Bio:

Nora K. Yates began her tenure as Executive Director of the Pride Center of the Capital Region in April of 2008. As the oldest continuously-operating gay and lesbian community center in the country, the Pride Center has only had 4 Executive Directors in its almost 40 year history. Nora has been involved in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender movement for over 10 years, and most recently was the Field Director for the Empire State Pride Agenda, NY’s statewide LGBT advocacy organization. Specializing in community organizing and program development, Nora has created and implemented several advocacy strategies that have received national recognition, around issues such as marriage equality and transgender nondiscrimination.

Focusing on nonprofit organizations and social justice movements, Nora currently holds two Masters Degrees; a Masters in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management from Sage Graduate School, and a Masters in Women’s Studies and Public Policy from the University at Albany. She was the first graduate from the Women’s Studies Masters program at the University at Albany.

Professionally, Nora has worked with the New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NYSCASA), the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and the Women’s Building, among other organizations. She directed and coordinated “The Vagina Monologues” at the University at Albany for five years, raising over $15,000 for local anti-violence initiatives.

She lives in Schenectady with her wife Erika, their two children, two dogs, and a very fat cat.