Industries – CapNY

Making the Move from North Carolina to CapNY: A Career Transplant Story

Updated: July 2025

CapNY is booming with potential, opportunity, & young professionals from all over the world are making the move to our Upstate NY region.

You may have read throughout this website, and on the news, about local powerhouse Regeneron. Regeneron is a leading biotechnology company that invents life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases, from eye diseases to cancer.

It’s known as one of the hottest places to work in CapNY. In fact, Jackson Inchalik, Data Analytics Developer, moved from North Carolina to CapNY to take a job at this growing company. Here’s his story…

I graduated from High Point University in North Carolina in May 2020 with a job lined up at Regeneron as an Associate Data Developer. Because of months of Covid closures, I spent the final months of my college career with my family at home in Connecticut. When I was ready to venture out on my own, I moved in with another intern-employee conversion in the Rensselaer / North Greenbush area where I have since been living.

I studied Computer Science and Mathematics at my university with little background or experience in Pharmaceuticals. Based off recommendations from other students I had met at my school, I began applying to Regeneron’s established internship program. After initially being turned down from the program, I gathered experience working in IT at Ashley Furniture. The following year I circled back to successfully join Regeneron’s internship program for the summer between my junior and senior year. After a summer of extensive learning and development, I had received a job offer that I excitedly accepted.

Regeneron has done a terrific job of getting me involved with the local community. From helping in Special Olympics’ training during Regeneron’s Day For Doing Good, to supporting local businesses with our Veteran’s fundraisers, I couldn’t thank Regeneron enough for getting me active in the local community. Regeneron’s workplace values of transparency and teamwork also applies to their interaction with the local community. They dedicated themselves to a high level of involvement and they leave a substantial impact on their local communities each and every year.

I don’t think I will ever get over the natural beauty of upstate New York. Long car rides easily become a sightseeing adventure whenever you find yourself in a new area, and I have to admit that I find great peace in the outdoors, especially up here. One thing I was happily surprised by was activity going on in the area. I initially thought it would be much quieter in the region , but I quickly learned from colleagues about the surplus of activities there are between Albany and Saratoga. From horse racing to casinos to even watching a fellow employee’s local band perform at bars (Quick Fix!), there’s plenty to be explored.

CapNY Healthcare Professionals Taking the Lead

Updated: July 2025

The Healthcare Cluster lays the foundation for CapNY’s vibrant economy, accounting for one in eight jobs regionwide. Major employers within the cluster include three major hospital systems as well as several health insurance companies.

One of those hospital systems is St. Peter’s Health Partners, a member of Trinity Health.

We had the honor of interviewing our local healthcare heroes and are pleased to highlight just a few individuals leading the way in providing excellent healthcare across CapNY. In this article, you’ll meet the following SPHP employees:

Dr. Vishwala Kasbekar, Physician with Capital Region Family Healthcare, a practice of SPHP
Dr. Sarah Pesek, Breast Surgeon
Dr. Thea Dalfino, Chief Medical Officer of SPHP Acute Care
Dr. Catherine Adams, Chief of Pallative Medicine
Dr. Holly Payne, Pediatrician

Where are you from? Where in CapNY do you live now?

I was born in Indianapolis, Indiana but grew up in Monmouth County, New Jersey. I currently live in the Latham area. I was looking for jobs from Boston to Washington, DC during my job search in preparation from graduating from residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. I have traveled a lot for school. I started at the University of Rochester for undergraduate degree and then went to George Washington University Mailman School of Public Health in Washington, DC for my master’s degree; followed by the island of Grenada for medical school at St. George’s University. At the end of the day, I am an East Coast girl who wanted to stay close to home base in NJ. CapNY was close to family and allowed me to be close to other major cities like Boston and New York City.

Describe your role and how you ended up in the field

I was a determined child. Even as a child I knew I wanted to be a physician. I truly believe that if one is afforded the opportunity to succeed and shown how from a young age, they are able to achieve anything on their journey. As I grew up, I made sure that I took every opportunity available to explore this dream, which included going to a career academy high school that was geared towards the medical-sciences, The Academy of Allied Health and Science (AAHS) in Neptune, NJ. I am still involved in my high school by sitting on the AAHS’s Advisory Council. The intellectual curiosity that began while at AAHS allowed me to succeed in my undergraduate degree at the University of Rochester in Neuroscience, then in my Masters Degree in Public Health in International Health at George Washington University, and finally my medical degree at St. George’s University in Grenada.

I am currently practicing primary care as an Internal Medicine and Pediatrics physician at Capital Region Family Health Care, in Rensselaer, NY. I also work as a Physician Consultant at Siena College Health Services in Loudonville, NY. I also am involved in a significant amount of administrative work at St. Peter’s Health Partners Medical Associates.

I serve as the chairwoman of the Primary Care Joint Operating Committee, serve on the Quality and Compliance Committees of the Board, as well as serve as a member of the Board of Directors for St. Peter’s Health Partners Medical Associates. My other administrative roles are at Innovative Health Alliance of New York (IHANY) as a member of the Governing Board and Chairwoman of the Membership and Network Development Committee. At SPHPMA I have won awards for Service to the Organization in 2018 and Provider Excellence Award in 2019.

What do you enjoy most about working for SPHP?

I have worked in healthcare since I was 16 years old, in the back of an Ambulance and I can honestly say the people I work with at my office are some of best people I have worked with in my career. The camaraderie of my colleagues and staff in my office allows us to get our unending work done in an enjoyable way . Working with people who understand that there are frustrating parts in our day, but we have to put our patients’ care first. Also, the key to SPHPMA’s success is that our administrative team is approachable. They understand and are frank with colleagues that there are some things that we can’t make change due to the way healthcare is right now however, they are always willing to listen and ready, willing, and able to be change agents when needed.

Favorite thing about living and working in CapNY?

The diversity. Multicultural, socioeconomic, and industrial. You can be in farm country in some parts and then travel a few miles down the road and be in a small city atmosphere. This allows for a diversity of people as well, which makes being a physician enjoyable. The performing arts buff in me loves all the venues from SPAC and the Egg to Proctors and The Capital Reparatory Theatre. One of the first things I did when I moved here was buy a subscription to Broadway shows at Proctors.

Where are you from?
I am originally from a small town in Western PA about one hour north of Pittsburgh called Mercer. However, I lived in Burlington, VT for six years for residency and did a one year fellowship in Providence, RI.

Where in CapNY do you live now?
I currently live in Albany in the Helderberg neighborhood. I moved here for the job. I had been in New England for 7 years total before coming here and wanted to stay close to the skiing and hiking that I had come to love in residency in Vermont.

Describe your role. How did you end up in the breast surgery field?
I am a breast surgeon and take care of patients with benign and malignant breast disease. I also work with patients who are at higher risk of breast cancer to help manage their screening and risk. Not all my patients are surgical!

I started in general surgery after I fell in love with surgery during my third year of medical school. I loved the immediate impact you can have on a patient. Once I was in residency, I was drawn to surgical oncology, specifically breast. I loved the subtle nuances of taking care of individual cancer patients and personalizing the plan for each patient. I also enjoyed the finesse involved in the surgeries and the challenge of leaving the patient with a breast or chest wall that looked good with minimal deformity after their surgery.

I was an awardee for the “40 under 40 in Cancer” presented by the Lynx Group in 2020. I am also a Fellow of the American College of surgeons, inducted in 2020.

What are you future career goals & how do you feel you can make a difference at SPHP?
I want to continue to work on my oncoplastic skills, meaning giving the patient the best cosmetic outcome I can after a breast surgery. I want to make it so people do not feel that they need to ask for a cosmetic closure as something special, but expect it as standard of care treatment.

I work with some pretty amazing people. My partner, my office manager and I came to SPHP all around the same time in 2015 and for a while it was just us. I am amazed at the solid breast surgery program we have built and grown. My OR team is also amazing and I always look forward to seeing them. The research team in the cancer department has helped immensely in bringing in and running a clinical trial here as part of multisite study for breast cancer localization.

What’s your favorite thing about living and working in CapNY?
I enjoy hiking and became an ADK 46er in 2021. I love my neighborhood in Albany, especially my street. We all became very close during the pandemic and still do a Friday night wave/happy hour out on the sidewalk each week. Halloween on my street is also amazing. I got 400 trick or treaters last year! As to Albany in general, I like that it is a city that feels like a small community. It feels like everyone is connected in a good way.

Where are you from? Where in CapNY do you live now?

CapNY native! I grew up in Clifton Park and currently live in North Greenbush.

How did you end up in this role?

It was a long road to become the Chief Medical Officer of St. Peter’s Health Partners Acute Care Hospitals. After graduating from Shenendehowa High School, I majored in Biology at SUNY Geneseo then went on to complete medical school at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. I met and married my husband while in medical school. He matched in neurosurgery at Albany Medical Center and I matched there in Internal Medicine. After completing residency I worked as a Hospitalist Physician at St. Peter’s before being promoted to the hospital’s first ever Chief of Hospital Medicine.

