Nicole VanGorder to Serve as Chair
(Rochester, NY) October 3, 2025 – WXXI Public Media has elected new leaders to its Board of Trustees. Nicole VanGorder, formerly Vice Chair, was elected Chair of the Board. She takes over for David Tang, Partner, Underberg & Kessler, who completed his term. Ajamu Kitwana was elected Vice Chair & Treasurer, while Robert Attardo continues as Secretary.
Nicole VanGorder (pictured), the youngest chair in WXXI’s history, serves as Chief Operating Officer at Rivent Partners, overseeing all day-to-day operations and new client engagements. Rivent Partners is a comprehensive financial planning group that specializes in working with families caring for an individual with disabilities.
She has been featured in the Money section of US News & World Report, Financial Advisor Magazine (online), the WXXI documentary A Good Life (2022), the Rochester Business Journal, and the Democrat & Chronicle. She is a 2014 Rochester Business Journal 40 Under 40 recipient, the 2017 Distinguished Volunteer Service Award honoree for her work with the Mental Health Association, and the 2020 Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce IGNITE Future Leaders Award winner.
Ajamu Kitwana is the Senior VP/Director, Community Impact at ESL Federal Credit Union. He supports ESL’s mission to share its financial success and reinvest in our community. Kitwana leads ESL’s Community Impact team and its commitment to collaboration to build a healthy, resilient, and equitable Greater Rochester community. To achieve this vision, Kitwana and the Community Impact team manage key initiatives of expanding individual opportunity, building strong neighborhoods, and strengthening organizations and systems. He also oversees the ESL Charitable Foundation as its Executive Director. The Foundation provides grants to many community initiatives driving meaningful and measurable change in the Great Rochester area.
Robert Attardo is the General Counsel at LaBella Associates, an architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting business. Attardo manages a legal department responsible for all aspects of LaBella’s legal affairs, supporting its rapid growth across the United States and internationally. He also serves as a strategic advisor to the Board of Directors and executive leadership and as a Vice President of the firm. In addition, Attardo serves on the committee that developed and runs Propel, LaBella’s leadership development program, where he teaches public speaking and time management. He also presents a monthly Legal Lunch & Learn series on a variety of legal and business topics.
WXXI is also pleased to announce several new trustees to its board. They are:
- Andrew Brady, President & Chief Evolutionary Officer, The XLR8 Team
- William Kalish, Partner, Brown, Gruttadaro & Prato
- Christina Heyon Lee, Global Education Coordinator, MCC
- Peter Messner, Retired, Messner Flooring
- Aqua Porter, Executive Director, RMAPI
- Kristian Walker, Associate General Counsel, ESL Federal Credit Union
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WXXI is the essential, life-long educational public media resource that engages, inspires and strengthens our community. WXXI also operates the iconic Little Theatre and CITY Magazine. Visit www.wxxi.org for more information about our services and programs