Executive Director - Megan McNally
Megan is the co-founder of The Foundry. She graduated from Barnard College with a degree in Environmental Policy, has worked on green building construction sites across the country, and gained experience in woodworking at Yestermorrow Design/Build School. She moved back to Buffalo to run a woodworking business from 2011-2014 and is passionate about supporting women and people of color in "non-traditional" career pathways. She is active in Big Brothers Big Sisters and encourages everyone to consider mentorship. She has been the recipient of Women Who Move The City Award, BizJournal's 30 under 30 Award, Protege of The Year from University at Buffalo’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and one of the finalists in the Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo Centennial Awards.
Leadership Team
Education Director - Amina Boyd
Amina is a well rounded creative and educator who loves hands-on learning and exploration. She comes to The Foundry with a significant background in K-12 education, media production and screen-printing, and a passion to support youth of color in career exploration. She loves working with people of all ages to help them uncover their untapped potential and is excited to help cultivate more creatives and entrepreneurs within The Foundry. She develops our interactive, maker-focused curriculum to support students in afterschool as well as in our workforce development training opportunities.
Development Director - Laurie Ousley
Laurie joined The Foundry team in the Fall of 2023 as Development Director. She has an extensive background in education, having taught English at both the college and high school levels. Her not-for-profit experience comes as a board member for local nonprofits, including many years at Gardens Buffalo Niagara. She has a deep passion for creating positive change, and is excited to harness that passion in her new role and contribute to our mission!
Operations Manager - Jennifer L.S. Weber
Jennifer brings 25+ years of non-profit experience working in Community Relations, PR/Marketing, Fundraising/Development, Event Planning and Volunteer Management to her role at The Foundry. In her spare time she serves as a volunteer on several boards, dabbles in community theater productions and blogs and writes at All Things Jennifer.
Business Development Director - Tamara Zantell
Tamara and her daughter were one of the first tenants at The Foundry - after many years of hard work, she helped her daughter turn her business idea into a million-dollar brand Zandra Beauty. Together or separately, they have been featured on AOL, ESPN, Netflix, USA TODAY, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Black Enterprise, Nightline, Today Show, and more. Tamara is the founder of Raising A Mogul, a worldwide community that supports parents in nurturing the next generation of leaders, influencers, philanthropists, and entrepreneurs. In addition, she co-founded Legacy Brand Creators, LLC, a boutique brand development, marketing, and publishing agency. She is a mother to five. And has consistently been a champion and instructor of our Youth Entrepreneurship Programs.
Staff
Youth Program & Wood Instructor - Paul Borden
Paul retired from a job as a production manager for a cabinet company and has more than 30 years experience in the building trades as a carpenter, project manager, and aging in place specialist. His goal is to live simply and sustainably and to pursue new knowledge, while reading about mysticism, mythology, and psychology. He loves nature and has devoted himself to greenwood work in making hand-carved spoons and handmade chairs. Paul enjoys working with people of all ages and is always trying to meet and engage with individuals from many different backgrounds. Born and raised in the Philadelphia area, he has lived in Western New York for over 35 years. Paul began volunteering at the Foundry in 2015 and looks forward to many more years ahead.
Makerspace Manager - Emma Brittain-Hardy
Emma wears many hats in our organization and community. Along with being the Makerspace manager she is a teaching artist and small business tenant at the Foundry. On any given day you may see her working on her own pottery or sculptures, supervising Open Maker Hours, teaching classes in the tech or textile lab, or helping with our youth programs. She loves everything related to art and tinkering, she jokes that she "collects hobbies". Emma is always willing to learn more and also to share her own knowledge.
FoundryMade Manager - Drew Brotz
Drew joined The Foundry nearly two years ago as a volunteer and metal shop safety instructor to share his passion for metal work, specifically welding and fabrication, with those who also wish to learn. In Drew’s continual pursuit for improving his craft and deepening his skill set, he desires to create a space that encourages collaborative learning.
Product Development Assistant - Toni Jones
Toni Jones is dedicated to supporting her community, firmly embracing the ethos of entrepreneurship, characterized by experimentation, resource utilization, and pushing boundaries of creativity. She has been actively involved in community service since the age of 12, offering her expertise in Fashion and Textile Technology while also possessing versatility in various domains.
Digital Fabrication Instructor - Michele Mirabella
Michele is a printmaker, graphic designer, and a continuous collector of knowledge; who uses art to connect with their community. They are an advocate for social justice and inclusive art spaces; which they seek to continue at The Foundry through recognition that everyone truly is creative with untapped potential. Outside The Foundry, their work can be found at MMDesign716 or mmdesign716.com
Youth Entrepreneurship Pipeline Coordinator - Paige Williams
Paige has a background in business administration and entrepreneurship and brings a unique perspective to empower and inspire young minds. Her experience working with children of all ages and backgrounds, coupled with a genuine passion for art and crafting, fuels her commitment to helping our youth grow and thrive. Paige is the co-owner of Made 2 Make It, a custom apparel company.
We also have many great contract instructors and volunteers - we’ll be listing them soon!
Page Updated 3/2024