Mary K serves as the Director of Health Initiatives at the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County. In this capacity, she develops the organization’s maternal infant health and early learning & development strategies, focused on families with children under 5. Mary K coordinates the Starting Line Healthy Births and Thrive by 5 Coalitions and represents United Way on various health and early learning related councils. She has nearly 35 years with United Way, previously having worked for the United Way of Eastern Fairfield County, Bridgeport, CT as Vice President of Campaign and as a Senior Associate for Orange County’s United Way in Irvine, California. Mary K. received her BA in Psychology from the State University of New York at Geneseo and an MBA Certificate from the University of Buffalo, School of Management. She currently serves as a board member for the Western New York Integrated Care Collaborative and NYS Breastfeeding Coalition. She also participates as a member of the NY Coalition for Doula Access Medicaid Implementation team, Erie County Live Well Children’s Workgroup, and University at Buffalo Clinical & Translational Science Advisory Board. Mary K received the Buffalo News 2007 Founders Award for her work in launching the Family Justice Center, a one-stop center for victims of domestic violence and their children, the 2019 Business First Excellence in Health Care Award, 2023 Buffalo Prenatal Perinatal Network Caregiver Award and 2024 Kyle Hennicke Health Child Care Resource Network.