Lindsay Aleshire has spent most of her career in the nonprofit and community engagement sectors in Atlanta, Georgia. She wanted to continue along that path, but at a larger scale and, if necessary, in a different city.

“I wanted to find a role with a combination of meaningful strategic work and one that engaged the community and gave me a sense of purpose,” Lindsay said.

She saw an advertisement for a role with M&T Bank’s Tech Academy and continued along researching the company’s work and investments in the future of Buffalo as a tech talent destination. What she found was everything she had been looking for. Lindsay and her husband, a teacher who was also able to land a job at a charter school in Western New York, decided the job was perfect and relocated to Buffalo.

“I love Buffalo so far. It’s been nice to show up for people and demonstrate I can help and I want see great things for Buffalo,” said Lindsay. “In Atlanta, most young professionals moved there in their 20s. Not many people had an intimate sense of the culture. In Buffalo we have a large population of people that grew up here so there’s a combination of this generational storytelling and rich historical context that is so exciting to see. It’s allowed me, as a newcomer, to learn about the culture and history, while also feeling welcome to bring new ideas and a fresh perspective.”

Did you visit Buffalo during your interview process and if so what did you do?

I visited twice. My first visit was for the job interview, so I only talked to employees from M&T. My first impression was that they were so welcoming and friendly. They sold me on the ease of living, making friends, and building a network here. But the real intriguing opportunity for me was the potential to make an impact in the community and help contribute to the growth of a technology talent hub here in Buffalo. During my second visit, our hosts brought my husband and me to dinner in an outdoor igloo at Tappo and afterwards we went to a Buffalo Sabres game. Ironically, since I grew up in the south and was never much of hockey fan, my husband and I actually officially decided to move and accept the offer while we were at the Sabres game.

Everything I was told about Buffalo I’ve found to be true. My first week in Buffalo, someone I had just met who is now a wonderful friend offered to take me on a driving tour of the city. We got a lot of invitations to social events, happy hours, book clubs, and parties. It struck me how easy it has been to connect with people here.

What surprised you most about Buffalo?

Traffic is one thing that immediately was a relief to us. We can get anywhere very easily.

We were also happily surprised at how affordable it was to buy a house. We ended up in the Village of Kenmore and couldn’t be happier.