Over the next 13 years, the program grew from 10 providers to over 150 across 3 hospitals at its peak. I loved being able to split my time between the clinical practice of seeing patients in the hospital and running the hospitalist program, leading initiatives to improve the care of patients in the hospital, and learning about the business of medicine. In 2019 I graduated from Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz College, with Master of Medical Management in 2019 and in 2021 became the first female Chief Medical Officer at St. Peter’s Health Partners.

Other rewards and recognitions include a 40 Under 40 from the Albany Business Review in 2011 and a Professional Achievement Award in 2012 from the SUNY Geneseo Foundation.

What’s challenging and what’s rewarding about your work?

Nothing is easy in healthcare right now. Colleagues who have worked for decades as physicians and nurses tell me they’ve never seen anything like it. What’s challenging is providing the highest quality care in the midst of a labor shortage. On a personal level, keeping up with the multitude of demands and projects is a daunting task.

There’s nothing quite as rewarding as making the right diagnosis or connecting with a patient or family and helping them through a difficult time. I don’t get to do frontline patient care as often as I’d like, but know that the work we’re doing with other leaders in the organization helps to improve care for the patients in CapNY. I love leading projects to create a safer, more efficient and compassionate work environment for our colleagues. The people are the most rewarding part of the job; I have the opportunity to work with some incredibly skilled leaders, physicians and nurses and learn from them every day.

What do you enjoy most about working for SPHP?

What I enjoy most about working for SPHP is the culture. Having been at numerous other hospitals throughout my training and career, I enjoy the compassionate, caring environment at SPHP. People not only care about patients, they care about each other.

What’s your favorite part about living and working in CapNY?

This is a tough question because there are a lot of things I love about the region. In the summer I love the close proximity to Lake George where we can go to our family’s house on the lake. In the winter I love the countless ski resorts near Albany. On a day to day basis I love that my children are receiving the same outstanding public school education that I received, that I don’t have any traffic on my daily commute and that I can live on 10 acres in the country and still make it to work in less than 20 minutes.

Where are you from? Where in CapNY do you live now?

I am originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia and then did my medical school and residency training in Connecticut. Currently I am living in the hamlet of Slingerlands in Bethlehem. I wanted to settle down in an area with growth and leadership opportunities for me professionally as well as great schools for my son. I appreciate the variety of family events and activities available in Bethlehem as well as the short commute to work.

What are you future career goals & how do you feel you can make a different at SPHP?

While expanding palliative care services within St. Peter’s, Samaritan and Ellis hospitals, within the last year we have also developed a home-based palliative care program. It has been rewarding to be able to provide palliative care services to patients both earlier in their illness and in the comfort of their own homes. Both locally and nationally within the Trinity Health System, I am working on plans to expand the availability of this service.

What do you enjoy most about working for SPHP and living in CapNY?

I enjoy the family feel of working in a small community hospital while also having the opportunity to collaborate with palliative care leaders that are part of our larger Trinity Health system across the country. I also feel very fortunate that our Chief Clinical Officer Steve Hanks as well as the greater Trinity Health leadership understand and value the importance of palliative care.

My favorite thing about living in this region is access to the wide range of outdoor activities that help me make the most of my time away from work. From camping in the Adirondacks to fishing on Lake George, there are weekend activities within driving distance that I can enjoy with my family in all seasons.

Where are you from? Where in CapNY do you live now?

I’m originally from Cary, NC but my family and I are coming to New York from Kentucky, where we lived for six and a half years. We currently live in Clifton Park with our two young children. I targeted the Northeast for a variety of factors, including culture and climate, and eventually narrowed my search down to New York state. When I saw this position available the area seemed like a great fit! There’s so much natural beauty here plus plenty of opportunities for my family.

Describe your role & how you ended up in pediatrics

I got into this kind of work because I enjoy helping families grow and watching children develop as individuals. There are a lot of challenges though, both general to any child and specific to some children, and that’s where families need a pediatrician to come alongside them and provide some assistance. I’ve found it’s better to teach healthy habits and lifestyles at a young age so children can keep those skills with them as they grow.

People come from different backgrounds and experiences. There’s no one right answer for every child or every family, and that can be challenging to work through. Kids go through so many phases, not all of them easy! Helping to navigate through those difficult times and making a difference in their lives is rewarding.

What do you enjoy most about working for SPHP and living in CapNY?

There’s a wide network of specialists and referral options to make sure my patients are receiving the best and most appropriate care, hospital management has been respectful and collaborative, and I know I can rely on my partner in the practice. I feel like our patients are in good hands! As for CapNY, the parks! We have two energetic boys and having so many great options for outdoor play has been wonderful.

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2 Hot Woman-Run Startups in CapNY

Updated: July 2025

Startup formation throughout Upstate New York has been second strongest in the Capital Region, according to a Center for Economic Growth analysis of data from U.S. Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics.

Our startup economy is booming and people, we invite you to BYOB (bring your own business) here to CapNY!

From incubators and co-working spaces to funding and entrepreneurial bootcamps, there are countless opportunities for you to secure the resources you need to build your business.

The Center for Economic Growth (CEG)’s Business Growth Solutions (BGS) unit offers a menu of support s ervices for entrepreneurs. CEG is also an operational partner of Innovate518, a collaborative effort managed by the University at Albany of incubators and accelerators and co-working spaces. The Capital Region Chamber provides support services for entrepreneurs including loan programs, entrepreneur boot camps and an MWBE program. Just to name a few…

Today, we’ll focus on two booming woman-run startups in CapNY that are making waves. Read on!

Inspect Point gives you everything you need to run a fire inspection business. It helps you perform more inspections, win more contracts, and grow your inspection business to new heights.

Jennifer Doyle, CapNY native & Co-Founder/VP of Customer Success, said “after graduating from The Sage Colleges, I worked at several technology companies in the area in the marketing departments. While I learned a lot during my time with each, I did not feel fulfilled. After several years of working in the area, I quit my job and started a consulting company with my then boyfriend (now husband).

The concept of the business was inspired by a friend in the fire protection space came to us upset with their current software solution. After doing some research on the other solutions, as well as the market space, we saw an opportunity to build something that the industry needed and went all in.

Having a support system, outside of work, has been vital to our success. Since all of us (founders) have grown up and attended college in the area (Sage and RPI), our families and friends have been able to help us with babysitting, hot meals, and support throughout the years. Growing up in and starting our business in the Capital Region has also given us the opportunity to lean on resources and people we have known for many years.”

Micropolitan Matchmakers, formerly Capital Heart Connection, provides matchmaking services, dating coaching, a podcast & more to help people in CapNY and other micropolitan areas “find their big love in their micropolitan region!” They’re the only matchmaking service of their kind in the region.

Founded by two CapNY natives and current Schenectady residents, Becky Daniels and Gabby Fisher. As two young professionals living in CapNY, they wanted to get off the apps and into the real dating world by curating singles events at local businesses. “As much as apps can help extend personal networks, it’s kind of dehumanizing,” said Daniels, “People aren’t people — they’re just a picture.” Diversity and inclusiveness play a central role, too. While both Fisher and Daniels are cis-gendered white women looking for men, “we really want to make sure the community is open for love across the spectrum,” Daniels said.

You can check out their services, listen to their podcast, join the free singles database, & find upcoming CapNY-based singles events, here!

“My husband and I traveled for many years before moving back to the area and starting Inspect Point. What drew us back here was not only family, but the proximity to hiking, restaurants, travel opportunities, and a great place to build a company. I enjoy hiking with my kids at Peebles Island, grabbing a coffee with my coworkers at JACOB ALEJANDRO, grabbing a beer with my friends at The Ruck, and enjoying a date night with my husband at Browns or Nicole’s.”

Jennifer Doyle

Inspect Point

“When I moved back after graduate school, I was lucky to have a great group of friends from high school to come back to. But I still wanted to expand my professional circle, find a mentor… and maybe some potential dates. There are so many ways to build a network. I found my people through joining the Palette Cafe Community and Junior League of Albany, attending events with our awesome local chambers and young professionals groups. Volunteering with community organizations including the local St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital team, New Leaders Council, and Capital Region Sponsor a Scholar also helped.”

Becky Daniels

Micropolitan Matchmakers

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Thriving in CapNY: Women in Digital Gaming

Updated: July 2025

CapNY offers a level up for those looking to break into the gaming space. Jobs in game design, character development, software, and so much more are plentiful with 24 studios (7 large, 17 indie) calling the region home.

An Industry BOOMING

Many have produced games of our childhoods such as Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater as well as present day digital escapes like Cooking Mama. At present, CapNY is home for more than 500 employees in the gaming industry from large, developed studios like Blizzard Entertainment to smaller, indie studios like Clockwork Games & Events.

The education needed for many of these roles can be earned at one of several CapNY schools. Specifically, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute –ranked 7th Best Undergraduate Game Design Program by U.S. News & World Report– offers up to a Ph.D in critical game design, among many other programs. The University at Albany launched a video game design program in 2021, shortly following the launch of its increasingly popular eSports program launched in 2019.

