Erie County Legislator Barbara Miller-Williams has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the Community Action Organization of Western New York (CAO). The organization, which was founded in 1965, is the official anti-poverty agency of Western New York and is known for being a leader in serving the community. The CAO’s mission is to help individuals and families achieve self-sufficiency by focusing on community health, economic empowerment, educational advancement, neighborhood revitalization and workforce development.
Legislator Miller-Williams brings a wealth of experience to the board, having served as Buffalo Common Council Member for the Ellicott District, as a Buffalo Police Officer and in the United States Army Reserve. She manages the legislature’s annual budget process in her role as Chair of the Finance and Management Committee, and was the first African-American woman to be elected as Chair of the Legislature. In addition, Legislator Miller-Williams serves on the Albright Knox Art Gallery Board of Directors, City Mission Next Century Committee and Buffalo Place Board of Directors. She holds degrees in Criminal Justice, Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration.
“I am honored to be elected to serve on the board of the Community Action Organization of Western New York,” said Miller-Williams. “The CAO is a model public agency, operating one of the most successful Head Start programs in the nation, and playing a central role in our community’s mission to combat poverty. They are responsible for the management of Erie County’s share of the federal Community Block Grant, and I look forward to using my background in government and public administration to aid them in their efforts serving the community.”
