Please note the date for this event has been rescheduled for 3/5

Mayor Owens will be attending the President’s State of the Union address, as a guest of Representative John Mannion, on February 24 — and will not be able to attend our event as planned on the morning of February 25.

Over the last decade Black Americans have achieved many “firsts” in Central New York. But how can we help the next generation to continue to blaze new trails in Central New York and beyond?

On Thursday, March 5, 2026, join us for “From First to Next’ for a discussion with Syracuse’s first African American Mayor, Sharon F. Owens.

The conversation will be lead by Iris St. Meran, co-host and producer of “Bridge Street” on NewsChannel 9 (WSYR-TV).

Registration & Breakfast 7:30 am | Program 8:00 am – 9:00 am

SKY Armory | 351 S. Clinton Street | Downtown Syracuse

$40 per person / proceeds benefit United Way of CNY

Purchase your tickets here. Space is limited! 

Thank you to our Title Sponsors, Community Bank and OneGroup, and to our Table Sponsors Bond, Schoeneck & King, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, National Grid, Syracuse University, Tompkins Community Bank, and Wegmans with support from Visual Technologies.

About Mayor Sharon F. Owens 

Sharon F. Owens is the 55th Mayor of the City of Syracuse. Mayor Owens was elected to lead the city in 2025. She was elected with an overwhelming majority of votes and is the first African American and second woman to serve as Mayor in the city’s history.

Mayor Owens is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. She attended Syracuse University as a track and field scholar-athlete, becoming an Orange Plus Hall of Fame inductee and achieving Olympic qualifying status in the women’s long jump. In her time in Syracuse, Owens found community, mentorship, and her spark for service.

Owens’ journey in nonprofit service and leadership began at Dunbar as a Syracuse University intern. Over time, her service grew to include significant community revitalization initiatives, securing expanded support for human services and communities in need. This includes serving as the Early Head Start Family and Community Coordinator and Youth Services Component Director for P.E.A.C.E. Owens was also the third CEO of Syracuse Community Connections at Southwest Community Center, Deputy Director of Housing for Home HeadQuarters, Inc., and Jubilee Homes of Syracuse. In each role, she was responsible for organizational operations, program development, grant writing, supervision of staff, and developing relationships with countless families throughout the city, assisting them in strengthening their households and neighborhoods through affordable housing and community development programs.

Owens would go on to serve as Deputy Commissioner of Neighborhood and Business Development from 2010 to 2013 during the Mayor Miner Administration. In this role, Owens administered the City’s Community Development Block Grant funding to foster the revitalization of neighborhoods and the creation of job opportunities through housing, community development, and economic development efforts. She also managed Section 3 and Minority/Women-Owned Business participation for funded projects. She returned to City Hall with the Mayor Walsh Administration in 2018 to serve as Deputy Mayor and Chief of Staff. In that role, she oversaw city programs and services that address quality of life, including Neighborhood and Business Development, Diversity and Inclusion programs, and the Police and Fire Departments.

Her role as an executive and community leader would also continue to expand to include Board President of BluePrint 15, Inc., a non-profit organization committed to working with residents, community partners, and local leaders of the Historic 15th Ward to reconnect and rebuild the community in a manner that reflects the needs and wants of neighborhood residents. She served on the Central New York Community Engagement Committee, which was created to identify community priorities and develop a process for directing investments from New York State and MICRON in the Central New York region. She is an ex officio mayoral appointee to the CNY Works Board of Directors, which ensures that Central New York attracts and supports new businesses, job seekers, and employment training providers. She also serves on the Southside Community Growth Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors.

Mayor Owens resides on the city’s East Side.

About Iris St. Meran

Iris St. Meran is co-host and producer of “Bridge Street,” Syracuse television’s only live, local morning show. Iris is also an award-winning journalist who joined the NewsChannel 9 team as a reporter in March of 2021.

She was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts and roots for all the home teams in Beantown. However, she is no stranger to Central New York. She worked at Spectrum News in Central New York for more than a decade where she served as the main co-anchor for the channel’s evening regional newscast, as well as “Live at 4:30.”

Throughout her career, Iris has covered a number of impactful, life-changing stories. She earned a first place award from the New York Associated Press for her series on the heroin epidemic in Central New York called, “Addicted: Heroin’s Hold.” That series is an example of her commitment to amplifying voices in the community. In another multi-part series, “Troubled Water: Crisis in Flint,” Iris found inspiration in the Michigan community’s ability to come together in the midst of crisis.

The Syracuse Press Club awarded her the prestigious 2023 Bill Carey Award for Journalist of the Year. In 2022, Iris was recognized as one of the CNY Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty honorees. She also serves as a board member of the YMCA of Central New York and The Gifford Foundation. Iris co-hosts a podcast called “The Ladies’ Room” – which highlights women who have overcome challenges and are making an impact in their communities and beyond.

She got her start in television at NECN (New England Cable News) as a web producer and desk assistant. She graduated from Emerson College in Boston with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Iris is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Iris the proud mom of twin sons! When she’s not working she spending time with family, checking out new restaurants or out for a walk or hike with her husband and two rescue dogs, Brady and Mr. T.