Meet Our Team

Emere Nieves comes from the Cold Springs neighborhood in Buffalo NY. She is a wife and mother to 3 young children and a blossoming business woman. In 2018, she founded Gardeness Inc., a regenerative, organic garden care company that provides subscription services to the landscapes of residents and businesses throughout WNY. Gardeness is striving to increase biodiversity in every landscape by restoring soil health and gardening with native plants. Our mission is to move past sustainability, and become the region’s premier regenerative, organic garden care company and be stewards of environmental justice.

Her prior professional gardening experience includes training community gardeners at Grassroots Gardens of WNY and working at the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, managing their large public gardens. She completed the CCE Master Gardener training in 2014 and is certified in Organic Gardening through Cornell. In 2020 she became an Accredited Organic Land Care Professional(s) (AOLCP) through CT NOFA and employees get certified too. Emere received her bachelor's degree in Physical

Geography and Environmental Science from SUNY Buffalo State College and is a Buffalo Seminary and Buffalo Prep alumni. Emere Nieves is also a real estate investor in Buffalo NY. In her free time, she helps several organizations as a volunteer public educator on regenerative and sustainable land management combined with urban agriculture.

Cindi is the CEO of Peaceprints of WNY, a prominent Buffalo-based reentry organization. Her work focuses on justice-impacted individuals, including men, women, youth, and their families. Cindi's team aims to raise awareness about mass incarceration and mass supervision, and to combat the school-to-prison pipeline in Buffalo. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University at Buffalo (2008) and an

MBA from Medaille University (2010).

In 2022, Cindi was elected to the Buffalo Board of Education as the North District representative and currently serves as the board’s vice president. She is also on the executive board of the Erie County School Board Association and the Advisory Board for the Buffalo Education Opportunity Center. Additionally, Cindi is the president-elect on the board of directors for Homespace Inc., and vice-chair for nonprofit Every Bottom Covered. She chaired the Erie County Corrections Specialist Advisory Board and is set for reappointment in June. Cindi has served as president of the Junior League of Buffalo and chaired the 2023 Decorators’ Show House. Cindi also teaches as an adjunct professor at both the University at Buffalo and Villa Maria College.

Cindi has two adult daughters, Emilee and Lily and in her spare time, she enjoys gardening and exercising and has set a goal to run a half marathon in every state.

Bonnie is an accomplished business leader, organizational strategist, and educator with extensive experience in executive leadership, strategic planning, business development, and performance improvement. With a career spanning corporate, nonprofit, entrepreneurial, and academic environments, she brings a unique ability to bridge theory and practice—helping organizations strengthen operations, develop leaders, and achieve sustainable growth.

As President of Fourth Form Consulting, Inc., she leads strategic initiatives for clients across diverse sectors, including global technology providers, public education entities, logistics and transportation firms, energy solutions, property management companies, and emerging start-ups. Her consulting work includes strategic direction and planning, organizational assessments, leadership training, financial and operational systems development, process design, meeting facilitation, and customized problem-solving to enhance organizational effectiveness.

Her previous leadership roles include serving as Director of Operations at Blue Cardinal Capital, where she oversaw company-wide systems for investor relations, workforce recruitment and onboarding, contractor efficiency, financial reporting, project management, legal compliance, and partnership development. Earlier, as Executive Director at Toca Travel, she pioneered the integration of psychology into experiential travel planning, developed international vendor networks, evaluated operational software systems, and built internship and mentoring programs that supported emerging professionals.

She has also served as an independent consultant, advising Western New York organizations on business process development, technology integration, internet strategy, and employee performance systems. Her work includes social media strategy for nonprofits, business plans for software start-ups, and retention-focused employee incentive programs.

In addition to her organizational work, she is a dedicated educator and facilitator. She has created and delivered leadership workshops, business consulting experiences, and strategic management trainings for college students and professionals, including serving as a guest lecturer at Buffalo State University. She also designs experiential learning opportunities that guide students through real-world organizational challenges.

Her educational background includes a PsyD in Human & Organizational Psychology (in progress), an M.S. in Psychology (Honors), graduate study in informatics, and a B.S. in Marketing and Management. Complementing her professional work, she is a certified yoga instructor and breathwork coach who teaches wellness practices in studios, corporate settings, and private environments.

