Uncrowned Community Builders

We are updating Ms. Hubbard-Robinson's biography, but have retained the original bio that she submitted in 2002. The purpose of this historic archive is to document the histories of community builders and to allow for updates and changes that take place over the years.

Rita Hubbard-Robinson, the CEO of NeuWater & Associates, LLC, has been committed to the improvement of health and social determinants of health for over 30 years. Currently, under contract with Millennium Collaborative Care, a NYS Medicaid reform project, she works with community based organizations in WNY to connect individuals to healthcare and wellness services. Formerly the Director of Institutional Advancement at the Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) Foundation, she was the organizer of the Farmer's Market at Grider, an innovative project focusing on making fresh fruits and vegetables and wellness activities available in the Delavan Grider community in Buffalo, NY. Ms. Hubbard-Robinson was also ECMC's lead person with the Great Lakes Health System of Western New York in coordinating community outreach initiatives. She is the host of the Millennium Health Matters Radio Show and was also the co-host of the weekly Great Lakes Health Radio Show. Highlights of Ms. Hubbard-Robinson work include: Coordination of the Mobile Mammography Coach which in its first two and a half years of operation, provided screenings for over 4,000 women and saved eight lives. She has instituted ""pathways to healthcare career programs"" like, the ECMC Healthcare Professions Conference for middle schoolers, from 2009-2015 offering 200 Buffalo Public School students, each year, an opportunity to learn about the healthcare professions. Also to her credit, Ms. Hubbard-Robinson coordinated the first of its kind at ECMC, seven successful summer youth internship programs teaching over 550 Western New York high school youth the fundamentals of being successful in a healthcare workplace. She is the former Executive Director to the Commission on Citizens' Rights and Community Relations, charged with improving civil rights and community relations in the City of Buffalo through projects, including overseeing police training for the improvement of police/community relations. The successful organizer of five annual citywide Race and Reconciliation Conferences, Rita has worked with local, state and federal law enforcement, block clubs, community centers, schools, area colleges and the university, to develop partnerships that have enhanced community services in the Buffalo area.

Committed to community health and development, Rita Hubbard-Robinson has been the co-chair of the ""Let's Get Moving"" Health Symposium, charged with educating the community about health, nutrition and fitness. She is a diversity trainer and has presented keynote addresses for various collegiate and community groups. She is the former Executive Director of Preventionfocus, the largest county substance abuse prevention agency- where Teenfocus and Supper Club for Girls were life skills and substance abuse/pregnancy prevention programs that were very successful in assisting youth in making good life decisions; former Project Director of UB School, College University Partnership - where educational and life skills development were the focus of the school/college dropout prevention program; former Project Director of UB Liberty Partnership program - also educational, experiential and life skills development - dropout prevention program; and former Director Urban Revitalization Task Force - NYS Assembly; Ms. Hubbard-Robinson has received various awards that include the 2015 Community Health Angel Award from the Women's Health Radio Show with Dr. Catherine Collins, the 2013 Zonta Club of Buffalo Outstanding Achievement Honor, 2012 City of Buffalo Black History Month Certificate of Achievement in Healthcare, 2011 Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Buffalo Chapter - Community Service Award, 2010 Unlimited Possibilities Overcoming Poverty Ministry, Inc. - Women's History Award, 2009 Buffalo Niagara Human Resources Association - Community Volunteer Award, 2009 Black Achievers in Industry Award, the Minority Bar Association of WNY, Inc. 2008 Community Service Award for her innovative ECMC Summer Youth Program, the 2008 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Social Justice Award from NYS Senator Antoine Thompson, the Professional Award in June 2004 from the Buffalo Chapter of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs; and the 2000 Executive of the Year Award from the YWCA of Western New York. Rita Hubbard-Robinson is a member of the Leadership Buffalo Class of 2009.

Bringing over 30 years of experience, Rita Hubbard-Robinson of NeuWater & Associates, LLC can provide leadership, insight and networking with regard to the target population; program implementation/development, and community relations in the prevention of Teen Pregnancy in the City of Buffalo.



Original Biography - 2002

Rita is a graduate of the University at Buffalo Law School and received a Jurisdoctor Degree. She completed undergraduate work at the State University at Binghamton, Harpur College where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree majoring in history. She is currently the Executive Director of the Commission on Citizens' Rights and Community Relations for the City of Buffalo and has held this position since 2000. In this position she is responsible for the administration of the human rights commission, an eleven-member group of volunteers. She previously served as the Executive Director of Preventionfocus, Inc., a community-based agency that served more than 20,000 constituents, including parents, women, adolescents and children.

Prior to Preventionfocus, Rita held positions as the Project Director of the University at Buffalo School, College, University Partnership Program; Associate Director of the University at Buffalo Liberty Partnership Program; Executive Director of the New York State Assembly, Urban Revitalization Task Force; Community Educator and Instructor at the University at Buffalo Institute for CBO Education and Training; Academic Coordinator at the University at Buffalo, Educational Opportunity Program; and Administrative Assistant at the University at Buffalo Learning Center.

Rita is an active community volunteer serving as a member of the Resource Council; Chair, Human Development Committee of the Fruitbelt Task Force; Board Member of the Survivor's Break the Silence; and Langston Hughes Cultural Institute, Development Team member. Past memberships include: Parent Member of the Olmsted School-Based Management Team; Coordinator of Concerned Citizen's Against Violence Coalition; Board member of Housing Assistance Center; the Langston Hughes Cultural Institute; Bethel Head Start and Special Admission Committee, Faculty of Law and Jurisprudence. She also served as the coordinator of the Issues Convention, Uplifting African American Male Youth in 1989 and was an advisor/trainer for the Parent's Committee for an Effective Education.

She is a recipient of the YWCA Executive Award, June 2000; Who's Who Among Business Executives and Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. She has partnered with numerous community groups and organizations, e.g., the Sister to Sister Conference for teenage girls, to promote community betterment and empowerment of young people.