Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon announced on Thursday the selection of Adrienne Garr as the first executive director of the newly established Office of Gun Violence Prevention in the City of Buffalo.
During his State of the City address back in March, Mayor Scanlon announced an Executive Order to create the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and begin the search for the office’s executive director.
Garr will lead the city’s efforts to coordinate and expand community-based violence prevention initiatives, strengthen victim support services, and advance data-driven strategies to reduce gun violence.
"Adrienne Garr brings an exceptional record of leadership, collaboration, and results in violence prevention and community engagement," said Mayor Scanlon during Thursday's introduction ceremony at Buffalo City Hall. "Her career reflects a deep commitment to trauma-informed care, public safety, and empowering communities through evidence-based practices. I am confident that her expertise will be instrumental in shaping this new office and delivering measurable results for Buffalo’s residents. During my State of the City Address, I announced an Executive Order to establish the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and I am proud to see that vision come to life under Adrienne’s leadership."
Garr joins the City of Buffalo with more than a decade of experience in program direction, crisis intervention, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
Since 2020, Garr has served as a Social Worker at Erie County Medical Center in partnership with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, where she has led the SNUG Street Outreach program. In that role, Garr established strategic alliances with local organizations, expanded victim advocacy, developed community engagement events, and implemented trauma-informed case management for high-risk individuals.
"My good friend, Adrienne Garr, has dedicated her career to saving lives and eradicating the scourge of gun violence in our community, and I’m confident she will bring this passion and energy to her new role as Executive Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention," said Masten District Councilwoman Zeneta Everhart, who was instrumental in the creation of the city's Office of Gun Violence Prevention. "We both grew up on the East Side of Buffalo, attended grammar school together, and saw firsthand how guns have impacted neighborhoods. Who knew decades later that we’d be in this fight together. As Education Trainer and Facilitator with the SNUG Street Outreach program, Garr has established herself as an indispensable community leader in violence prevention. Through community engagement, victim advocacy, and building alliances with local organizations, Garr has helped deliver historic progress on public safety, with Buffalo recording some of the lowest levels of gun violence seen in decades."
In addition to her role at ECMC, Garr has served as a SNUG Education Trainer/Facilitator, delivering standardized training on behavioral development, motivational interviewing, and evaluation metrics to employees across New York State.
Her previous leadership positions include Clinical Manager at Aurora House Community Residence and Program Coordinator at EPIC (Every Person Influences Children), where she oversaw multimillion-dollar budgets, expanded programming, and implemented data-driven improvements in service delivery.
"I am excited to bring my years of social work, community violence intervention experience, skills and knowledge to the City of Buffalo to establish this office in service to the residents of Buffalo. Everyone deserves to live in a safe community," Garr said Thursday.
Garr holds a Master of Social Work from the University at Buffalo and a Bachelor of Arts in Individualized Studies from Buffalo State College, with a concentration in Political Science, Environment and Society. She is a Licensed Master Social Worker and a Certified Compassion Fatigue Professional.
The Office of Gun Violence Prevention will focus on building partnerships across government, nonprofits, law enforcement, and community organizations; implementing data-informed strategies; securing grant funding; and ensuring that prevention and intervention resources reach the neighborhoods that need them most.
Garr began her role as executive director on Oct. 1.
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