President Ramsammy Receives Empire Whole Health Hero Award for Leadership, Community Service

March 18, 2022

President Ramsammy

Hudson Valley Community College President Dr. Roger Ramsammy has been selected as a recipient of the Empire Whole Health Heroes Awards.

The awards were created through a partnership between the Times Union and Anthem/Empire BlueCross to honor 25 Capital Region individuals and companies who are helping to improve the health, socio-economic levels and overall quality of life in the area, and who “reflect the dedication of Empire BlueCross to improving the health of every single New Yorker and maintaining the vitality of our great state.”

Dr. Ramsammy received the award during a virtual ceremony held on March 16, 2022, which was hosted by Empire BlueCross Regional Vice President Jason O'Malley and Times Union Editor and Vice President Casey Seiler, with a keynote speech from Capital Region Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Eagan. Recipients will also be featured in a special section of the Times Union on Sunday, March 20.

“For nearly 70 years, Hudson Valley Community College has been, and will always be, committed to providing affordable and accessible education for all,” said Dr. Ramsammy, in a quote from the Times Union article detailing the award recipients. “We design our programs and services with the needs of the entire community in mind, from students to employers. Our goal is to ensure that everyone in the region has the ability to pursue higher education, at a cost they can afford, and that our workforce and economy remains strong and growing through the creation of new programs and facilities that allow us to address the needs of employers while providing well-paid jobs for our graduates.”

The other winners of the award are as follows:

  • The Pride Center of the Capital Region
  • The United Way of the Greater Capital Region
  • University at Albany President Havidán Rodríguez
  • Ruth Leslie, regional planning lead at Albany Medical Center
  • Pamela Schorr, regional director of rehabilitation at Gem Rehab
  • Jeff Buell, principal at Redburn Development Partners
  • Jahkeen Hoke, CEO of Business for Good
  • State Employees Federal Credit Union (SEFCU)
  • Laurie Malone, nurse clinician at Albany Medical Center
  • Colonie Senior Service Centers
  • KIPP Albany
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area
  • Annmarie Lanesey, founder of AlbanyCanCode
  • Clark House Hospitality
  • Trinity Alliance and the 518SNUG program
  • The Free Food Fridge Association
  • Centro Civico
  • The SEAT Center
  • Joseph’s House & Shelter
  • Parks & Trails New York
  • Chris Graber, CEO of CDChoices
  • Susan Waters, director of the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities
  • Kim Siciliano, CEO of YWCA of Northeastern New York
  • Raymond A. Keyser, owner of Claverack Pump Service

More information on the Empire Whole Health Heroes Awards can be found at www.wholehealthheroes.com.

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