We caught up with five women who are making their mark in the CapNY digital gaming world to discuss their paths, favorite CapNY spots, and what they love about working in the gaming field. From the moment an idea for the game gets going to the time it’s launched in stores, there are so many moving parts and years of expertise that go into every game out there. These ladies shared more about what they do as well as what advice they have to others looking to break into the industry.

Millie Harris, Technical and VFX Artist at Aestronauts and RPI student

Hometown: Barrington, RI
Currently Lives In: Troy
Favorite CapNY activity: Troy Waterfront Farmers Market

Harris has always loved gaming and art. She wondered, when it was time to start looking at colleges, if it might be possible to pursue both. She found RPI and then saw it was.

“I met all the people here. I knew that this was definitely the right fit for me and they have a really, really amazing game development program as well,” she said.

As part of her studies, she and several other students got to work on Aestronauts, now a small game development studio, through the STEAM garden program. Since it’s a small shop, she has to pitch in everywhere but her focus is digital sculpting, which uses software to push, pinch, shape a digital object to its desired look. Talk about a perfect match of technology and art!

“I take those sculpted models and I get them game ready, and then I create rigs for them so that our animator can bring the characters to life,” she said. “I feel like I can kind of touch on a bunch of different aspects of development and not just stick in one pillar or another, I can kind of reach into the art world a little bit and also like the technical programming world which is my favorite thing about being a technical artist.”

The gaming world is still a male-dominated industry; Harris notes she is often one of a few women in her classes. But, finding those other female classmates and creating a supportive environment has been incredible, she says.

Kathryn Ruiz, Founder, Lead Artist, Designer, Director and Producer of Eco Resilience Games and RPI Associate Professor

Currently lives in Glenmont, NY; studio in the Catskills
Favorite CapNY activity: Hiking, biking along the water–particularly the Hudson

Eco Resilience Games combines science, technology, and art to raise awareness about the condition and health of our water supply through immersive worlds to raise awareness for how to protect our real world.

Ruiz worked on some of the first virtual reality programs in the 90s and it started her on a path to become a game creator and educator.

“I saw that I could express what I wanted to express through virtual, audio, and spatial ways using virtual reality. And gaming then began picking up speed and began commenting on our culture and I was hooked.”

Now, she teaches several courses in RPI’s Games and Simulation Arts and Sciences program and encourages her students to create games that contribute to the greater good and perhaps shy away from often violent or graphic games. She does this in a course called Games & Guts which challenges her students to create games outside of the gore realm.

Just like her most recent launch, Algae Bloom Dynamics, a game focused on the magnitude Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs) have in freshwater around the world. The game enables users to experience a clear-water lake that begins to have inputs of phosphorus from human activities. As this continues, underwater clarity will decline as the non-harmful algae begin to make the water green. The user must then make a plan to restore the water quality.

“We use our technology and design to show people what can happen to our world,” she said.

Steph Relyea, Producer, Blizzard Entertainment

Hometown: Plattsburgh, NY
Currently lives: Troy
Favorite CapNY activity – Whitewater rafting in the North Country, more locally – exploring downtown Troy

Relyea has always enjoyed gaming, but it was a spur-of-the-moment decision that started her journey to working behind-the scenes. She spotted an opening for a QA test at then-Vicarious Visions (now Blizzard Entertainment) and she went for it. It was a great learning experience, she said. In that role, she tested the games for function and overall experience.

After leaving the industry for a few years, she returned as a tools tester which helped her become a specialist in the software. Through the studio’s mentorship program and combined with her years of experience in the service industry, production seemed like a great fit.

“I have learned so much, I have challenged myself so much along the way, I love to learn and overcome new things,” she said. “As hard as it is, putting yourself out there is the key. All it takes is one person to give you a chance and it can change your whole path.”

Day-to-day, she helps manage the teams and people that create games like Tony Hawk Proskater, Diablo IV, and Destiny. In a way, things have come around again now she’s mentoring those who were in her shoes at the start of her gaming career. Production roles can be a lot of juggling many moving parts and a key piece of success is making sure you don’t take on too much, she said.

“If I can’t take something on and complete it without being stretched thin, I’m not going to do it. But that was one of the hardest things to learn, saying no when you’re at your max,” she said.

Adrienne Lange, 3D Character Artist, Blizzard Entertainment

Home state: Connecticut
Currently lives: Colonie
Favorite CapNY activity – Indoor rock climbing and the Troy or Colonie Farmers Market

Lange was always an art lover but initially pursued a career as a behavioral therapist. Eventually, she felt a pull to pursue a more creative job. She taught herself the nuance of game design and technique to build on her natural artistic ability.

“I did online courses, YouTube, and built up my portfolio,” she said. She then began applying to game design jobs and landed at Blizzard Entertainment.

Now, she creates the monsters, animals, creatures, and people that are a core piece of a game. She has to make sure they look how they should before they move on to animators to start moving.

“There is a lot of collaboration and working together so you have to enjoy those things in addition to being a creative person,” she said. “But yes, it is very, very exciting to see something you’ve created walking around and talking in a virtual setting. Exciting not only personally, but because it often represents a lot of people’s work.”

Being the creative mind behind many characters, including some in Diablo II, is a particularly rewarding career highlight for Lange. “I grew up watching my dad and eventually playing Diablo myself,” she said. “For me to be working on another game in the series is a truly full circle moment.”

Muse en Lystrala, Executive Director/Lead Composer Queenship Game Studio

Hometown: Providence, Rhode Island
Favorite CapNY based activity: I love hiking in the Catskills and High Peaks and getting burgers or garbage plates after!

As Queenship’s founder and a small company owner, she wears a lot of hats. As lead composer, she composes and records all the musical and sound assets for Queenship’s games. Juggling all these things –even with help- sounds exhausting, but she makes sure her employees take care of themselves. It’s perfectly on brand too, as Queenship’s games focus on mental health and management.

“I love that each day is different. One day I may be working on marketing tasks, the next composing music, the next writing narrative,” she said. “And as a person who suffers from chronic illness, I am very much a fan of the “work smart, not hard” school of thought, and doing this permits me to do just that.”

Coupling her love of music and gaming became a viable career option while she was studying at SUNY Schenectady. She started a chamber ensemble called Geek Musica, a classical group that performs video game and film music. A couple of years in, she started doing game jams at the Tech Valley Game Space.

“After a year and a half or so of digging into the guts of game development, I realized that I had a good set of skills to either work in game development or to start my own company,” she said. Queenship was accepted to RPI’s Level Upstate accelerator program in summer of 2019, when the company also got its first investment and they have launched two games, and a third is very close!

Starting her own company means she’s not only the lead creative person but the human resources department, marketing, finance, and so much more. She has learned every aspect of what goes into a game as well as valuable workplace lessons.

“The best advice I can offer other women/femmes/femme-presenting people is this: prepare to be on your own, at least for awhile. It’s harsh, but it’s true. Seek out and befriend other women/femmes/femme-presenting people in games to learn from, to be mentored by, and to assist when you’ve started doing well. Develop new and existing skills by reading, watching YouTube tutorials, or investing in continuing education at your university or via an online platform like Coursera.

You’ll need to know a lot, and you won’t always be able to count on the big players to give you the information you need or want. Join Discord servers that aim to promote marginalized people, like Game Dev Galaxy or POC in Play. You’ll find people who have struggled to get to where you want to go and want to help you succeed.”

capny digitalgaming Gaming videogames

4 Millennial Changemakers in CapNY Housing

Updated: July 2025

If you’ve spent time in Albany, there’s a chance that you’ve noticed a bright red ‘X’ on multiple buildings. Albany has a lot of homes that are currently vacant, dilapidated, and not up to safety codes. Seeing all of those properties that have great potential, you can’t help but to dream of all the possibilities, to think of it’s potential to be transformed into adequate housing or become multi-purpose centers for our community…

Outside of the possibility you’re also faced with what is: that the presence of those abandoned homes indicate that there are more unhoused neighbors than you think. Furthermore it begs the question what does affordable housing actually look like in CapNY.

While no one person has all the answers, we do have a bevy of individuals of all ages and groups committed to finding solutions. Leadership is not a one-size fits all endeavor, it does not have a particular look and feel. There are more and more young people in CapNY who are taking up the mantle to be actors of change. It’s important to believe in the power of younger generations. These millennials are changing the landscape of homeownership and what it means to have housing in our region.

Meet Virginia Rawlins, President and CEO of Building Blocks Together (BBT), an organization dedicated to the education of Black and Brown potential homeowners. The 31-year-old Bronx native started out as a Housing Services Counselor at the Albany County Land Bank but then realized that members of the community had a lot of misconceptions about the home buying process.

“Working at the Land Bank I realized that people didn’t know the basic home buying process. They were excited [to receive grants] for the $5,000 houses, but they didn’t know which legal documents to submit to the bank had they gone the traditional route.” Seeing that disconnect, Rawlins founded Building Blocks Together as a way to bridge that gap. Founded in 2018, BBT is equal parts a consulting and advocacy group which holds workshops and helps connect members of the community with funding opportunities. In addition to the creation of BBT, Rawlins works with the Touhey Foundation and their Restorative Justice fund, which gives African-American homebuyers up to $10,000 to purchase a home in CapNY.

