William T. O’Connell, Esq

Executive Director

oconnell@wnyhomeless.org

Bill O’Connell was named Director and sole employee of the Erie County Commission on Homelessness in January of 2000. Since that time, he has overseen the growth of the Commission encompassing its incorporation as the Homeless Alliance of Western New York and growing staffing to its present level. During this time the Homeless Alliance has helped secure over 50 million dollars in competitive grant funding for the community, written a 10-Year Plan to End Long-Term Homelessness (PRISM), helped raise the profile of homelessness in Erie County, increased membership and involvement, and facilitated the emergence of the Buffalo Area Services Network (BAS-Net).

Bill is a graduate of the University at Buffalo School of Law and John Carroll University. Before his work at the Alliance, Bill was a public policy coordinator for the Hunger Action Network of New York State in Albany where he worked on campaigns to increase funds for emergency food providers, summer meal programs, and against punitive welfare reform proposals. Mr. O’Connell has been a long-time advocate for low-income persons, having also served as a low-income organizer in New York City.

Mr. O’Connell is a past board member of the Diocese of Buffalo Diocesan Service Corps, a present Commissioner for the City of Buffalo Living Wage Commission, and serves on the Community Services Funding Board of the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County. He has volunteered regularly with a number of organizations including Friends of the Night People and Compeer.

Joelle Ruettimann

HMIS BAS-Net Coordinator

ruettimann@wnyhomeless.org

Joelle Ruettimann received her bachelor’s degree from Niagara University in 2006, majoring in Political Science. She recently received her master’s degree in May of 2009 in Urban and Regional Planning with a specialization in Community Development and Urban Management from the University at Buffalo.

In college, Joelle worked as a policy analyst intern for Southeast Works and was introduced to the world of social service nonprofits. Joelle also has experience in community planning as she worked as a research assistant with the Center for Urban Studies and as the Assistant Director for the Elmwood Village Association while working on her master’s degree.

Joelle has had a long passion of housing related issues, focusing her undergraduate prospectus on housing as a fundamental right and an independent study on welfare, rights, and housing laws. She is currently the Chair of the Homebuyer’s Club, a subcommittee of the West Side Housing Partnership.

Irene Pijuan

Continnum of Care Coordinator

pijuan@wnyhomeless.org

Irene Pijuan received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Miami in 2006, double majoring in Political Science and English Literature. She graduated from the University at Buffalo Law School in May of 2009.

In college, Irene served as a Guardian Ad Litem for the 11th Judicial Circuit of Miami-Dade County, appearing as a court-appointed advocate for abused, displaced, or neglected children in juvenile court. While in law school, she completed an internship at the Children’s Legal Center in Buffalo and volunteered in New Orleans providing legal assistance to local attorneys as part of continuing Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts.

During her last year of law school Irene worked as a law clerk on the Homeless Task Force of Neighborhood Legal Services and enjoyed active involvement on the Education Committee of the Western New York Coalition for the Homeless, highlighted by her participation on the Ending Homelessness: A Symposium in Buffalo, America’s Second-Poorest City Steering Committee in 2008.

Rebecca Landseadel

HMIS Bas-Net Assistant

landseadel@wnyhomeless.org

Rebecca Landseadel received a Bachelor’s of Arts degree from Canisius College in May of 2010, majoring in Sociology. She also had a concentration in Child, Family, and Community Studies.

Rebecca worked throughout college as well volunteered at various non profits throughout the community. She volunteered at Hope Refugees Services in Buffalo. Rebecca also taught religious education for her church for five years. She also volunteered at the St. Vincent de Paul and Response to Love soup kitchens, as well as helped many others in need.

Rebecca became interested in housing issues during her senior year of college. She conducted a Needs Assessment for the Gloria J Parks Community Center which introduced her to the housing needs of the city of Buffalo. She is looking forward to beginning her career at the Homeless Alliance, while becoming a more prevalent face in the Buffalo homeless community.

John Morrissey

WNY AmeriCorp VISTA Service Member

morrissey@wnyhomeless.org

John Morrissey recently graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, focusing on the developing world, and History.

In college, John interned at the International Institute of Buffalo.  There he worked both as a para-legal for the largest pro-bono immigration law firm in the region and helped resettle refugees in the Western New York area.  This served as his introduction into the non-profit sector and heavily influenced his decision to apply to the Homeless Alliance.

Serving the community through Western New York AmeriCorp VISTA, John will work for the Homeless Alliance for the coming year before applying to law school or Masters programs in history and secondary education.