Commencement Speaker Announcement

Trocaire College is pleased to announce that the December 2021 commencement speaker will be Amber Slichta ’94. Amber Slichta, a Buffalo native, joined the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation as Vice President of Programs and Learning in July 2016. In this role, she oversees the development and implementation of grantmaking strategies and collaboration within the early childhood, afterschool, caregiver, and young adults and working families program areas of the Foundation as well as learning and evaluation.

Slichta previously served as vice president at the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York, where she developed and implemented several major initiatives to improve the lives of children in poverty and vulnerable older adults. She also facilitated many key partnerships and other projects that furthered the Foundation’s mission.

Prior to joining the Health Foundation, Slichta was the executive director of HealthforAll of WNY, Inc. where she led an effort to provide insurance subsidies for the working uninsured and their employers. She also served as project manager for the State University of New York at Buffalo’s Department of Family Medicine and as communications manager and organ services coordinator at Upstate New York Transplant Services, Inc. 

As a registered nurse, Slichta has also held positions in critical care and medical surgical nursing. She received an associate degree in applied science/nursing from Trocaire College, a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Canisius College and a master’s degree in health services administration from D’Youville College.