About Us

The Educational Technology Foundation of WNY is a "Grass roots effort to increase access and equity of technology in education especially to underserved populations." We have impacted over 80 public schools, private schools and community centers in the last five years and over 800 computers have been installed. The Educational Technology Foundation, through Ed Tech Day, has provided equity and access to over 10,000 students, teachers, and administrators. This project is a grass roots effort that relies on the Western New York community for labor and equipment without administrative overhead. The project has been successful because of local area businesses and the talented volunteers who are committed to their community as well as to education. Ed Tech Day provides equity and access to current technology for students in all geographical areas through a complete volunteer effort.

Today, technology evolves at the speed of light. Local schools, community centers and other organizations are often challenged with finding the resources and technology expertise to ensure that their students are equipped with the tools they need to learn and excel. Every four to five years computer equipment becomes obsolete and requires updating. That was this thinking of Doug Torre, Vice President of Information Technology of the Catholic Health System and Jim Cipriani, Jr., President of Systems Personnel Group, Inc in 2004 when they founded "Ed Tech Day".

"Ed Tech Day" was started in 2004 by two highly motivated individuals with the desire and ability to make a real difference in the lives of children in our communities. From this idea both computer technicians and managers, along with corporate sponsorship and individual donations, came together to upgrade schools and community centers with hundreds of computers, networking equipment and technology expertise.

In 2007 the organizers decided to formalize the program. The "Educational Technology Foundation of Western New York" was organized as a not-for-profit foundation.

What is Ed Tech Day?

One day a year, teams of volunteers go into elementary schools who are in need of technology to help better the student's education. These teams of volunteers go into elementary schools for one day to install, network and upgrade hundreds of computers, networks and servers, using equipment that is donated from companies in the Buffalo area.

Executive Board

• President - Elizabeth Schanbacher, Diocese of Buffalo, Director of Educational Technology
• Vice President - Renee Cerullo, RLComputing
• Treasurer - Kathy Cerullo, Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Deny Adelman, Working Knowledge
• Blain Saladin, PCI
• George Condoyannis, Catholic Health System
• Steve Dietz, RLComputing
• Dan Emmer, UB School of Dental Medicine
• Kent Kerr, Cooks Moving Service
• Mark Kirsch, EME Solutions
• Tae Park, Greatbach
• David Rhoads, Catholic Health System
• Jeff Ross, InfoTech Niagara
• Aaron Shackelford, Catholic Health System
• Doug Schuler
• Tommy R. Sweeney,M&T Bank Corporation
• Doug Torre - Honary Member/Founder

"Our school is very thankful to the volunteers of Ed tech Day. The 1st year our school opened we had to merge three schools equipment and set up a new network. In the past we have also have had our Smart boards set up, the computer lab rewired and a server installed. Ed Tech Day is a great day to meet people, learn something new, and know that you are helping in the education of a child." ~ Robin Boutet, Notre Dame Academy