Meet Our 2025 Nominees

Sam joined the Good Neighbors Board of Directors in 2019 and wants to continue to serve and represent the community, especially during this challenging economic era. In addition to being an avid community activist, he is a Federal Government Employee assigned to the US Small Business Administration in Buffalo, NY. He is a Community Advocate with the Greater Buffalo Niagara Sudanese Association and has participated in various clean sweep operations with the City of Buffalo. Sam drives for Uber and Lyft on some weekends to meet new people and explore the city and its surroundings, which he proudly calls home. He lives in the Town of Tonawanda with his wife and 2-year-old son.	Dave is a life long resident of Western New York and graduated from Canisius College in 2004. He has held a variety of leadership positions in the financial services and healthcare industry. Currently, he is Sr. Director of Performance Enablement at EviCore, a division of Cigna Healthcare. In this role he works with business and technology leaders to streamline operations and consolidate technology platforms. Dave lives in Elma, with his wife and two children. He enjoys golf, live music, and cooking. Dave was a member of the Good Neighbors advisory board from 2020-2022, and has been a member of the board of directors since 2022.	Before the merger with Good Neighbors Credit Union (GNCU), Jonathan served on the Board of Directors of Buffalo Cooperative Federal Credit Union (BCFCU) from 2010-2020. After the merger, he became a Board Member of our credit union. At BCFCU, Jonathan held roles as Board Member, President, and Treasurer, and is proud of his involvement in purchasing and renovating a building on the West Side, now the Buffalo branch of GNCU. From 1995-2010, Jonathan served as Board Member and President of the Lexington Cooperative Market. He is also the current Treasurer of the Buffalo Suzuki Strings. As an attorney with over 30 years of experience, Jonathan specializes in representing labor unions, not-for-profits, and cooperatives. He looks forward to continuing to serve Good Neighbors and working with the Board to enhance services for members.	Hy-Deia Elwadi, also known as Deia, is a versatile community leader, public relations professional, spoken word artist, public speaker, and marketing innovator from Rochester, N.Y. With a passion for creativity and purpose, she seamlessly blends her art with impactful community leadership. She uses her dynamic personality and skillset to connect with others. Hy-Deia combines her passion for communication with a strong academic foundation, holding a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from SUNY Brockport. Hy-Deia is an Ubuntu advocate and has competed with Buffalo's National Slam Team, "Pure Ink Poetry," using her personal experiences and societal taboos to spark conversations. Hy-Deia has been volunteering with GNCU’s Advisory Committee and Board of Directors for a year!

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