“I wanted to be a connector. I think everyone can agree that the opportunities for affordable home ownership for minorities are present with entities like the Land Bank and the Land Trust in the area. However some of these organizations that are not Black-led don’t have the resources or have the same sense of care to do community outreach in the way that Black people would.”

Working for the community and being of the community is a distinction that Virginia is keenly aware of. It can mean the difference between feeling seen, heard and understood and condescension. It can also be a barrier to beginning the endeavor of home ownership. It is due to this understanding that various housing groups have welcomed Virginia’s presence with open arms. Virginia has been lifted up by Albany’s housing community and has created long lasting connections.

Ultimately Virginia Rawlins is passionate about the work she does because she believes that everyone is entitled to own a home and build a deeper connection to the community around them.

Meet Josh Koss, General Counsel for The Vecino Group, a multidimensional collective dedicated to creating “lasting and socially-impactful” work. Before relocating to Troy, Josh practiced law at a real estate law firm in NY helping close $3 billion worth of deals while there but he wanted something a bit more “hands on.” After gaining his broker’s license, he fell in love with the area and began his journey with the Vecino Group. The 29-year-old lawyer’s work is centered on affordable housing within the region.

The Vecino Group works in tandem with social programs such as Asteri, a supportive community for persons with developmental and physical challenges based in Utica, to provide housing. The Vecino Group owns and operates over $700 million dollars of affordable housing development across this country, and owns 4 properties in Upstate NY.

Josh believes that there is more to housing than availability and affordability, “The supportive housing aspect is important to what we do. We’ve partnered with daycares, CVS to distribute vaccines, among other things in the community. It’s based on this notion that it’s important to deliver not just affordable housing but high quality affordable housing to people of all different income levels and social statuses. We believe that if we can help people capitalize on the benefits that come with that– better education, better support for mental and physical health– then we’re doing a small part in the world to make our communities a better place.”

Being housed is a basic need that drastically alters our course in life. It is the foundation from which our faculties grow. Josh understands that people not only have a right to shelter but a right to quality of life. To even begin to approach social equity, we need well rounded responses to the inequalities that plague our communities.

Josh is ultimately passionate about this work because it simply feels good. “I think that human beings were meant to feel good about doing good work. I look for work that makes me feel good. If I’m doing that and I’m helping the people around me, then it’s a good day.” Being able to achieve goals with like-minded individuals is what keeps Josh going. Upon moving here he knew one person, now he knows 100. Josh feels that there are great people in this area dedicated to this work.

Last but certainly not least are the founding partners of the Wallace Turner Law Firm, Ray Turner and Kim Wallace. Their main areas of practice are real estate, business and personal injury, and estate planning.

Ray Turner initially went to undergrad for theater and dance but when personal tragedy struck she wanted to figure out what she could do to take control of her life, so she enrolled in law school. A move that proved to be life changing. Ray worked in the public defender’s office for a while but still felt that she wasn’t creating the change that she had hoped in her community, “I had an epiphany. I was helping people but it wasn’t long lasting. I thought, ‘How can I make an impact and help people?’ I need to open up a law firm. CapNY needs to see a law firm that looks like them. What services do we need to offer? We need to offer home ownership because that’s going to create generational wealth. It was about how I can help people establish themselves further.”

Ray’s approach to community building moves beyond the initial moment of gaining housing, instead figuring out ways for Black and Brown communities to retain their homes and businesses and turn them into assets that can be passed down to their children. Having a law firm that reflects the community and a firm that the community trusts is an invaluable asset. Ray and Kim find that more often than not clients come to them because of who they are and how they can relate to them. People find comfort in seeing people like them.

What motivates Ray and Kim most is knowing that they are presenting members of our community that often don’t get the representation they deserve. Moving forward they aim to expand their business to become a full service law firm, hire from inside the community, and to grow as a practice.

affordablehousing capny changemakers generationalwealth Housing law Leaders realestate transplants

4 CapNY Women Leaders in Technology

Updated: July 2025

Technology has been a driving force in CapNY’s economy for decades.

Women are entering the technology field at record numbers, but the field is still male-dominated. It’s vital that companies create opportunities for women to take on leadership positions in tech, and our local companies are stepping up. We’ve decided to highlight four CapNY women making their marks on the growing industry – locally, nationally and even internationally.

Founder & CEO CanCode Communities

Annmarie, you’re making strides with CanCode Communities. Talk about the “why” behind this accomplishment.

The professional accomplishment that I consider most important is the creation of AlbanyCanCode, now known as CanCode Communities. To start from scratch and bring together two dramatically diverse worlds – underrepresented individuals and the technology community – represented a Herculean effort. Women, minorities and the under-educated are being trained and given opportunities to work in the lucrative technology field. That is enabling them to provide for their families, contribute to their communities, and live the lives they deserve.

In my capacity as President of custom software developer Greane Tree Technology, my successful hire of a fully self-taught Ruby on Rails developer inspired the vision of Albany Can Code, now CanCode Communities. We work tirelessly in working to grow the New York State’s software sector, and to extend software and IT training opportunities to everyone who has aptitude for this work.

What’s challenging about this field?

According to the latest research, 4 of every 5 technology jobs are filled by men; in the executive ranks, the disparity is even greater. We need women inventing things, making things, solving important problems, and in positions of power. We need all of these things in far larger numbers than we have today.

Founder & CEO of 1st Playable Productions

Tobi, tell us a bit about your company and your day-to-day responsibilities.

My company 1st Playable Productions makes video games, both for entertainment, and also for education, health, and wellness applications. We are a B corporation, which puts social impact first, which is definitely a challenge in technology. As a startup in the RPI incubator, we located in downtown Troy in 2006, recognizing the impact of technology business location on arts, restaurants, and other small businesses. It’s such a great place to live and work.

Although I have been CEO since founding 1st Playable, my day-to-day responsibilities change constantly, depending on the company size, changes in technology, and client needs. My work includes game design oversight, troubleshooting software issues, bringing in Friday carbs, attending to seasonal decorations, and finding other socially minded developers to join our team. It’s hard work and long days but the positive impact to others makes it worth it to me.

How did you end up in this line of work? What’s rewarding about it?

I started my career at GE Research & Development working in emerging technologies in the area of computer networks. The path from there to games was an unexpected one, and added the new dimensions of art and design to my first love of technology. Video games was a field I hadn’t really followed – unlike today it was not front and center of youth connecting and socializing. I started as VP of Product Development, bringing all the process and technology I had learned previously but a lot of learning to do to understand the aesthetic and business aspects.

One aspect I immediately recognized was the power of games to inspire kids in education; to connect the dots between their day to day schooling and creating the immersive virtual experiences they spend so much time with. This became the focus of the company I founded.

Other than the motivating goal of social impact, video games itself is a volatile industry which is both challenging and appealing due to the constant change in technology and markets. If you love to learn it’s the place to be!

What is your advice to women wanting to enter the technology field?

As for being a woman in tech, I have become accustomed to being in the minority, and tried to embrace the challenges of needing to be work harder to provide myself, and needing to always be a role model and representative. I do think there are some advantages over time, for instance as a company we have never lacked for press coverage, due to the novelty of being a woman CEO of a game company.

I’ve seen a lot of positive change, yet still find my daughter facing harassment that I had hoped would have disappeared by now. My advice to women going into tech is to find places and people that are supportive. If not your workplace, then seek out peer groups of women and mentors. Other than helping you ignore the critics, they can help you find techniques to deal with the extra challenges you’ll face.

What do you love about living in CapNY?

I love the central location of this area, being equidistant from NYC, Montreal, Boston, and Rochester. Much as I enjoy visiting cities, I am most passionate about the outdoors and have a small homestead so keep busy with goats, chickens, ducks, bees and other outdoor activities. I find it the perfect antidote to spending the rest of the day at my computer. Beyond the day to day, I take advantage of the many cultural opportunities, ranging from concerts, outdoor festivals, broadway shows, feasts with friends. Just in Troy alone, there is so much to do: festivities like Rockin’ on the River, Pig out, Victorian Stroll, the weekly AMAZING Farmer’s Market, and galleries and art boutiques. Being a foodie I especially appreciate the great restaurants, breweries and distilleries in the region!

Founder of ecoLong

Nancy, tell us about ecoLong and how you ended up here.

ecoLong is a technology startup. Our mission at ecoLong is to build interconnected and resilient communities which includes the development of our blockchain based energy marketplace that provides communities with equitable access to clean energy. I founded ecoLong in 2015 and manage the day to day product and business development activities. I went to college thinking that I’d work in the finance industry and I probably could have found enjoyment in working in finance. However, it was the idea of creating a product that drove me to tech and captivated me to staying. I think there are challenges and rewards in any field of work but it’s all about finding the one that you are passionate about to find rewarding and willing to persevere in when things get tough.

