Alumni Impact
Championing wellness
How alumni are turning passions into powerful impact
By Alexandra Richter
Nicholas Cognetto, BS ’14, in his shop, Northstar Bikes, under the store’s neon motto. Photo: Hayden Harter
When cyclists roll into Northstar Bikes on a Saturday morning after a group ride, they are greeted by a large neon sign inside the shop that reads, “If you’re here, you made it.”
For co-owner Nicholas Cognetto, BS ’14, those words are more than just a tagline; they are a commitment to make cycling accessible and welcoming for everyone, from first-time riders to veteran cyclists.
“Cycling can be intimidating. It can be hard to walk into a bike shop, especially if you have never ridden before or think you’re not experienced enough,” Cognetto says. “But cycling is about fun and freedom. To us, your background or your ability doesn’t matter. The first step is walking in, being there and showing up.”
Together with fellow UB alumnus and co-owner Hayden Harter, Cognetto has helped grow Northstar Bikes beyond a place that provides high quality bikes and service. Their goal is to create community, connection and provide a sanctuary for cycling enthusiasts and beginners.
Each month, the shop organizes activities across various disciplines and skill levels: group rides that end in coffee and bagels, Pedal and Pints brewery tours, bikepacking workshops and mountain bike demos throughout New York State and beyond. Cognetto uses platforms like Strava and Discord to keep the momentum going online, helping cyclists stay engaged and connected beyond the shop.
“We thrive on community outreach — anything we can do to get more people involved in cycling,” says Cognetto.
For the 2025 Ride for Roswell, Northstar stood out as the only major bike tech shop on-site, tuning up bikes and helping participants get road ready. The shop also partners with Wheels for Workers 716, a local nonprofit that supports Buffalo’s resettled families by providing bicycles and helmets to those without reliable transportation to work.
Cognetto is part of a growing group of School of Management alumni who are channeling their passions to redefine wellness in their communities and across the globe, from building better sleep habits to fostering healthier, more active lifestyles.
The power of rest
Soda Kuczkowski, BA ’00, CEL ’17, in her lifestyle boutique, The Doze. Photo: Jason Belous Production LLC
Soda Kuczkowski, BA ’00, CEL ’17, is changing how people think about sleep.
“Bedtime begins at breakfast,” she says. “Everything that you do during the day sets the tone for sleep at night.”
As the founder and CEO of Start With Sleep LLC, Kuczkowski has transformed her deep expertise in sleep health into a mission-driven business. While working in sleep medicine, she identified a gap in community education and founded her organization to empower individuals with strategies that embrace both the science and art of sleep.
Today, Start With Sleep LLC is a globally recognized provider of sleep health education, offering customized programs and training for health care professionals, school systems and corporate wellness initiatives. Her work has earned the attention of such organizations as Yelp and the American Heart Association, where she has served as both a coach and featured speaker.
“Sleep is the foundation for personal and professional success. It is essential to our emotional, physical and mental well-being,” she says. “For many women, rest often takes a back seat to responsibilities, but reclaiming sleep is a powerful act of self-care and strength. When we are well-rested, we lead, create and care with greater clarity and confidence.”
Kuczkowski also is owner of The Doze, a lifestyle boutique offering an exclusive line of curated sleep-enhancing products and the host of The Doze Podcast, where she continues to champion sleep as the cornerstone of health, performance and overall well-being.
The mindset of health and longevity
From the moment someone walks into Alessi Fitness, they are not just looking for a workout — they’re looking for transformation. Derek Alessi, MBA ’93, who founded the health and wellness center in 1999, has dedicated his career to guiding others toward better health.
With more than 200 clients at any given time, Alessi focuses on lasting lifestyle changes and sees clients who reach out because they want to lose weight, drop body fat, reduce or eliminate medication, move better and live longer.
“Seeking help doesn’t mean you have failed,” he says. “If a student comes to a teacher and says ‘I want better grades,’ it takes a combination of classwork, homework and evaluations with accountability to improve. It is the same here. Fitness is the classwork, nutrition is your homework, and we offer support with smartphone tracking and personal coaching to reinforce positive habits for accountability — very different from the typical health club experience.”
Alessi’s influence extends to media as well, with hundreds of podcast interviews each year and a history of long-running segments on Buffalo’s WKBW-TV and WGRZ-TV, including the popular The Healthy Zone.
Today, his mission has expanded globally. As the founder and CEO of Strength Genesis Sports Supplements, Alessi has crafted a line of supplements crafted with the same personal intention as his successful coaching.
“I always say: ‘I only take what I make,’” he says. “I source the highest-quality ingredients that I want for myself, made from 100% Australian macadamia nut oil to Icelandic cold-processed omega-3 fish oil, and now I offer them to others.”
The brand’s commitment goes beyond ingredients. Strength Genesis uses sustainable packaging that won’t leach plastic and petroleum material into products, ensuring they are better for the body and the planet.
“For me, it’s personal,” he says. “I’m always working to improve myself when it comes to fitness and nutrition and then I ask, ‘What lessons can I pass along to my clients?’”
