Staff Leadership Team
Diane Baehre
Executive Director
Diane’s Email
Diane has been working in the developmental disability field since 1979 and joined the Empower team in 1998. She served as Chief Quality Officer before being appointed Executive Director in 2022. She has a BA in Social Work/Human Services.
Patrick Cosgrove
Chief Financial Officer
Patrick’s Email
Pat joined Empower as Accounting Manager in 2020 after many years of work in the business and finance world. He was promoted to Chief Financial Officer in 2022.
Eric DesSoye
Director of Analytics and Special Projects
Eric’s Email
With a BA and a MA in Psychology, Eric has been in the developmental disability field since 1990 and has been with Empower since 1997. Previously the Director of Community Housing, Eric took on his current role in 2016.
Mary Hoffman
Educational Services Supervisor
Mary’s Email
With a BA and MS in Education, Mary has spent her career at Empower, and specifically in Empower’s Children’s Academy. She has worked in a variety of instructional roles, working her way up to Educational Services Supervisor in 2019.
William Krayss
Director of Community Housing
William’s Email
Bill has been with Empower since 2000 and has an AA in Liberal Arts from NCCC and a BA in Human Services Management from SUNY Buffalo State. From Direct Support Professional to a variety of supervisory roles, Bill took on the role of Director of Community Housing in 2016.
Petrina Sciandra
Director of Human Resources
Petrina’s Email
Petrina joined Empower as Human Resources Assistant in 2018 and was promoted to HR Manager in 2020. During that time, she earned an MBA. She was promoted to Director of Human Resources in 2022.
Kim Kiely
Director of Job Training & Day Programs
Kim’s Email
Kim has been with Empower since 1990 and has been in the developmental disability field since 1979. Kim has a BS in education with a specialization in therapeutic recreation, and an MS in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Empower Board of Directors
Thomas J. Caserta, Jr., Esq.
Attorney-at-Law
Kevin Burgess, LMSW, First Vice President
Lead Social Worker
Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center
Daniel Vitch, Second Vice President
Community Advocate
Stanley Fera, Treasurer
Branch Manager
KeyBank
Russell J. Petrozzi, Corresponding Secretary
Owner
Capitol Cleaners
Robin Warren, Self-Advocate Board Representative
Yvonne Anderson
Family Advocate/Executive Assistant, WTS (retired)
James D’Angelo
Educator, Educational Administrator and Student Teacher Supervisor (Retired)
Robert DiFrancesco
Principal
Niagara Catholic and Niagara Falls High Schools (Retired)
Alice Kozen, PhD
Associate Professor of Education
Niagara University
Olivia Linke
Community Affairs Director
Univera Healthcare
Noelle McCoy
Program Manager
Leadership Niagara
Donald Napoleon
Owner
VSCO, Inc.
Richard Sawicki, DPM
Doctor of Podiatry
Empower Foundation Board of Directors
Donald Napoleon, Chair
Owner
VSCO, Inc.
Charles Dieteman
Student
Niagara University
Eric McGuire
Controller
TM Montante Development
Robert O’Leary
Vice President
Parkview Health Services, LLC