What advice would you give to another woman looking to go into tech?

Never be the one to tell yourself no.

What do you love most about living in CapNY?My favorite part

The people. ecoLong wouldn’t exist today if not for the local communities that have supported us along our journey. If I’m not exploring a new hike around CapNY, you’ll probably find me getting Kurver ice cream.

CEO of Kitware, Inc.

Lisa, tell us about Kitware and your role in the company.

Kitware was founded in 1998 with an initial focus on scientific visualization (I am one of five founders of the company – the others are Will Schroeder, Ken Martin, Bill Hoffman, and Charles Law). Since then, we’ve grown to more than 230 employees across the US and France, and we’ve expanded into additional areas including artificial intelligence, computer vision, medical computing, and scientific computing. I served as Vice President, Commercial Operations until 2017 when I took over as CEO from Will Schroeder. As CEO, my role is to work collaboratively with all our technical and administrative team leads to ensure that we achieve our mission of advancing science and technology while also remaining a great place to work for all of our employees.

How did you end up in this field?

I went to school at SUNY Stony Brook (not far from where I grew up in Port Jefferson Station). I received my BS in computer science in 1989. Near the end of my undergraduate years, I became involved in a research group that worked in the area of scientific and medical visualization. I really enjoyed the process of taking raw data and turning it into images that accurately convey information and can lead to new discoveries. I continued at Stony Brook to complete my MS in 1990 and my PhD in 1994, specializing in volume visualization. I moved up to this area to work at the GE Research and Development Center in Niskayuna before leaving GE to work at Kitware.

I love working in computing – it requires a great mix of creativity and engineering. Throughout my career I’ve had a chance to work on a variety of impactful projects including surgical and treatment planning systems in the healthcare domain, and rendering, analysis and acceleration methods for volumetric data in a variety of scientific application areas.

What’s challenging about the work, especially from the lens of a woman working in technology?

Overall, the most challenging aspect of the work is the fact that you often don’t know precisely how you are going to solve the challenge when you first start the project. That’s also the thrilling part of it – you need to innovate to create something that doesn’t yet exist.

Women earn more than half of all doctorate degrees in this country, but when you focus in on computer science, that drops down to under 25% (source: NSF’s Survey of Earned Doctorates). That’s a serious problem because we need to view a challenge from all perspectives to develop the best solution. There’s no quick fix to this problem though – we have to start early, at the middle school and high school level, to attract young women into the field, and we need to make sure they feel welcome, comfortable and valued as they complete their education and pursue a career in computer science.

This field allows you to make the world a better place – something that women often cite as a primary motivating factor when selecting a career. It also generally offers great flexibility, making it possible to find a good balance between your career and your personal life. From the perspective of a woman in tech, I have to say it is a great career and I feel that I should be doing more to get that message out there to young women who are considering their future career options.

What advice would you give to another woman looking to go into tech?

First and foremost, you should pursue a career in something that you are passionate about, so that “work” is something you’ll enjoy doing. When evaluating tech careers, be sure to look beyond just the math / science / engineering knowledge you’ll need to acquire and also consider the ultimate impact you want to have with your career. A tech career is quite versatile – you could help build better wind turbines, detect cancer, or entertain the world. As you complete your education, look for whatever opportunities you can find to get involved in collaborative research projects to gain experience translating your technical knowledge into working solutions.

Part of the reason you love living in CapNY is the abundance of outdoor activities. Tell us more!

I love all the opportunities for outdoor activities in CapNY. I have been a distance runner since high school, and really enjoy the energy and sense of accomplishment from completing a road (and recently also trail) race. I’m not very fast, but that doesn’t matter because my primary goal is to just complete the race and have a good time. I am an introvert by nature, but there’s something about being part of a large group of people who are all crazy enough to get up really early in the morning in any sort of weather to run. I probably overdid it in 2021 (my closet is bulging with race t-shirts!), but there were just so many great races to run this year. One of my new favorites is a 14 or so mile trail race through Moreau State Park that is organized by Kitware’s CTO (and company co-founder) Bill Hoffman.

6 CapNY Gen Zs & Millennials in Manufacturing Careers

Manufacturing and technology have been driving CapNY’s economy for more than a century.

Backed by local Research & Development (R&D) centers at the Colleges of Nanoscale Science & Engineering at SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, GE Global Research, Albany Medical Center and the Pharmaceutical Research Institute, local companies across CapNY are able to retain their competitive advantages in the global marketplace.

Within CapNY, key technology and manufacturing career opportunities have been growing at an enormous rate. So, we’ve decided to interview six professionals who work in manufacturing – in direct and support roles – from three local companies with global impact; to hear from them about why they got into their line of work, the distinct rewards and challenges of it, and how being a part of the CapNY community has impacted their growing careers. One thing these Gen Z & millennial pro’s all seemed to have in common…they are thrilled to be part of an industry that has completely taken off and they cannot wait to see how their careers grow with it. See for yourself…read the profiles of each individual below.

Job Title: Engineer, Factory Automation
Age: 22
Hometown: Albany, NY and her family is from Puerto Rico
Currently Lives In: Malta

As home to a dynamic convergence of innovation, R&D and manufacturing, CapNY has emerged as a major global hub for development, commercialization and production of advanced electronics and semiconductors. At GlobalFoundries, thousands of skilled professionals are developing and producing next generation technology here that power and connect our lives in the global marketplace. Learn more about this industry here.

Tiffany, please give us a little bit of background surrounding GlobalFoundries and your role.

GlobalFoundries® (GF®) is one of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers. GF chips are in laptops, cell phones, and even automobiles.

I started working at GF’s manufacturing site and headquarters in Malta, NY, about two and a half years ago as a Maintenance Technician and have worked my way up to my current role of Equipment Engineer in the Automation department by asking for the opportunity to help the engineers with projects.

On a normal day, I check in with the team on the floor to see if any vehicles are down (the little robots that deliver products from tool to tool), see what parts they may need, and ensure that regular preventative maintenance is being performed. I also work with vendors to make sure that parts are being kept in stock. In addition, there are continuous improvement projects, such as second sourcing materials for cost savings and things of that nature.

What do you enjoy most about your line of work?

When I first started, I would have said the coolest part was working with the robots. It was awesome to be able to fix them and see them travel around the ceiling. Now that I work directly with the tools, it’s very satisfying to see all the back-end processes that go into keeping the fab running.

I also really enjoy seeing the people on the team succeed. I was able to help one of my colleagues get into an electronic repair shop job with GF, and it’s something he’s really passionate about. It’s good to move up the ladder, but it’s also nice to bring others up with you…that’s what I try to do here.

Job Title: Wind Fleet Engineer, NA Fleet Reliability Operations
Age: 26
Hometown: McAllen, TX
Currently Lives In: Schenectady

Home to New York’s northern-most, year round seaport with critical rail connections, and located at the nexus of interstates 87 and 90 providing accessibility to multi-state supply chains, CapNY stands as a strategic offshore wind component manufacturing and staging location. New York ranks second for clean tech patents, first for wind patents and fifth for U.S. Department of Energy R&D funding. GE Renewable Energy is one of the companies making an impact in this space. Learn more about the industry here.

Shalani, how did you end up in this field/line of work? What do you find rewarding about it?

I work at GE Renewable Energy in Onshore Wind Digital Services for the Composites Team in Fleet Reliability Operations. In this role, I work on a team of engineers that supports the operating fleet of wind turbines in North America to develop solutions to potential issues, and address questions from sites to keep the turbines in operation and producing power. Day to day, we utilize our material expertise, blade design knowledge, site history, and experience to aid wind turbine sites in the evaluation of the health of their turbines to ensure they are generating clean power optimally and safely.

After studying mechanical and biomedical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA I decided that I wanted to utilize my engineering background in an industry that was creating positive change and helping the planet. I previously interned at GE Aviation in college and knew that GE was a great place to work, and GE’s renewable sector offered a unique opportunity for a career related to my passion for the environment and conservation.

Two years later, the reward of working in a field that is supporting positive change is just as great. Every day we are faced with the challenging task of “keeping the lights on,” but working with a great team to support the operating fleet of turbines makes that challenge manageable.

What’s your favorite thing about living and working in CapNY?

The accessibility to nature. It’s an easy drive to the Adirondacks where you can hike or take a boat on the lake. I play in outdoor volleyball leagues and tournaments in the warmer months. I love the greenery of the region and try to be outside as much as I can.

Job Title: Commercial Leader, Offshore Wind
Age: 30
Hometown: Silver Spring, MD
Currently Lives In: Saratoga Springs

Mary, tell us a bit about yourself and how you ended up here.

I went to college out in the Midwest, and joined the Navy submarine force after graduating, so I’ve lived all over the place! This includes Charleston SC, Groton CT, Notre Dame IN, Washington DC, and Seattle WA. Currently I live in Saratoga Springs, NY with my husband and our dog and I absolutely love it.

