Senior Staff

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CJ is an International tax manager for a top 35 CPA firm, Aprio. She has been involved with Family Promise since 2015 and has a passion for helping people in the Buffalo community. CJ has lived in the Buffalo area for her entire life and currently lives in Hamburg with her husband Kyle and dog Gus. 

Steve Blass is a Financial Service Representative for Vision Financial Group.  Steve has a Bachelors of Science in Childhood and Special Education from Daemen College and a Masters of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Medaille College. Steve brings fundraising and development skills and knowledge from previous work experiences to the board. Steve has been helping Family Promise of WNY since 2014 and on the Board since 2017.  

Kaylei Russell, CPA is the Controller at Beyond Support Network (formerly The Cantalician Center and Learning Disabilities Association of WNY).  After graduating from SUNY Fredonia with a degree in Public Accountancy, Kaylei relocated to Buffalo and is passionate about becoming involved in the local community. She is eager to use her professional experience to aid the mission of Family Promise and play a small role in making a lasting impact in the lives of others. Outside of work Kaylei enjoys hiking with her dog, cycling, kayaking and spending time with friends and family.  

Dawn is the Director of Programs at Every Person Influences Children (EPIC), an agency offering parenting, family engagement, and professional development programming.  Prior to EPIC, Dawn supervised a preventive services program for five years preventing children from foster care placement or assisting with their return back to their parent’s care.  Dawn has been working with children and families for over 17 years in different capacities.  Dawn has a Bachelors of Arts in health and human services from the University at Buffalo and a Master in Business Administration from Medaille College.  She is a Buffalo native who has a strong passion for helping others and serving her community. 

Matthew currently works for Verizon as the Senior Manager of Learning and Development. In this role, Matthew is responsible for overseeing the L&D needs for Verizon vendor partners from a national perspective. Matthew is a native of Buffalo, New York and currently resides in Amherst with his wife, Asia, and 2-year-old son, Matthew2. Matthew graduated from St John Fisher College with a degree in Business Management. Matthew is involved with serving with Buffalo Prep and is passionate about helping serve the city of Buffalo. 

Marissa Desiderio is the Senior EAP Clinician & Training Coordinator with Child & Family Services of Erie County. Prior to Child & Family Services, Marissa was a Supervisor with Say Yes to Education Buffalo and Catholic Charities. She has been working with children and families for over 15 years in various capacities. Marissa is also a clinical social worker who maintains a small private practice. 

Andrew Hahn is the Senior Executive for Northwest Investment Services division. He has a Bachelors of Science in Finance and MBA from Canisius College. Andrew is also a graduate from the Consumer Bankers Association Executive Banking School and holds multiple FINRA licenses. He is currently a committee member of Northwest’s Diversity and Inclusion Council. Andrew used to serve on the Junior Achievement board and was also co-chair of JA’s Stock Market Challenge fundraising committee. Born and raised in Western New York, Andrew currently resides in Snyder with his wife, Amy, and daughter, Sydney. 

Christian Hoffman is the Director of Communication at Community Missions in Niagara County, the largest private provider of basic human needs and of mental health services in the area. Since joining the Mission in February 2013, Mr. Hoffman has garnered unprecedented media coverage for the agency, launched several new initiatives, and helped secure hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant funding.  He resides in Cheektowaga with his wife, Toni, and two children, Elliana (6) and Jack (3). He has served on the Board of Family Promise of WNY since 2014.  

Melissa Keith is the Media Director at Abbey Mecca. Joining Abbey Mecca in 2006, Melissa has held various positions in the media department. In 2020, she was named to her current role as media director for the agency. She oversees and manages research, planning, buying & post-buy analysis for both traditional and digital advertising for agency clients. A Western New York native, Melissa has more than 15 years of experience in media management. Melissa recently graduated from the Leadership Buffalo Class of 2021 Rising Leaders. 

Danielle Maurice is a Social worker in the Erie County Court System. Prior to working in the court system, she was a preventive case worker at Say Yes to Education Buffalo and Catholic Charities.  Danielle has experience working with many marginalized populations and has worked in the child welfare system for over 10 years. Danielle believes "People appreciate and never forget that helping hand especially when times are tough." by Catherine Pulsifer. 

Michael Murak serves as a Commercial Real Estate Financing Team Lead and Senior Relationship Manager for Evans Bank.   He has been serving the WNY Community as a commercial banker for over 20 years and has been involved with multiple development projects that have helped reshape the Buffalo/ Niagara landscape.  Michael achieved an MBA from the University of Buffalo and was a graduate of the Leadership Buffalo Program.   In addition to receiving his undergraduate degree in accounting from Canisius College, he also received a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.  Michael resides in Amherst with his wife Dana (whom he “recruited” from Nashville, TN while on active duty) and their two daughters, Ava and Ella.  Michael is passionate about his faith and family which is what instantly attracted him to serving the families that temporarily reside at Family Promise of WNY.