JOSH PADUANO has joined ABC Creative in its content department. In his new role, Paduano will be managing social media for all ABC clients, using his creativity and writing skills to give them an edge in a competitive space. He’ll also be lending his professional talents to influencer outreach and public relations at ABC. Paduano graduated from Le Moyne College with a degree in communications. 

JOHN STEINMETZ has joined Bergmann as a principal planner in its Northeast Buildings Group. He brings nearly 27 years of experience working as a community planner and visionary to Bergmann. In his new role, Steinmetz will support projects in the architecture, engineering, and planning firm’s Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, Southern Tier, greater Philadelphia, and eastern Pennsylvania regions. Steinmetz previously founded his own planning practice and has held positions with several firms and the City of Rochester. His portfolio consists of a wide range of planning and community-development projects including comprehensive plans, regulatory updates, farmland-protection plans, active transportation studies, and waterfront and downtown-revitalization efforts. Steinmetz was inducted into the prestigious College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners (FAICP) in 2020. He holds a bachelor’s degree in city planning from the University of Virginia. He has also studied urban studies and public policy at the University at Buffalo as well as public administration at SUNY Brockport.

PAUL MCSHEE recently joined Symphoria, the nonprofit professional orchestra of Central New York, as its youth orchestra music director. He will be directing Symphoria’s youth orchestras, which give students with a passion for music an opportunity to develop their skills, refine their musicianship, and cultivate an overall appreciation for excellence in music with other similarly interested students. Students receive coaching from Symphoria musicians, masterclasses with selected guest artists, and a side-by-side performance experience with Symphoria musicians. McShee is currently the assistant professor of orchestral studies at Binghamton University. He has guest conducted many orchestras, including the Baltimore Symphony and the London Paradisal Players.

DONNA VICKERS has also recently joined Symphoria as full-time marketing coordinator. She is tasked with continuing to expand audience awareness about what Symphoria brings to Central New York and the arts community. Prior to moving to Syracuse in 2020, Vickers spent several years as a band director. She holds a master’s degree from Le Moyne College in arts administration, and a bachelor’s degree in music education. Vickers served as the graduate assistant for the arts administration program at Le Moyne, which helped prepare her for her role at Symphoria.

OCTAVIO MÁS-AROCAS was recently appointed as the new music director at the Clinton Symphony Orchestra. An award-winning conductor, Más-Arocas is director of orchestras and professor of orchestral conducting at the Michigan State University College of Music, serves as music director and conductor of the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra in Ohio, is principal conductor of the Marquette Symphony Orchestra in Michigan, and is conductor-in-residence at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in California. Más-Arocas has conducted orchestras across North America, South America, and Europe and has taught workshops and masterclasses in the U.S., Portugal, Brazil, and Spain. He is currently on the faculty of the Cabrillo Festival Conducting Workshop and the Ithaca International Conducting Masterclass. Más-Arocas was guest conductor for the Clinton Symphony Orchestra’s (CSO) last concert in October 2019. He returned to conduct the CSO’s Oct. 3 concert for the first time as the CSO music director. 

MICHELLE SMITH and COURTNEY MINER recently joined Masonic Care Community (MCC) as new staff members on its marketing and development team.

As MCC’s development manager, Smith will help build awareness for the Masonic Care Community’s philanthropic mission, programming, and resources. She brings over 18 years of experience to her role, having held positions with Madison-Oneida BOCES Continuing Education, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and The Central Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired. Her background includes program development, event management, marketing and communications, as well as health-care education. Smith holds a bachelor’s degree from Morrisville State College and a master’s degree from SUNY Oswego.

As MCC’s marketing and development coordinator, Miner will support marketing, communications, philanthropy, social media, and graphic design for MCC. She has a strong background in digital media, graphic design, photography, and videography. Prior to her position with the MCC, Miner served in the U.S. Marine Corps as the lead graphics specialist and platoon sergeant with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Communications, Strategy, and Operations.

ROBYN SMITH was appointed as community investments and partnerships manager at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield for its Central New York region. Her responsibilities in this role include overseeing strategic investments with the goal of improving access to care, advancing specific health outcomes, and supporting similarly mission-driven organizations in the region. Prior to her new position, Smith worked at the Central New York Community Foundation since 2013, where she ascended to the role of director of strategic initiatives and managed the organization’s grant process and selection, among several other duties.

MEGAN WAGNER-FLYNN was appointed as director of early learning strategy at the Early Childhood Alliance (ECA), a coalition of community stakeholders with a shared vision for a more coordinated and strategic early childhood system. In her new role, Wagner-Flynn will lead, engage, and provide support to the diverse cross section of stakeholders working to improve the accessibility, affordability, and quality of childcare in Onondaga County. She will develop and advance an early learning and childcare advocacy agenda; partner with local, state, and national organizations to raise early childhood issues to the forefront and increase investment in priority areas; and promote and support the work of the Child Care Quality Improvement (CCQI) Pilot in partnership with Child Care Solutions. Wagner-Flynn most recently served as the Snow Fellow in nonprofit management at the Central New York Community Foundation. Prior to the fellowship, she served as senior program officer for the Gifford Foundation, working closely with grant applicants and recipients to ensure effective use of the foundation’s resources and to build the capacity of nonprofit organization in Central New York. A Central New York native, Wagner-Flynn earned her undergraduate degree in sociology at the SUNY Geneseo and her master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

SAMANTHA (SAM) MERITHEW, who was most recently the assistant store manager at the Tops located at 119 West Seneca St. in Manlius, has been promoted to the position of store manager at Tops’ DeWitt location. Merithew started her career in 2008 as a cashier for P&C Food Markets. She has held several positions over the years in several stores including customer-service manager and assistant store manager. Merithew was most recently assigned to temporarily assist with overseeing the Tops store in Sherrill. 

MIKE MCGRAW was recently promoted to senior advisor at Strategic Financial Services, Inc., an independent, Central New York–based wealth-management firm, In this role, McGraw will be responsible for managing new and current client relationships, as well as providing leadership to the Strategic advisory team. He recently celebrated his 10-year anniversary with Strategic Financial Services.