I ended up here through sheer chance, if you can believe it! When I was getting out of the military, I was very concerned about starting a new job without fully understanding what I was signing up for (and not liking it). So I focused on finding a company that had a program designed for professional exploration in an industry I was excited about. GE Renewable Energy was the perfect fit, and I started back in September of 2019! I’ve had about 3 different roles before this current one, all in different parts of the onshore wind industry.

This current role I started back in May, and it’s on our brand-new US offshore wind team. The industry itself is very challenging since it’s so new: a lot of the elements we have to consider in constructing and servicing offshore wind turbines don’t have support/supply/operational networks yet! But the exciting side of that same coin is that we get to shape what that industry will look like for the coming decades. Making sound, realistic decisions and laying a solid foundation for a massive future industry is very daunting, but I can’t think of a better group of people to get the ball rolling.

What do you enjoy most about working for GE Renewable Energy?

Two things – Flexibility and veteran support. GE is incredibly supportive of a flexible work/office balance and in its employees trying new roles within the organization. Not only is remote work normal, but so is trying new jobs every few years or so. In fact, this is widely encouraged, as we always need new, fresh perspectives in our business! This was appealing to me because I know I’m a person that will want to try something new every few years, including international roles, and that is very much a possibility here!

Job Title: Account Development Leader
Age: 28
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Currently Lives In: Schenectady

Teresa, what’s your role at GE?

My current role is in wind turbine field service sales for customers who own/operate wind turbines in North America. My role is essentially to construct proposals for repair and upgrade services for wind turbine components and wind farm operations. To do this, I work closely with the customer to understand their priorities, then scope out the services needs including components, cranes, crews, and software. Then finally I work with my commercial team to provide strategic pricing and terms to give the customer the best value and optimize GE’s capabilities.

What’s challenging about the field you work in?

The main challenge is that the wind market is accelerating exponentially right now which is difficult to keep up with but rewarding to know we are part of something innovative and leading industry standards!

You’re a recent CapNY transplant, tell us about the move.

I relocated from San Diego to Schenectady in March of 2020 and needless to say was not met with the warmest welcome when I had to unpack my apartment during state lock-down. That said, the best personal benefit of the past year has all the nature I’ve been able to take advantage of – hiking, camping, skiing, kayaking – and road trips to small towns that I think I would have bypassed otherwise. The diverse and (relatively) long history in this area keeps things interesting everywhere I go.

Job Title: Production Supervisor
Age: 39
Hometown: Saratoga Springs, NY
Currently Lives In: Sacandaga Lake

Plug Power is the leading provider of clean hydrogen and zero-emission fuel cell solutions that are both cost-effective and reliable.

Nathan, what’s rewarding and challenging about your role?

We have a family mentality here at Plug Power. There’s always someone willing to help you out. They’ve helped my career grow. We work across department lines a bit, but we all work together for the purpose of streamlining our processes. I’ve been able to work my way up the ladder quickly here. I started working with Plug Power in a temporary position and now I’ve been here for four years.

It can be challenging to keep up with the ever growing production goals of this company. We’re looking to expand our company and continue to train our current staff to help grow the fuel cell industry.

What’s challenging about the field you work in?

The main challenge is that the wind market is accelerating exponentially right now which is difficult to keep up with but rewarding to know we are part of something innovative and leading industry standards!

You’re a recent CapNY transplant, tell us about the move.

I relocated from San Diego to Schenectady in March of 2020 and needless to say was not met with the warmest welcome when I had to unpack my apartment during state lock-down. That said, the best personal benefit of the past year has all the nature I’ve been able to take advantage of – hiking, camping, skiing, kayaking – and road trips to small towns that I think I would have bypassed otherwise. The diverse and (relatively) long history in this area keeps things interesting everywhere I go.

Job Title: Manager, Advanced Manufacturing Engineering
Age: 33
Hometown: Chester, NY
Currently Lives In: Latham

Diana, how’d you get into this field?

I grew up around horses and that’s what got me into manufacturing and engineering. We had all sorts of equipment on the farm and I always helped my dad. My brother and I were always out on four wheelers, building forts, and I realized that for a career I wanted to design and build things.

What drew you to Plug Power?

The opportunity for growth. The shift from carbon emissions and focus on the decarbonization of the world and the role Plug Power plays is pretty intriguing. When I interviewed here, they told me about the major growth they were going to experience. We are well positioned to be successful and expand. Plug is the future. We’ve found our direction and our executive team is full force about decarbonization and green hydrogen plants. We’re dominating the green energy market. We work in a fast paced and demanding environment, which is challenging but fun.

To learn more about the growing industries of CapNY, click here!

Gabby is a brand strategist, entrepreneur, real estate investor, matchmaker, & hypewoman. She is also the Lead Consultant on the CapNY Brand Initiative. She lives in Schenectady with her poodle Mochi and 60+ houseplants. Check out her website!

7 Cool CapNY Healthcare Career Tracks for Non-Clinical Professionals

Updated: July 2025

When you walk the halls of a healthcare facility — especially the hospital — you will notice all the letters after the doctors’ names.

However, I’m happy to report that there are MANY great, behind-the-scenes health care careers that are keeping patients and community happy and healthy all across the CapNY.

Many of us non-medical workers have had to Google a long clinical acronym or ask Siri to explain the medical condition discussed in today’s 9 AM meeting. In fact, I learned today that the health care industry is also referred to as the “medical industry.” This sector includes any business that facilitates getting healthcare to patients. Think: urgent care and pharmaceuticals to insurance companies and beyond.

Those of us without clinical backgrounds have very rewarding and successful careers in the healthcare industry. And, once you are in with an organization, the opportunities are endless.

Check out these seven exciting non-clinical career paths you might want to consider.

Neil O’Brien-Bosselman, Director, Program Management, Ancillary Contracts at MVP Healthcare has a great perspective on the wide variety of opportunities and backgrounds in the healthcare industry.

“Operational teams in the Health Insurance space are made up mostly of non-healthcare professionals who have very diverse educational and work experience. For example, my team has backgrounds in business administration, finance, and data science. Their skills and previous work history provide them with a unique approach to solving operational issues. We think outside of the box and aren’t afraid to take risks.”

Neil wants young professionals to know there is always significant growth potential in the health insurance model. It is an ever-changing world – and MVP in particular, is always hiring for many different types of professionals.

Almost all hospitals have a Foundation or Philanthropy legs of their organization. Many projects and new equipment are likely partially or entirely funded by grants and/or community donors. These professionals excel at relationship building and community involvement in order to secure these generous gifts.

“There is an incredible responsibility that comes with supporting the community,” says Victoria Hostig, Director, Community Relations & Executive Director, CDPHP The Foundation. “The real magic happens when you meet the people who are being helped by your gifts. We take great pride in working with more than 600 not-for-profit organizations each year.”

Her advice for someone interested in this type of role: lead with a passion for giving back to the community. This job is not about giving away money. It’s about making an impact on people.”

Taylor Mickle, Manager of Operations and Safety at Ellis Medicine, started as a part-time transporter when he was an undergrad. Now, he is managing large projects within the department of mental health. “There are always new challenges that come up, and my days never feel stagnant. I often get to wear many hats, working on finance or project management to patient, staff, and environmental safety. There are so many different things in a day — I do not just sit at a desk. I am always learning something new, which allows me to grow professionally”.

His advice for anyone interested in heading down a career in healthcare…get involved in any way that you can. Try an internship or an entry-level position. Healthcare is no different than any other field; there is always a place for hardworking, dedicated professionals. When he first started, one thing that surprised him was him not having a lot of healthcare experience or a clinical background was not unique. It was actually very common!

The thought and creativity put into food offerings in healthcare cafeterias is really impressive. Depending on the hospital, there are thousands of employees alone that eat their meals here, plus hundreds of patients who must eat well to aid in their healing. And, family members and visitors need good food while putting in bedside shifts.

“I get up every day ready to come to work. I was biology major, and, thanks to this job, I’ve discovered a real love for food service. It’s a fast-paced environment and very rewarding,” says Steven Stannard of Albany Medical Center. “Every day is different and I love the family environment. We work as a team.” “There are good benefits and the people are great,” says fellow AMC employee, Rukundo Nsanzurwanda

Food service employees also appreciate the stability and comraderie of healthcare. Chef Carol Gaggi of Ellis Hospital says, “I worked in restaurants first but they did not have any perks, like set schedules, benefits, vacations, etc. I really like the stable hours, the ability to do different jobs and of course, the people.”

I may be partial, but I think the marketing teams have the best jobs in healthcare. If you get jazzed about being involved with just about everything, have endless curiosity, and thrive in a diverse environment – then dive headfirst into marketing and communications in the healthcare space.

In my first year at Ellis, I was part of four major advertising campaigns that included eye-opening focus groups, an autopsy (yes, you read that right, I asked to see an autopsy), large scale public relations efforts, and over 20 sponsorships and community events. And remember, I have absolutely zero clinical experience or background. I have often left a meeting with a list of ‘things to Google’ so that I could quickly sound somewhat knowledgeable on what a pulmonary embolism is or what acute care entails. But all of these moments and experiences are what continue to make my job so exciting.

