Pride Center Board of Direc tors

Co-founder and General Manager of Cafe Euphoria, a transgender and gender non-conforming owned and operated restaurant located in downtown Troy. She joined the Pride Center Board after discussing the importance of trans representation on the Board at a community meeting hosted by the Board. She serves on the Board's Governance Committee, and in that role she has continued to focus on board representation, inclusion, equity, and policy changes designed to better enable the Center to serve the entire spectrum of our diverse yet connected LGBTQIA+ communities. She is also an active member and alternate facilitator of the Trans Pride support group at the Pride Center.

A member since June of 2018, I joined the board to help those in the community that need the most assistance, those most in need. Through my role as principal owner of ROCKS and a bartender, I create a connection of the many people that I see and talk with face to face. Those interactions drove me as a primary reason to extoll the virtues and programs of the Center. Additionally, as an administrative employee for the Albany County Department of Mental Health, connecting resources from both sides is a rewarding opportunity. The Center and its free mental health services are something I am proud to champion for our community.

Originally from NY’s Southern Tier, but spent most of my childhood in rural Potsdam, NY. I moved to Albany in September 2006 and attended UAlbany for my MBA. I have worked for Regeneron Pharmaceuticals for the past 15 years, where he was a founding member of the ReLGBTQ+ Employee Interest Group, now the LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group and is also a member of Regeneron’s DEI Mid-Level Leadership Council. I live with his fiancé and partner of 11 years, Hazem, in Center Square. I joined the Pride Center to get actively involveed in community-based volunteer work and to give back to the Albany LGBTQ+ community.

Sam is a marketer and business strategist and the Director of Shopper Experience for Northeast Shared Services (a subsidiary of Northeast Grocery, Inc.), where he is responsible for the marketing analytics arm of the organization. His current areas of focus include campaign, customer, and household analytics, market research, and optimization of communication strategies across all customer touchpoints for the Market 32, Price Chopper, and Tops supermarket chains. Sam holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York and an MBA from Clarkson University in Schenectady, New York. Sam currently resides in Halfmoon, New York with his partner, Matt, and maltipoo, Teddy.

Calendar-at-a-Glance

THURSDAY, JUNE 1

Albany Flag Raising Ceremony 10am | Albany City Hall, 24 Eagle St., Albany | Free

Saratoga Flag Raising noon | City Hall 474 Broadway, Saratoga Springs NY | Free

Community Sober BBQ 4 - 8 pm | Central Park Pavilion, Schenectady, NY | Free

PRIDE Kick-Off Block-Party & BBQ 4–8pm Parking Lot #2, 76 Central Ave., Albany | Free

FRIDAY, JUNE 2

Alternative Prom! 7–11pm | YMCA 433 State St., Schenectady | $10 Cover at the door (Ages 13–19)

HER Party @ Oh Bar 9pm–2am | Oh Bar, 302 Lark St., Albany | Cash Bar

SATURDAY, JUNE 3

Schenectady Pride 2023 1–4pm | Gateway Plaza, Liberty Park Schenectady | Free

Queer Game Night 5:00pm - 9:00pm | Cafe Euphoria 225 River St., Troy | Free

Blair Back’s Albany Pride Show 10pm - 4am | ROCKS, 77 Central Ave., Albany | $10

RuPaul’s Amethyst Live! @ Waterworks Pub 11pm - 4am, | Waterworks Pub, 76 Central Ave., Albany | $10

SUNDAY, JUNE 4

Pride Drag Brunch 11am - 2pm | Bard & Baker 501 Broadway Troy, NY | $20

MONDAY, JUNE 5

PRIDE Karaoke at Waterworks Pub 10pm

Waterworks Pub, 76 Central Ave., Albany | No Cover

TUESDAY, JUNE 6

Troy Flag Raising 10am | Troy Waterfront, Troy | Free

BINGO Trivia Night 8–11pm | ROCKS, 77 Central Ave., Albany | No Cover

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7

Drag Wednesday 10pm - ROCKS, 77 Central Ave. | 11pm -

Waterworks Pub, 76 Central Ave., Albany | No Cover

THURSDAY, JUNE 8

Capital Pride Alive at Five 5pm–8pm | Jennings

Landing, 1 Quay St., Albany | Free

Vibe Pride Ball @ Waterworks Pub 11pm |

Waterworks Pub, 76 Central Ave., Albany | Free

FRIDAY, JUNE 9

Euphoria Furmeet 5pm - 9pm | Cafe Euphoria 225 River St., Troy | $10

SATURDAY, JUNE 10

Say It Loud! BIPOC Pride 12–5pm | Washington Park, Albany | Free

Widow Von’Du Live! @ Waterworks Pub — Say It Loud! BiPOC Pride - The Official After Party

10pm | Waterworks Pub, 76 Central Ave., Albany | $10

Geek & Gaymer Sci-Fi Pride 9pm - 4am | ROCKS, 77 Central Ave., Albany | $10

SUNDAY, JUNE 11

2023 Capital PRIDE Parade 11:45am | State St. to Lark St. to Madison Ave. to Washington Park, Albany | Free

2023 Capital PRIDE Festival featuring Nina Sky & Martha Wash 1– 5pm Washington Park, Albany | Free

Capital PRIDE After Parties 5pm–? | Pride Center (332 Hudson Ave.), Waterworks Pub (76 Central Ave.), Oh Bar (304 Lark St.), ROCKS (77 Central Ave.)

FRIDAY, JUNE 16

Euphoria Munch 5:00pm - 9pm | Cafe Euphoria 225 River St., Troy | Free

SUNDAY JUNE 18

PRIDE 5K Rainbow Run 9am–2pm | Jennings Landing, 1 Quay St., Albany | $40

Euphoria Drag Brunch by House of Extreme 1:00pm - 3pm | Cafe Euphoria 225 River St., Troy | $13

FRIDAY, JUNE 23

Troy Pride Night Out 6pm -? | Downtown Troy, NY | Free

SATURDAY, JUNE 24

Pride Day - Troy Farmers Market 9am - 2pm | Monument Square Troy, NY | Free

Drag Cabaret & Story Hour for Kids 12pm - 3pm | The Huxley Theater, New York State Museum, 260 Madison Ave, Albany, NY | Free

SUNDAY, JUNE 25

Saratoga Pride Festival 2pm–5pm | High Rock Pavilion, Saratoga NY | Free

TUESDAY, JUNE 27

*Capital Pride Business Alliance Mixer 5:30pm–8pm |Troy Beer Garden Troy NY | $10

FRIDAY, JUNE 30

Pride Yoga at the Plaza 9am - 10am | Stuyvesant Plaza

1475 Western Ave. Albany | Free

Euphoria Open Mic 5pm - 11pm | Cafe Euphoria 225 River St., Troy | Free

IOOV Renaissance House Ball 6:30pm – 11pm | Albany Capital Center, 55 Eagle St., Albany | Free