TalentRise Assists Grassroots Gardens of WNY with Executive Director Search
September 24, 2026 – TalentRise has assisted in the recruitment of Megan Kelly as the new executive director of Grassroots Gardens of WNY. “We’re thrilled to announce Meg Kelly as the new executive director of Grassroots Gardens WNY,” the organization said. “Meg brings experience to our garden network from her work with the region’s business and entrepreneurship community, and enters her role with structured transition support from our board and outgoing executive director, Timothy Chen.”
Ms. Kelly is a Buffalo, NY-based operator and community builder with a background in helping organizations bring clarity to complex projects, strengthen internal operations, and build sustainable systems. She has supported the region’s business and entrepreneurship community through work with UB Cultivator, UVC, and BootSector. Her experience has always prioritized Buffalo and working alongside local organizations to turn ambitious ideas into practical action.
“Grassroots Gardens has built something truly special in Western New York: a network of community spaces where neighbors come together, grow, and invest in one another,” said Ms. Kelly. “I’m excited to step into this role, listen and learn from our gardeners and partners, and continue to bring the resources and green spaces that make communities stronger across our city.”
Grassroots Gardens of WNY is a dedicated group of community gardeners and activists whose mission is to share knowledge, power, and resources to grow healthy food, heal systemic harm, and strengthen neighborhood connections through community gardens. GGWNY provides strategic leadership and overall management for a community garden network and urban land trust serving more than 100 community and school gardens across Buffalo and Niagara Falls.
Founded in 2008 in Chicago, TalentRise provides executive search, interim executive placement, and talent consulting. The firm’s talent optimization model uses data-driven insights to align people and organizational strategies for optimum performance. TalentRise supports companies in nearly every vertical — retail, manufacturing, technology, financial services, healthcare, life sciences, E-commerce, and more — with custom and comprehensive talent acquisition solutions.
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As president, Peter Petrella oversees company strategy, drives growth initiatives, and enhances TalentRise’s service offerings to meet the needs of their diverse client base. He plays a critical role in the TalentRise growth plan by cultivating C-level, investor, and board of director relationships with companies looking to acquire senior leadership talent for their business. Mr. Petrella brings over 23 years of experience in a variety of business sectors including sports, healthcare, startups, scaleups, and technology. His areas of expertise include management, sales, marketing, IT, software, and strategy.
ECMC Foundation Search
Following a national professional search process, TalentRise has assisted in the recruitment of Julie R. Berrigan as executive director of ECMC Foundation in Buffalo, NY. The foundation received strong interest from a broad range of highly experienced candidates. Ms. Berrigan emerged from that process as the consensus individual to serve as the foundation’s new executive director.
Scaling Growth Through Transformative Talent
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Serving most recently as director of the NCCC Foundation, Ms. Berrigan is an accomplished development professional with over 15 years of experience in healthcare, education, and non-profit sectors across Western New York. She has successfully directed major fundraising initiatives, including a $3.7 million capital campaign for the Knopp-Hailpern Science Center at the Park School of Buffalo, increasing gala revenue at Mount St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation through strategic sponsorships and helping secure the first $1 million dollar gift for Lockport Memorial Hospital.
The ECMC Corporation was established as a New York State Public Benefit Corporation and since 2004 has included an advanced academic medical center with 573 inpatient beds, on- and off-campus health centers, more than 30 outpatient specialty care services and Terrace View, a 390-bed long-term care facility.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
