100 years – A century of fighting for women’s rights, yet the battle isn’t over

March Meeting

100 years – a century of fighting for women’s rights, yet the battle isn’t over.

Business and Professional Women of Buffalo was formed 100 years ago by strong-minded women seeking to improve conditions for women across Western New York and the country. While our mission to make a difference for powerful women personally, professionally and politically has not changed – our name has. Now New York State Women, Inc. we still make a difference for powerful women personally, professionally and politically.

March is Women’s History Month and each year the Buffalo Niagara Chapter of NYS Women, Inc. celebrates the milestones we’ve made and reminds us of the challenges we still face. Our event is at the 21^st Century Club in downtown Buffalo, considered one of the oldest private women’s clubs in the country.  

Take a step back with us while looking to the future. Join other like-minded women as we recount our historic past and plan our future.

Lori Quigley, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Medialle College, joins us as our keynote speaker to discuss the role women have played in making needed changes and the road ahead. She will talk about the challenges facing all women in our diverse nation and actions we may take to keep us moving toward a common goal. As always, we support powerful women personally, professionally and politically.

Dr. Lori V. Quigley is the Vice President for Academic Affairs and chief academic officer at Medaille College in Buffalo, NY.  She earned her bachelor of arts from St. Bonaventure University, and her master’s and Ph.D. from Fordham University. She grew up on the Allegany territory of the Seneca Nation of Indians and is a member of the wolf clan.

Lori’s academic leadership roles have involved articulating a vision for the future and building a culture of intellectual excitement to shape centers of excellence and distinction by establishing a diversified portfolio of programs.  Her research interests include second language acquisition, culturally relevant pedagogy, learning community theory and multigenerational trauma. In her work, Lori focuses a great deal of energy on the development and sustainability of programs that are socially just, culturally responsive, and aggressively seek to serve all students.

Throughout her career, Lori has been afforded the opportunity to extend her expertise and talents to help her Native community revitalize and maintain their indigenous language.  This past October, Lori was elected to the Board of Directors for the National Indian Education Association (NIEA). In May 2006, she chaired the 13^th Annual Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Symposium in Buffalo, NY.  She served as the topical issue editor of the Rural Special Education Quarterly (Spring 2006), which featured several research-based articles on Native American students with special needs, including an article which she authored entitled Weaving Common Threads, focusing on the critical importance of culturally responsive pedagogy.  In addition, she has been the principal writer for several grants targeted at Native education initiatives, totaling nearly $4 million in funded awards.

Currently, Lori serves on the boards of the YWCA of Erie County, Health Sciences Charter School in Buffalo. Lori held a gubernatorial appointment on the NYS Minority Health Council from 2010-2017. In 2004, Lori received a U.S. Presidential appointment to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education, of which she served as Chairperson until June 2010. In May 2006, Lori was awarded the prestigious State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Research and Scholarship, and in January 2008, she was honored by the National Federation of Just Communities with the Community Leader in Education Award. In July 2007, Lori received the Hackman Residency Award from the NYS Archives, enabling her to research the history and sociological impact of the former Thomas Indian School.  The documentary Unseen Tears: The Impact of Native American Residential Boarding Schools, in which she served as an advisor on the project, was released in December 2009. In 2016, Lori received a Bundled Arrow Award from the Native American Community Services for her many contributions to the Native communities in WNY.

Location: 20th Century Club

Time: 5:30pm Networking/6:00pm Dinner

Cost: $40