Sonya Tareke, MBA

Sonya joined the Foundation in 2025 as Manager of Administration. In this role, she advances the Foundation’s operations, fosters collaboration, provides seamless executive support, and enhances organizational effectiveness.

After moving to Buffalo more than a decade ago, Sonya has developed deep roots within Buffalo's entrepreneurial ecosystem and nonprofit network. Her approach towards racial equity and financial prosperity stems from her small business development background, primarily on the East Side of Buffalo. 

Sonya has co-lead nonprofits and community organizations like the Good Neighbor Fund, which offers accessible, nondilutive grant funding to underrepresented ideators and founders. 

Sonya is a proud alumna of the University at Buffalo, where she earned her dual Bachelor's and Master's in Business Administration. She is also an active member of the fifth cohort of the Karen Lee Spaulding Oishei Fellowship for Leaders of Color.

"'Unbought and Unbossed' are words that inspire me every morning during my East Side commute, passing The Freedom Wall in the African American Heritage Corridor. These words came from a woman who dared to challenge the status quo, as so many after her have done and continue to do. I lean on the legacies of trailblazing black women like Shirley Chisholm and Beverly Gray who remain to be powerful, local sources of inspiration for those of us dedicated to this work of creating a prosperous and equitable City of Buffalo."