Angela Doyle McNerney, President
McNerney serves as the President & CEO of Tech Valley Connect. She developed the Tech Valley Connect program from its inception as a pilot program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, which has now transitioned into an independent not-for-profit. She has managed the implementation of the program, strategized and created new programming, policies and coordinated the logistics between companies, clients and regional resources. McNerney continues to focus on business development, marketing and overall management of the program. Her ability reaches beyond the structure of running Tech Valley Connect to keeping the program fresh and innovative. McNerney was invited to speak at the National Dual Career conference in 2010 to further disseminate the Tech Valley Connect model. Angela McNerney has a BA in Public Communications from the College of St. Rose. Her background includes Public Relations and Freelance writing. She has taught as an Adjunct Professor and is also currently Director of the Advance NSF grant at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Julie Hansen, Vice President
Julie Hansen works to coordinate with the spouse/partner of executive hires to set up informational interviews within their field of expertise establishing a powerful network of professional ties to the region. Hansen also conducts comprehensive intakes of the executive hire’s family, assessing individualized needs for both the couple and possible children to help build personal links to the community they’ve moved to. This information enables Julie to seek out the appropriate contacts for the family and help build bridges to ease the transition of relocating. She also oversees the Tech Valley Connect website. Hansen has a strong background in Human Resources working at Siena College for 10 years and then at Turner Construction. She brings with her a wealth of information about the region as well as a network of contacts she may tap to help build portfolios for the individual families.
Barbara Altrock, Assimilation Coordinator
Altrock meets with new families arriving in the Capital District to determine their needs and concerns as they “settle in” to their new environments. After assessing the needs of the families, she works with members of the consortium to schedule informational interviews for the clients in their field of expertise. In addition, Altrock strives to connect the families to other services that will assist them in assimilating into their new community and to provide the families with a strong sense of belonging. She believes that this is an intergral component of the relocation process. Altrock has a BA in Psychology and a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University at Albany. She has 22 year of human resources experience with the last then years as Assistant Director of Professional Personnel Operations in the Office of Human Resources at the University at Albany.
Bonnie Conners, Assimilation Coordinator
Tech Valley Connect not only welcomes high level job seekers and their families to the Capital Region of New York, but enables the whole family to feel comfortable with the change.
As an Assimilation Coordinator, she will communicate with the family and assess what they may need to transition to their new surroundings. Once that is complete she will assist in coordinating how to accomplish meeting those needs. Her background as a Human Resources Director in the healthcare and manufacturing fields has given me the opportunity to be familiar with the Capital Region, assess needs, and communicate effectively to accomplish an agenda.
Pamela McHale, Assimilation Coordinator
McHale has a BA in political science from Western New England College. McHale’s background includes customer service, analysis and recruiting for large corporate companies; such as GE Plastics, KB Toys and Modis, Inc. McHale is very involved in her community and children’s sports/schools. She is currently the Vice President of the Green Meadow PTO and Co-president of the CHS Football Booster Club.
Amy Pietrafesa, Assimilation Coordinator
Amy has over 15 years of human resources experience in manufacturing, engineering and the health field. In addition to Amy’s human resources experience, she was a real broker specializing in relocating families. She has relocated to several states herself and is particularly sensitive to the challenges and excitement of moving to a new area.
Tech Valley Connect Board of Directors
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Steve Beditz, VP for Finance & Business – University at Albany
Robert Blackman, VP of Business Development – Realty USA
Michael Castellana, President & CEO – SEFCU
Tom Feist, General Manager – GE Healthcare
Michael Ginsberg, Attorney – Pattison, Sampson, Ginsberg & Griffin, PC
Julie Hansen, Vice President – Tech Valley Connect
Linda Hillman, President – Rensselaer County Chamber of Commerce
Angela McNerney, President – Tech Valley Connect
Pam Sawchuk-Brown, VP Community Relations, Albany Medical Center Hospital
Michael Wacholder, Director – Rensselaer Technology Park
Advisory Board:
Susan Baker, Mazzone Mgt. Group
Sujata Chaudhry, Principal – Tangible Development
Ellen Cole, PhD – Researcher and “Trailing Spouse”
Victoria Derbyshire, Assistant Director – Wadsworth Center
Mark Eagan, President – Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce
Patty Fusco, President – Fusco Personnel
Linda Hillman, President – Rensselaer County Chamber of Commerce
John Kolb, Chief Information Officer – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Dan Moran, President – Next Act
Robert Pasinella – Rensselaer County IDA
Paty Rubio, VP of Academic Affairs – Skidmore College
Mike Tucker, President – Center for Economic Growth
Ann Wendth, Director of Marketing – Albany Academies
