News: Register for Creating Connections: The 2025 Empire State Greenways Conference
/Now is the time to register for Creating Connections: The 2025 Empire State Greenways Conference! If you’ve been waiting to see what this year’s conference has in store, now’s the time to take a look—and grab your spot. Our “Conference at a Glance” document includes session descriptions, speaker announcements, and field trip previews.
Join us this October 15-17 in historic Kingston, NY and see why this is a can’t-miss gathering for trail champions across the state.
Here’s a snapshot of what you’ll see at this year’s conference:
Inspiring Keynotes & Panels: Visionary leaders Janette Sadik-Khan and Ryan Chao headline with insights on urban transformation and nationwide trail connectivity, complemented by a panel on Ulster County’s multi-use trail system linking communities and promoting health and conservation
Wide-ranging Concurrent Sessions: Focused on themes like accessibility, advocacy, design, and safety, these sessions will offer practical tools and best practices from nonprofit leaders, planners, and advocates to build a connected, equitable, and resilient greenway network across NY.
Engagement & Networking Events: Interactive workshops, scenic field trips, and social gatherings—including a kickoff happy hour and a mid-conference dinner—will foster collaboration and community-building among trail professionals, planners, and advocates statewide.
Registration is now open: https://www.ptny.org/events/empire-state-greenways-conference
From nationally recognized keynote speakers to real-world case studies, hands-on workshops, and immersive field trips, this conference is designed to provide you with practical tools, fresh ideas, and new partnerships to support your work on and off the trails.

Dynamic local development corporation seeks experienced, versatile, results-driven economic development professional to pilot the organization’s multi-pronged initiatives to foster economic and community progress in Columbia County NY.
The successful candidate will manage a staff of eight, administer a $1.3 million budget, implement a strategic plan and organizational policies, oversee a $3.5 million small business loan portfolio, leverage economic development funding, maintain relationships with community stakeholders, act as the agency’s spokesperson, and serve as a first point of contact for businesses desiring to grow in Columbia County.