BNMC Staff

Matthew K. Enstice Executive Director

Matt is Executive Director of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. He has been with the BNMC since its creation in 2001, when he assumed a leadership position. At the time, Matt was a consultant with Niagara Consulting Group, a Western New York firm with a focus on urban planning and healthcare. Before that, through his position with Niagara Falls Redevelopment LLC, Matt managed the Fixed Base Operations at the Niagara Falls International Airport, and oversaw the Niagara Falls Civic and Convention Center.

Prior to returning home to Buffalo in 1998, Matt worked in the entertainment industry, first in Los Angeles and then in New York City. He was a production assistant for Broadway Pictures, working on the movie Lassie, and a production coordinator with Saturday Night Live.

Matt holds a B.A. in English from Hobart College and a Master of Business Administration from Canisius College. He is currently active as a board and founding member of the South Buffalo Charter School, and serves on the boards of the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation, Amherst Chamber of Commerce, Elmwood Franklin School, and the Downtown Neighborhood Development Inc.

Matt is married and lives in Snyder, NY, with his wife Jessica, daughter Molly, and son Tommy.

Contact Matt at menstice@bnmc.org.

Michael J. Ball, AICP Director of Planning and Implementation

Mike is Director of Planning and Implementation for the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, and is primarily responsible for managing infrastructure/streetscape projects, the BNMC design review process, campus-wide wellness programs, a public art program, and any planning-related activities. He is also project director for the Healthy Communities Initiative (HCI), a project funded by the Active Living by Design program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Prior to joining the BNMC in 2004, he earned planning and economic development experience in both the public and private sectors, working most recently as Senior Project Planner for the Erie County Industrial Development Agency (ECIDA). Prior to that, Mike was a Senior Project Associate with the Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation (BERC).

Mike received his B.A. in Political Science and Urban Studies from Canisius College, and his Master of Urban Planning with a Certificate of Specialization in Economic Development Planning from the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Regional Planning. He is a professional planner and a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), a past section director and current member of the executive committee for the WNY Section of the American Planning Association. Mike is also involved in a number of volunteer/community groups such as the Pro Zoo Board of the Buffalo Zoo where he serves as President and New Millennium Group, Inc. where he serves as a board member.

Mike lives in North Buffalo with his wife Jennifer, daughter Morgan and son Justin.

Contact Mike at mball@bnmc.org.

Kari Root Bonaro Director of Communications and Government Affairs

Kari joined the BNMC as Director of Communications and Government Affairs in August 2007. In this role, she works with staff to develop and implement strategy at local, state, and federal levels regarding funding and policy change priorities for the Campus and manages the media relations, branding, marketing, and other public affairs activities of the BNMC. Kari joins the BNMC after serving as the interim Director of Communications for New York University’s Child Study Center, where she worked to increase national public awareness and education of children’s mental health, market the Center’s clinical and research programs, and expand its national and local media coverage

She was previously a partner in the Washington, D.C.-based firm Polidais, where she provided media strategy, issues management, and legislative affairs services to clients in the fields of health care, science, and technological innovation. Prior to that, Kari was an associate at Burness Communications, providing communications consultation to non-profits focused on health policy and research, health care quality, children’s health, and the uninsured. She also managed public affairs for AcademyHealth, an international health policy and health services research center.

Kari holds a B.S. in Magazine Studies from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She lives in Buffalo with her husband Paul.

Contact Kari at kbonaro@bnmc.org

Mark M. McGovern Project Manager

Mark joined the BNMC in June of 2006. A lifelong resident of the Southern Tier, he previously worked for a large general contracting firm, the L.C. Whitford Co. Inc. of Wellsville, NY. As the Landscape Superintendent, he was responsible for the design and implementation of dozens of commercial landscape projects ranging from corporate offices in Alpharetta, GA to the RiverWalk Plaza in Wellsville, NY. Prior to joining the L.C. Whitford Company he worked for a Landscape Architect in Ithaca, NY.

Mark received his A.A.S. in Landscape Development from Alfred State College and has a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Alfred University. He is also a graduate of the University at Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Planning where he received his Masters of Urban Planning. While at UB, he was a Graduate Assistant at the Institute for Local Governance and Regional Growth involved in research and analysis for the Institute’s Regional Knowledge Network as well as the application of Geographic Information Systems to various projects.

Mark lives in Buffalo with his daughter Lily and is a member of the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and the Olmsted Parks Conservancy. He is also a member of the Western New York Chapter of the American Planning Association.

Contact Mark at mmcgovern@bnmc.org.

Carl F. Smukall Director of Finance

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