Matt is currently employed with the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, assigned to the Forestry Division. He assists with the greenhouses and other rehabilitation programs designed to help incarcerated individuals transition back into gainful employment. 

Matt helped establish the Erie County Sheriff’s Office Compost Site through the County's Environment and Planning Department which resulted in a reduction of food waste being sent to landfills. 

Matt served over six years in the US Navy and was assigned to the USNS Zeus (T-ARC 7), Pearl Harbor Submarine Base and traveled extensively during his service.

In his free time Matt enjoys camping with friends, gardening and working on some hobbies.

Cameron Kukla is an accomplished banking professional currently serving as Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager II at NBT Bank’s North Buffalo branch. With a robust background in retail banking and mortgage lending, Cameron has consistently demonstrated a commitment to fostering strong client relationships and driving financial growth. His leadership is characterized by a focus on team development and community engagement, ensuring that both clients and team members thrive under his guidance.

Beyond his professional responsibilities, Cameron is deeply invested in community service. He actively participates in initiatives with organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo, supporting programs that empower youth through music and education. Additionally, Cameron volunteers with the University at Buffalo’s Alumni Engagement Department, contributing to events that connect past and future graduates, thereby strengthening the university’s community network. His dedication to community involvement underscores his belief in the importance of giving back and fostering connections that extend beyond the workplace.

Jennifer is a seasoned Stewardship Manager at the Kaleida Health Foundation and the Golisano Children’s Hospital Foundation (GCH), where she plays a supportive role in raising funds for cutting-edge technology, groundbreaking research, and life-changing programs across Kaleida Health’s network of hospitals and long-term care facilities. The Foundations fundraising work also extends to recruiting and training top healthcare professionals, providing best outcomes for patients and ensuring access to care in underserved Western New York communities. She is pivotal in stewarding relationships with individual and corporate donors, as well as community, business, and healthcare leaders. With seven years of experience working closely with the Board of Directors at both Foundations, Jennifer has been instrumental in deepening engagement and fostering long-term relationships that are essential for the continued growth and success of the organization. 

Her dedication for improving the health and well-being of her fellow neighbors of WNY, where she was born and raised, drives her commitment to making a positive impact in her community. Beyond her professional work, Jennifer is a devoted advocate for mental health and passionate about the therapeutic benefits of gardening. She believes in the power of nature to offer respite and healing, particularly in urban environments where access to green space is limited. Through her involvement with Home Beneath Our Feet, she combines her professional expertise in fundraising with her personal interests of improving mental health, educating the younger generations about the many benefits of sustainable gardening and working in local communities to address food insecurity.

Jennifer earned her bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo, graduating magna cum laude. She is actively involved in the gardening community as a member of the prestigious Open Gardens of WNY, a participant in the Williamsville/Amherst Garden Walk and affiliated with the Williamsville Beautification Committee. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys connecting with nature, gardening, and spending time with her two nieces and dog.

Bradford Robert Watts, a lifelong Buffalo resident, serves as Associate Vice President of Advocacy Services in the Public Affairs Department at People Inc. For more than 18 years, he has advanced diversity, equity, inclusion, and community relations across Western New York. A graduate of South Park High School, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting and a Master’s Degree in Communication from Buffalo State College through multidisciplinary studies at the University at Buffalo. He has also served as a lecturer and adjunct professor at Buffalo State College and Erie Community College, and worked in broadcast journalism as a videographer with Channel 7 News.

Bradford’s leadership extends far beyond his professional career. He is a former Chair Emeritus of The Parent Network of WNY and of the National Federation for Just Communities of WNY, and has served as a board member of the Buffalo Urban League. Locally, he is President of the North Parade MLK Dream Zone West 1 Block Club, collaborates with the NAACP and civic groups on stability initiatives, and volunteers with numerous organizations to strengthen communities.

A servant leader, Bradford is also a community chaplain and co-associate pastor alongside his wife, Wanda, at Dayspring Church of God of Prophecy in Buffalo. He is known for his ability to connect with people from all walks of life, his passion for mentoring youth and families, and his dedication to uplifting others through both his career and ministry. Bradford continues to view every opportunity to serve as part of his calling to create a stronger, more inclusive Buffalo.