Staff

Dr. Jim Golden is a graduate of the University at Albany, with a Ph.D. in Social Welfare and master’s degree in social work (MSW). He began his career at the Research Institute on Addictions, overseeing grants totaling $5 million, before transitioning into higher education. Although always passionate about teaching racial and social justice, it was not until the murder of George Floyd that Jim turned his attention to advocacy.

In 2020, Jim was named to Buffalo State University’s President’s Council on Equity and Campus Diversity as part of the Social Justice Subcommittee, where he helped draft a series of curricular and campus culture recommendations to increase equity and inclusivity. In 2021, he was one of two recipients of the University’s Office of Civic Engagement’s Social Justice Externship, which introduced him to Open Buffalo. After the externship ended, he continued to stay involved with Open Buffalo as part of the OB's Ecological Justice programming.

Jim has also written extensively, including peer-reviewed articles and conference presentations, on social justice advocacy and structural racism in higher education. He remains passionate about and dedicated to racial justice and joined Open Buffalo full-time in July 2024 to serve as the Clean Mobility Fellow for the Clean Mobility Buffalo project, funded by NYSERDA.