Cailin Burke, Sr. Project Management Specialist at St. Peter’s Health Partners started her healthcare career in the Volunteer Dept. and quickly took on more and more responsibility. Now she helps lead different key business initiatives at St. Peters Medical Associates in partnership with a variety of different service lines and medical practices. “Healthcare is an incredibly rewarding industry to work in and is unlike any other industry I’ve experienced. It’s fast paced, ever-changing and demanding. The best qualities to embrace as a healthcare employee is patience and resilience.” Like many of us in healthcare the reward is always greater than any challenges. Even ‘behind the scenes’ work like project management makes a significant impact on the care patients receive and their experience.

An enthusiastic Gen Z in the infancy of her career, Naresha Murray, Organization Development and Training Coordinator at Ellis, is involved in duties way outside of the realm of HR. In her “official” role, she manages the Employee Orientation program, which exposes her to all areas of the organization. As one of the first faces our newest employees see when coming on board, she welcomes and guides them through their first days as part of the Ellis family.

Naresha is also part of the Code Gray Response Team. I was surprised to hear that anyone would choose to be involved in this crisis diversion group. As part of the response team, when a Code Gray (violence in the workplace – primarily in the ED or on our Mental Health Units) is called, she, along with a team of other employees, work to diffuse the situation. It’s a high adrenaline change of pace for her from her usual to-do list. “The balance of having both keeps me challenged, motivated, and continuously growing. I love that I have the opportunity to be a part of something that I had once assumed was only appropriate for those with a clinical background”.

These are only seven non-clinical career paths one can take within the healthcare industry, there are so many more and at different levels of an organization. Just remember to have an open mind, absorb all that you can, be flexible, ask questions, and know that wherever you are and whatever you are doing in this industry, you are making a difference in the lives of patients and your community. Oh, and, whether it be a hospital or an insurance company, they are ALWAYS hiring!

careers healthcare hospitals

The New Tech Valley: 5 CapNY Companies With Global Impact

Updated: July 2025

Meet the amazing tech companies that make CapNY one of the nation’s fastest growing metro areas for manufacturing jobs!

We’ve Come a Long Way

In the late 1990s, under the moniker “Tech Valley,” NY’s Capital Region committed to competing with major tech players like Boston and Silicon Valley.

Now, CapNY has built a strong foundation of tech-centered education at RPI. Plus, companies like Global Foundries and General Electric — and others you’ll meet below — are making major strides in industries like medicine, software, semiconductors, and more.

CapNY has increased semiconductor patents and has been named a top contender location for tech jobs. Additionally, CapNY is one of the fastest growing metro areas for manufacturing jobs!

Here’s the scoop on some of the hottest CapNY “Tech Valley” companies you should know…

GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF), Malta

GLOBALFOUNDRIES® (GF®) is a global semiconductor manufacturing company. Translation: GF produces chips that power everything from smartphones, tablets, and laptops, to 5G and automobiles! And, since 2009, over $15 billion has been invested in GF’s flagship manufacturing site, Fab 8, located in Saratoga County.

Worldwide, GF employees approximately 15,000 people at sites in 14 locations across the world. 3,000 of them work right here in CapNY. A 2018 Georgetown University study on the Economic Impact of GF on the Capital Region identified over 18,000 jobs created since 2009. There’s also been expansion of regional infrastructure, housing, entertainment, and other attractions in Saratoga County and the region overall.

GF is also committed to CapNY’s STEM education. “Our partnerships with the Capital Region’s colleges and universities help support our talent pipeline,” Benyon said. “(We’re) engaging K-12 students through science fairs, STEM expos, career panels and career fairs. We see STEM continuing to grow in our area, which is critical to our future talent pipeline.”

The range of opportunities at GF is impressive. “GF employs engineers and technicians, as well as people in IT, finance, business, operations and more,” said Peter Benyon, VP and General Manager at Fab 8. “Through our diversity and inclusion initiatives, GF is increasing representation of women and developing them at all levels within the company. Many of our women leaders have been recognized for excellence by community organizations.”

PVA, Cohoes

This Cohoes-based company creates equipment used in automated dispensing and spray coating across industries from automotive electronics, medical, alternative energy, and aerospace. Translation: PVA’s customers employ their robotics to precisely glue parts together or selectively apply a protective film on circuit boards to protect electronics from moisture, vibration, and foreign debris.

PVA is routinely recognized as an industry leader. They are a three-time winner of Circuits Assembly’s Service Excellence Award. And, to great acclaim, PVA developed and manufactured an emergency ventilator during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Being located in CapNY has been a huge positive for PVA. The Albany area is centrally located and has the benefits of a big city with a small city feel. The abundance of local colleges and universities provides a diverse, qualified pool of potential employees,” Hart said. And, “with customers around the world, the ease of Albany International Airport is vital. We have visitors and are shipping products daily.”

With sites in The Netherlands and China, PVA has a global reach from their Spindle City site. Exports account for over 60% of their total sales. Their customers are often in high volume manufacturing environments like China, Mexico, and India, according to Frank Hart, Managing Director – Global Sales and Marketing.

Kitware Inc., Clifton Park

Kitware creates custom R&D software solutions to help companies solve advanced scientific challenges. Some cool examples: They’ve built algorithms that can spot fake news or count marine wildlife, and technology that is used to help detect and treat cancer and plan complex surgery. Their computing tools can stimulate blood flow in the body for medical research, and others can analyze trends in climate data.

Founded in 1998 by Will Schroeder, Ken Martin, Lisa Avila, Bill Hoffman, and Charles Law, the leaders shared a passion to bring advanced visualization technology to the world.

Early on, Kitware secured funding from the National Library of Medicine. This success led to an open source business model that eliminates competition and encourages collaboration. Impressively, they’ve grown from five original employees to over 200 worldwide, with over 100 in CapNY. And,the company remains 100% employee owned.

“Kitware is proud to have our roots and our headquarters in New York’s tech valley. We are surrounded by so much innovation and growth,” said Lisa Avila, president and CEO of Kitware. “CapNY offers some of the best culture, arts, and leisure activities in the country. The region’s proximity to NYC and Boston, as well as the surrounding academic institutions, makes it an attractive place to live, work, play and learn.”

Vyv, Troy

Founded in Troy in 2012, Vyv (formerly Vital Vio) invented a revolutionary, UV-free approach to cleaning. Translation: Vyv’s antimicrobial lights allow people to live and work freely around Vyv lights, without the limitations of UVs. You’ll find Vyv products in overhead lighting, inside consumer products, behind elevator buttons, and in industrial processes.

Vyv began when CEO and co-founder, Colleen Costello’s grandmother contracted a serious — and preventable — MRSA infection during hospital stay. A biomedical engineering student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Costello’s research revealed that this was not an isolated incident. As a result, she and a team of engineers at RPI developed a smarter way to manage bacteria levels. Subsequently, Vyv invented proprietary continuous-use, UV-free antimicrobial light technology.

From idea to implementation, Vyv has found CapNY to be an ideal home to build upon that bright idea.

“This has been a great area to grow our company,” said Costello. “First, there is a high-quality talent pool coming from our universities. Also, the business ecosystems have helped us to grow. And, this area’s high quality of life make us feel fortunate to be part of this community.”

Vyv partners globally with FORTUNE 500 companies, including Delta Air Lines, Dorel Juvenile, Broan-Nutone, Middleby and a myriad of major healthcare systems.

Regeneron, Rensselaer and Troy

Regeneron is a leading biotechnology company that invents life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases, from eye diseases to cancer.

The company was founded by physician-scientists in 1988 and they quickly recognized the importance of in-house production capabilities. Therefore, they acquired the former Sterling Pharmaceuticals facility in Rensselaer and began making product for clinical trials.

Today, all of Regeneron’s nine FDA approved medicines are made at their production site in Rensselaer. In 2018, the company announced they would invest $850 million to expand existing operations and build a new fill and finish facility on Tempel Lane in East Greenbush.

Most recently, they stepped up to aid in COVID-19 treatment and research. Their antibody cocktail helps those suffering from the disease experience less severe symptoms and hopefully, make a strong recovery. More on that here.

When asked why Regeneron likes doing business in CapNY, Christine Childrose, Vice President of Human Resources responded, “The Capital Region has been a great place for Regeneron to grow and expand. In the last three years alone, we have hired more than 1,300 talented people with more than 30% of our entry level roles coming from local colleges and universities. With excellent school districts, an affordable cost of living, vibrant downtowns and a wide range of cultural and recreational opportunities, the Capital Region is also increasingly attractive to people looking to relocate for a better quality of life.”

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Six Rising Stars in the CapNY Fashion Industry

Updated: July 2025

If you ask, or simply look, around – it wouldn’t shock you to learn there hasn’t been much of a fashion scene here in the Upstate New York area. But if you sought out any of the up-and-comers who are paving a fashion path of their own, they’d tell you there is a lot going on to actively change how Upstate New Yorkers dress, shop and express personal style.

