Supervising Tax Senior at LVBW Accountants and Consultants. Growing up in a small rural town near Rochester, Rowan was raised as a Christian and served his church as drummer for the youth group’s worship team.
BETH VANDENBERG
Beth Vandenberg is a board member and part of the Intentional Communities of Care Work Group As a life-long churchgoer and an active member in her congregation, Beth has served in positions of leadership in her own congregation and at the Presbytery level. Her knowledge of Henri Nouwen and his work with spirituality and caregiving coupled with her 43 years of experience caring for people as a clinical nurse specialist in the area of behavioral health, has encouraged her commitment to the development of Intentional care communities in the Buffalo, NY area. Her personal relationships with friends and family have heightened her awareness of the importance of a broad network of support and concern for the development and growth of a rich life for all people, regardless of their abilities.