About Us

Dr. Mary Bisbee-Burrows is committed to leaving the world in a better place than she found it by keeping her ears, heart, and mind on the pulse of the community’s needs. Using her leadership expertise, she has used her knowledge and training to build and uplift communities of color, in particular with empowering women. She is able to successfully achieve this effort via her dedication by focusing her life’s work on empowering women and girls.

As a health and human services practitioner for almost two decades, Dr. Mary has worked copiously with individuals on self-help strategies, crisis intervention, behavioral health, optimizing one’s opportunities and avoiding pitfalls. She has also been instrumental and purposeful in developing curriculums and trainings for several agencies and academic institutions. As a professional writer for both USA Today (Democrat & Chronicle) newspaper and Upstate New York Gospel Magazine, her aptitude for being a voice to the voiceless is evident in her literary works. She believes that it is paramount that communities of color create their own narratives by being the author of their own stories.

She is really excited about her role as the Chief Executive Officer of the Legacy Drama House, a performance arts and entertainment venue in Upstate New York. In this capacity she provides programming that cultivates and builds the community by enhancing the village. Through exciting, and educational events such as the Melanin Market, the Economic Empowerment & Entrepreneur Expo, health awareness events, and more! Her guiding principle is “She That Serves” which Dr. Mary does extensively via her volunteer service throughout the community with various organizations. Dr. Mary is also the creator and visionary of Sista Siesta, which is an international retreat program with the primary focus on assisting women with exceeding their highest potential, via travel, rest, relaxation, rejuvenation and exposure to a vast sisterhood with customized workshops featuring dynamic panelists.

Dr. Mary has received several distinct honors for her commitment to community service. Most recently she received the 2024 Rochester Juneteenth Festival- Good & Faithful Servant, Excellence in Ministry Award. She is the proud recipient of both the 2024 and the 2019 Rochester Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated’s Community Service Award.  Dr. Mary was also bestowed the 2019 Phenomenal Woman Award on behalf of the Sisters For A Better Black Community organization.

Dr. Mary, earned her doctorate in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher College and her dissertation focused on Black girls risky and healthy protective sexual behaviors. She also obtained a Master of Science degree in Human Service Administration and a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from the same institution.

On a personal note, faith is the cornerstone of her life and she is very active at her place of worship as well. At the Aenon Missionary Baptist Church, she is one of the coordinators of To Have And To Hold, a couples’ marriage ministry. She is also an active participant on the Deaconess Board and the Praise & Worship ministries. She has been married to the love of her life for over 28 years to her high school sweetheart Kenneth. They are both are the proud parents of three children, Maya, Keniya and Bryce.