From retail shop owners, to designers, vintage thrifters and personal stylists, we rounded up six rising stars in fashion from across CapNY and beyond. While creating job opportunities and new outlets for people to shop and support the local fashion industry, this group is focused on boosting the narrative about Upstate fashion in their own individual ways. Allow me to introduce you to…

Age: 33
Raised in: New York City
Living in: Albany

How did you get interested in fashion?

After college, I moved back to NYC and held a few positions with media agencies and digital publishers. During my time there, content creation and influencer marketing grew fairly quickly. I realized I wanted to pursue a career in fashion. I knew it would be challenging because I didn’t have much experience, so I started a blog and leveraged social media to showcase my creativity. Fast forward to present day, my approach has shifted to help people build functional wardrobes that will last.

What are the services you offer?

As a wardrobe consultant and stylist, my goal is to help people achieve their desired look by recommending styles and curating a wardrobe that is functional, fits their needs, and tailors to their lifestyle. I’m a firm believer that less is more, so while working with clients, my mission is to educate them on the benefits of buying smart and letting go of items that no longer suit them so they can make room for new ones. I work with a diverse range of clients and various body types while offering virtual and in-person style sessions. My services range from closet editing and repurposing, to personal shopping, building a sustainable wardrobe, closet organization, photoshoot styling, and more.

How has the CapNY community supported you?

I was recently part of an interview with local media entertainment company, Two Buttons Deep, for an episode of fashion-focused podcast, Buttonista. We chatted about my transition from NYC, my business, and how to build a functional wardrobe. I’ve been able to make new connections with local photographers and small local businesses. For anyone aspiring to pursue a career in fashion, I would recommend networking within your local community. It could potentially give you access to opportunities and provide you with insight on how to grow your business.

Name: Nicole Nicholas
Age: 40
Raised In: Niskayuna
Currently Live: Clifton Park

Name: Randi Poillon
Age: 38
Raised In: Stony Brook
Currently Live: Clifton Park

How did Haute Messes in Dresses get started?

Growing up, we both had a love for fashion. When we met as adults, we instantly connected through our love for fashion and became fast friends. After years of talking trends, stalking sales, and many shopping trips while pushing baby strollers, we decided to share our knowledge and expertise as personal stylists.

We started offering various session-based styling services, designing graphic tees and custom tie dye sets to be sold online. Once the pandemic hit, we saw an opportunity to change the way we share our love for fashion…We purchased a tiny house that we turned into a mobile shopping and styling boutique!

What are the services you offer?

On the racks customers can find Haute Messes In Dresses’ signature graphic tee-shirts and fashionable face masks as well as sweaters, dresses, jackets and denim. We felt it was important to move beyond our graphic tees and offer staple pieces, versatile outfits with great quality and fit.

Haute Messes In Dresses believes the mobile shopping and styling boutique will provide a great alternative for those who prefer to avoid crowded shopping malls and plazas.

How has the CapNY community supported your efforts?

From the time we announced the mobile shopping and styling boutique, we have seen support from people who have been following us from the inception of Haute Messes In Dresses, and from those who just found out about us. Our customer base is all local. We would not be as successful as we are now without the support of these local women.

Age: 32
Raised in: Saratoga Springs
Currently living: Saratoga Springs

What’s your background, and how did you arrive at opening your own boutique?

My first official “fashion” job was in high school as a sales associate in the women’s department of a local landmark – the Saratoga Shoe Depot. After graduating college, I moved to New York City and worked in the industry. I quickly learned New York wasn’t for me, so when my lease was up, I packed up and headed to Los Angeles. Throughout my time working in the industry, my long-term career goals became much more clear: I needed my own shop. After a couple years in L.A. I came back to Saratoga.

I’ve always had a progressive view of the industry, and I used that to create the concept for my boutique. I was deeply affected by a fashion sustainability course I took during my senior year. My biggest takeaway was that if a consumer is getting something for a low price, someone or something somewhere is being exploited.

What are the services you offer?

I opened my shop, Supernatural, in October 2020 (yes, during a pandemic, social justice movement, and highly polarized political climate). Supernatural is a consciously curated lifestyle shop tucked away in the heart of downtown Saratoga Springs. We feature eco-friendly and sweatshop-free womenswear, ethically produced accessories, and plant-based, clean beauty and wellness products. I aim to connect like-minded shoppers with brands that care more about the product they produce than the profit they make.

Where would you recommend someone interested in fashion locally goes for advice or inspiration?

My best advice for anyone wanting to break into the local fashion scene is to get a job in boutique retail. Due to the nature of Saratoga being a summertime tourist destination, we have a unique fashion and retail market that I feel requires hands on experience to understand. Most shopkeepers have acquired unique skills and experiences over the years and are happy to share their knowledge with you.

Age: 35
Raised in: Schenectady
Currently living: Troy

How did you get into fashion?

Fashion has always been part of my being. I tend to be more inspired by style, how one uses style as a tool to express themselves –and I take inspiration from everywhere, including pop culture, hip hop and music and from my own friends and family. I always felt like how you presented yourself was very important especially as it pertains to first impression and reputation.

What is LYF SUPPLY and what does your brand offer?

LYF SUPPLY (LYF is an acronym for, “Love Yourself First”) is an embroidery company that supplies quality, custom embroidery to brands, companies and creatives. We offer high quality pieces ranging from hats, BLEACH’D 1 of 1s, UPLYFTED (upcycled customs) to full cut and sew pieces with slogans and images embroidered to reinforce the self love message, which is our brand’s foundation. We take pride in using colors to curate a mood.

How has the CapNY community supported your efforts?

Many local, small businesses use LYF SUPPLY for their embroidery services and recommend us to other people they work with. Superior Merchandise in Troy has been a huge supporter of ours as well as Phases (formerly known as AMC Jewelry).

Where would you recommend someone go to educate themselves on fashion locally?

While there isn’t much of a true fashion industry here locally (yet), I think it is important for people to find other ways to educate themselves. Mission Accomplished has a fashion program, but most of mine have come from self-education AKA Youtube University and Skillshare.

Age: 26
Raised in: Rotterdam
Living in: Albany

How did you decide to start DINER?

I’ve always been interested in fashion as a general idea, but in 2017 I combined a love of clothes with a hunting-for-treasure obsession and started my vintage business, DINER. DINER is an online shop focusing on all things vintage.

I say that half the reason it’s called DINER is because there’s something for everyone! The shop offers clothes mostly, but bags, books, jewelry, shoes, housewares, etc., are occasionally given a time to shine on the site.

How has the CapNY community supported or been part of your efforts?

There are some local girls that have been repeat shoppers from day one; that kind of continued love and support means so much to a small business owner. I’m also lucky to feature DINER items at Olive & June Floral Co. in Albany, year round, and during seasonal pop-up shops. It’s always nice to collaborate with another local female-owned shop and get support from others in the community that way, too.

Age: 25
Raised in: Latham
Living in: Guilderland

How did you become interested in fashion and modeling?

Modeling and fashion wasn’t my dream until four years ago, after I made my way through high school and earned a Bachelors and Masters degree in accounting. Modeling was always a topic of discussion [what girl didn’t either watch or want to be on America’s Next Top Model] but I never pursued it until the perfect opportunity crossed my path when a local photographer asked me to do a photo shoot, which ended up coming out great! I was approached by a photographer from CapNY who was already active in the fashion community. We set up a three look shoot in Washington Park (Albany) and it came out surprisingly great. The exhilaration of shooting and seeing the outcome made me want to learn about the fashion industry, and I wanted to see my face on the cover of magazines. There’s no turning back on that goal now!

What modeling have you done and what are you available for?

After that initial experience, I’ve walked in New York Fashion Week, Atlantic City Fashion Week, Miss NY USA, landed paid advertisement gigs, and even became a published model. It’s so beautiful how much my passion for fashion and creative directing has grown. Right now, my goal is to sharpen my talent, freshen my portfolio, and pinpoint my long term motive in modeling. It has been a side hustle, since I’m an accountant as well, but I don’t plan on letting up anytime soon. It’s been tough with the pandemic but my motto is #alwaysworking. Whether it’s thinking of a new theme, helping a girl break through her camera fright, or scheduling future shoots, I’m always working on how to further brand “Aniah Rose” while setting a footprint wherever I go.

How has our local community supported your dream of modeling professionally?

My supporters, as well as the long term colleagues that I’ve met throughout CapNY, have been who keep me in this hustle. All we want to do is eat, sleep, create. With that being said, I do remain available during these times for bookings! I love to help businesses and individuals in any way that I can whether it’s me being in front of the camera or directing a photoshoot.

Photographer credit: Tyler Ki-re, Dan Shade, KPhotoZ
Make up artists: Tali Made Beauty
Hair: Lurissa Lawson

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We’ve Come a Long Way

GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF), Malta

PVA, Cohoes

Kitware Inc., Clifton Park

Vyv, Troy

Regeneron, Rensselaer and Troy

Six Rising Stars in the CapNY Fashion Industry

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