Capital Region Young Professionals Network

04/24/2026

All smiles at our Social Sips this morning! 😁

Keep 👀 on our socials for the next Social Sips for May!

04/10/2026

The Capital Region Young Professionals Network would like to thank all who attended the PechaKucha Albany Vol 39: Bloom in the Capital event last night.

A special thank you to our incredible speakers who shared their stories of personal and professional flourishing moments:
Khamali Brown
James Rubino
Christopher Walrath
Jeannine Trimboli
Ezra P. Scott Jr, MBA, M.Ed
Alison Wilcox
Erin Mark

Emcee: Amari Duncan

📸See event photos here () : https://gallery.heckraiserproductions.com/GzwuhkCcjvEc0alZ/gcj0kzj34o

👉You can now watch the entire event on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/live/DfEoq4fu4wc

Our thanks to YPN Sponsors:
Presenting Sponsors: National Grid and Transfinder
Supporting Sponsors: Community Bank, N.A., Capital District Transportation Authority - CDTA, Ellis Medicine, and NYSTEC

Capital Region Chamber

Speakers: Khamali Brown James Rubino Christopher Walrath Jeannine Trimboli Ezra P. Scott Jr, MBA, M.Ed Alison Wilcox Erin Mark

04/02/2026

Livestream PechaKucha Albany Vol. 39: Bloom in the Capital on April 9 to see 7 incredible speakers tell their stories of personal and professional flourishing moments.

Be sure to click 🔔 "notify me" so you don't miss it live!
Find it here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/DfEoq4fu4wc

03/31/2026

Last call to register for PechaKucha: Bloom in the Capital!🌷🎤

Registration closes at 12pm tomorrow! Link in bio🔗

03/17/2026

The most exciting YPN event of the year is back!

Join the Capital Region Young Professionals Network for an evening of ideas, inspiration, and connection in full bloom: https://members.capitalregionchamber.com/.../2026-ypn...

Our thanks to YPN Sponsors:
Presenting Sponsors: National Grid and Transfinder
Supporting Sponsors: Community Bank, N.A., Capital District Transportation Authority - CDTA, Ellis Medicine, and NYSTEC

Inspired by Albany’s iconic Tulip Festival, PechaKucha Vol. 39 showcases stories of personal and professional flourishing moments when individuals and communities blossomed.

Join the Capital Region Young Professionals Network for an evening of ideas, inspiration, and connection in full bloom: https://members.capitalregionchamber.com/eventcalendar/Details/2026-ypn-pechakucha-night-1561887

Our thanks to YPN Sponsors:

Presenting Sponsors: National Grid and Transfinder

Supporting Sponsors: Community Bank, N.A., Capital District Transportation Authority - CDTA, Ellis Medicine, and NYSTEC

01/29/2026

Introducing your 2026 YPN Steering Committee!

10/28/2025

Join us for our third and final Slices with CEOs event for 2025!

⭐️ Meet Jamie Ortiz, Owner of Primary Food Group which includes local favorites like 677 Prime, Sea Smoke, and Toro!

You don’t want to miss out on this fun networking opportunity with PIZZA! 🍕

Ready to Register? https://members.capitalregionchamber.com/ap/Events/Register/J5FG4JMfJCzC3

🗓️ Thursday Nov. 9th
⏰ 5:30pm-7:30pm
📍 Toro Cantina - 111 Wolf Rd, Albany, NY 12205

09/29/2025

✨ Regional Gems with Belinda Washock ✨

One of our favorite parts of YPN is discovering the Capital Region through the eyes of our members and our events! Our YP of the month Belinda, shared some of her go-to spots and activities that make our community shine:

Belinda says:

“If I could grab an iced chai at Graham’s, eat lunch at Viva Cinco de Mayo, paddle board at Grafton Lake, watch the leaves change while rail biking with Revolution Rail Co., and end my day at the Riverfront stairs in Troy—I’d be the happiest gal in town!”

☕ Grab an iced chai at Graham’s
🌮 Lunch at Viva Cinco de Mayo
🏄 Paddle board at Grafton Lake
🍂 Watch the leaves change while rail biking with Revolution Rail Co.
🌆 End the day at the Riverfront stairs in Troy

Where are your favorite Capital Region gems? Drop your recommendations below! 💙

09/15/2025

🌟 September YP of the Month: Belinda Washock 🌟

Beyond her professional role at , Belinda has made a lasting impact through her commitment to community service. Two organizations especially close to her heart are The and RISSE (Refugee & Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus).

“The Connect Center is one of my favorite nonprofits! I used to start my Fridays volunteering for their backpack program, which is such a simple but powerful way to give back to the kids of Cohoes.

My other favorite nonprofit is RISSE. Through RISSE, I was paired with a student named Oscar to help him practice conversational English. What started as weekly coffee shop meetups to talk about our week turned into a real friendship. Over the years, I’ve metaphorically walked alongside him through some big life changes, staying in touch while he was back in Colombia via ZOOM and helping connect him with community resources when he returned. Oscar’s resilience and friendship has impacted me and my family tremendously—I am forever grateful for it and RISSE for introducing us!”

Belinda’s story is a powerful reminder of how giving back not only supports others but also enriches our own lives in meaningful, lasting ways. 💙

09/08/2025

🌟 September YPN of the Month: Meet Belinda Washock 🌟

YPN Program & Volunteer Committee Member | Marketing and Communications Specialist

Belinda joined YPN in search of something deeper than networking, she wanted community. As she puts it:

“I came to YPN looking for community, not just a space where young professionals could network, but a place where people genuinely care about what they do. That could mean their day-to-day work at their 9-5, the volunteer roles they take on, or even their hobbies. What’s kept me here is exactly that: a community that feels authentic and real. A space where it’s okay to make mistakes, throw out an idea in front of a room full of strangers, or start up a conversation that turns into a genuine friendship instead of just another exchanged business card. My goal is to keep showing up authentically myself and to help nurture that kind of environment for others.”

Belinda’s dedication to showing up authentically and creating a welcoming, supportive space is exactly what makes YPN so special. We’re lucky to have her as part of our community! 💚

08/26/2025

🌮✨ Community + Connection in action!

Our incredible YPN volunteers showed up big for the Connect Center’s 5th Annual Tacos for Life event — with more than 20 members rolling up their sleeves to help make the day a success. From event set up early in the day to welcoming guests to changing trash, their energy and smiles helped the event run smoothly.

We loved spotting so many friendly faces enjoying the festivities and filling their taco passports along the way 🌮✅. Seeing our community come together to support events and missions like this is heartwarming!

Taco camp was personal favorite - the level of pride and care these kids took in serving their guests was unmatched! They have the best teacher, Ben Williams!

A huge thank you to our YPN crew for giving their time and spirit to support such a meaningful cause in our community! Special shout out to James Weiss for all the organization, planning and flawless ex*****on! Join YPN’s newsletter and you’ll never miss an opportunity!