Shatorah Roberson Joins as VP, Strategic Communications & Advocacy

The John R. Oishei Foundation has named Shatorah Roberson Vice President of Strategic Communications and Advocacy, a newly created leadership position that strengthens the Foundation’s mission through impact communications, narrative change, and advocacy.

Roberson will join the Foundation’s leadership team and report to President Christina Orsi. In her new role, she will lead the Foundation’s communications strategy,  public voice, and develop  a strategy for advocacy and policy– an emerging area of work for Oishei, as it deepens its focus on changing systems and building financial prosperity for a racially just, vibrant Buffalo-Niagara region.

“Creating this role reflects an important evolution in how we think about what it takes to achieve our mission,” said Christina Orsi, President of the Oishei Foundation. “Communications can influence how people understand an issue. Advocacy can help address the policies, practices, and systems that shape opportunity,” she said. “Shatorah brings tremendous experience connecting those pieces, and, just as importantly, she brings a deep connection to Buffalo and a commitment to listening to and working alongside the community.” 

Roberson brings more than a decade of experience spanning civil rights advocacy, public policy, government, and economic development. Most recently, she served as Senior Policy Counsel for Digital Justice Initiatives and Racial Equity at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in Washington, D.C., where she led federal civil rights policy for racial equity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and emerging technologies. Her work there included advising Congressional offices, drafting legislation, responding to proposed regulatory and agency changes, and coordinating cross-sector coalitions around exigent civil rights issues. 

Her career has also included serving as Managing Policy Advisor at Tesla and as Chief Diversity Officer for the City of Buffalo, where she led initiatives focused on economic equity, equitable contracting, workforce development, and community partnerships. Earlier in her career, Roberson served as Director of Development for the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences. 

For Roberson, the opportunity also represents a return home. She is from Buffalo's East Side, and attended high school in Buffalo’s suburbs, an experience she says has shaped both her career and her understanding of how systems affect people’s ability to access opportunity. “I’m drawn to work that is focused on impact, work that is willing to look at the systems behind the challenges we see and ask what it will actually take to change them,” Roberson said. “I’m excited to listen, to learn, and to work alongside people who have not always felt heard. I want communications and advocacy at Oishei to help create real pathways for change, and ultimately, help people see more opportunities for themselves and their communities.”

In her new role, Roberson will work across the Foundation and with community partners to develop what she calls impact communications, a strategy that is designed to influence all levels of the community while advancing strategic, community-driven goals. She will also help shape the Foundation’s emerging advocacy strategy, which includes leveraging tools such as  public policy, coalitions, and narrative to support enduring systems change. 

Roberson earned a Juris Doctor, Master of Social Work, and a bachelor’s degree from the University at  Buffalo. She is a member of the New York State Bar.

Roberson joins the Oishei Foundation in September.