February 18, 2020, BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Taste of Buffalo presented by Tops today announced that Erin Collins, senior content marketing manager at Gelia, has been elected chair of the festival's board of directors. She will lead planning efforts for the 37^th annual event, which takes place on July 11 and 12 along Delaware Avenue and Niagara Square in downtown Buffalo.

Collins joined the board in 2008 and has served as chair of the event’s communications committee for the past seven years. In that role, she led a team of fellow marketing communications professionals and oversaw all marketing, advertising, public relations, and social media for the organization.

“For more than three decades, the Taste of Buffalo has been one of Western New York's most beloved events – showcasing our city's fabulous restaurants and attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors to the heart of downtown each July,” said Collins. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside my fellow volunteer board members, an incredible team of people who are passionate about Buffalo and everything our city has to offer – especially the food."

Collins hails from South Buffalo. She graduated from Mount Mercy Academy and earned both a bachelor's degree in journalism/mass communication and a master's degree in integrated marketing communication from Saint Bonaventure University.

In addition to Collins, the following individuals were named officers for the 2020 term: first vice chair: Amber Hartman, Employer Services Corp; second vice chair: Luke Baecker, Roofers Local No 74 / 203 Benefit Funds; secretary: Elizabeth Mamot, AAA Western and Central New York; treasurer: Rozana Melandinidis, Millennium Collaborative Care PPS; and past chair: Matt Testa, KeyBank.

About the Taste of Buffalo presented by Tops
The Taste of Buffalo presented by Tops is the nation's largest two-day food festival. The 37th annual Taste will take place on July 11 and 12, 2020, along Delaware Avenue and Niagara Square in downtown Buffalo. The Taste is a not-for-profit organization with more than 1,000 volunteers helping to put on the annual event. Approximately $538,000 has been raised at the festival for local charities including five $1,000 scholarships awarded annually to local high school seniors pursuing a culinary or hospitality-related degree. For more information, visit tasteofbuffalo.com, and find us @tasteofbuffalo on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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