I woke up to a Twitter Message from Kate Regan (@LowerItUp), the funniest girl on Twitter.
Seriously. Â She’s farkin hersterical and she needs her own Twitter show.
Anyway, her message to me was: Â ”…We were having a debate tonight: Who do you think is the most powerful female in Albany?”
I stopped dead in my tracks (I was in bed), and thought, “wow, that’s a great question.”
a. Â I think it’s sad that no one jumps out at me as who might possibly be the most powerful woman in Albany, NY.
b. Â I think with money comes power, so my answer to her was Mona Golub.
…or maybe it’s that horse lady Marylou Whitney in Saratoga. Â Or wait, maybe it’s Kristi Gustaf… grrr BARLETTE because she can command a meeting with a shift manager at Friendly’s. Â Or maybe it’s Lydia Kulbida. Â That beautiful hair just says, “Don’t fuck with me.”
Who do you think is the most powerful woman in Albany?
DanCF
Jun 1, 2012 at 8:58 am
I would say its got to be either Kathy M. Sheehan, or Carolyn McLaughlin.
A.
Jun 1, 2012 at 9:18 am
Anne Saile of The Saile Group. That woman is no joke.
Pete Gannon
Jun 1, 2012 at 9:18 am
Libby Post
JMac
Jun 1, 2012 at 9:33 am
I’m sure you’re joking about Kristi. Bitching does not make one powerful.
If you were to expand outside of Albany and say the capital region I would say Shirley Ann Jackson.
Wendy
Jun 1, 2012 at 9:34 am
Kirsten Gillibrand
C
Jun 1, 2012 at 9:59 am
Kirsten Gillibrand
C
Jun 1, 2012 at 10:00 am
ls, ttll NT Krst- shs ttl btch.
EJH
Jun 1, 2012 at 10:05 am
@ Wendy
While I don’t doubt Senator Gillibrands achievements on a state- and nationwide scale, I don’t know how important a role she plays in Albany proper. Unless, of course, your definition of “Albany” is “Stuyvesant Plaza”.
One of the great things about Albany, and probably surprising to a lot of people when they think about this question, is that there are a LOT of powerful women here.
Dw
Jun 1, 2012 at 10:11 am
in Albany, Tess Collins.
Jess
Jun 1, 2012 at 10:24 am
In the capital region or just the city of Albany? If the former, I’d say Shirley Jackson, hands down.
Matt
Jun 1, 2012 at 10:25 am
Maggie Mancielli Cahill. She is a HUGE asset to Albany and the arts!
Carter
Jun 1, 2012 at 10:33 am
I’m with DW. Tess’ awesomeness makes her powerful
corey
Jun 1, 2012 at 11:03 am
Tess does rule… :)
Steve
Jun 1, 2012 at 11:34 am
Shirley Jackson is a joke! She’s a big bully and intimidator. And you’d think with all that money, she’d do something with that God awful hair!
Jeff
Jun 1, 2012 at 1:42 pm
You mean besides my wife?
JillyFay
Jun 1, 2012 at 2:02 pm
Pat Fahey! That woman gets it DONE!
Carlene
Jun 1, 2012 at 3:56 pm
@A – I did a photo shoot of Anne and her family recently; they’re lovely. Anne gets my vote along with yours – she has the sort of presence that makes people stand up a little straighter around her.
mcs
Jun 1, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Tess Collins.
Jen
Jun 1, 2012 at 6:06 pm
Tess Collins? Seriously? Popularity does not always equal power.
The Original Mike
Jun 1, 2012 at 10:15 pm
Andrea Amanatides
Kate Regan
Jun 2, 2012 at 12:13 pm
I’m so glad with everyone who got in on this conversation. It’s kind of sad that no one woman jumped out to me. Is this high school? Is it all just a popularity contest when it comes to influential women in the Capital District? It DOES seem however that women have cornered the markets on cornered markets. That is, women are extremely good with niches. Maggie is influential in the arts. Tess is influential in the restaurant/bar arena. Shirley is influential in education. Pat is influential in politics. Andrea Amantides is influential in….drug smuggling? Hopefully though, this discussion will stay alive and make people realize that Albany’s boys’ clubs are still going strong and it would be nice to see more women making their mark on our fair city.
JM
Jun 2, 2012 at 9:08 pm
Def not Kristi G.B. If it were who was the most pretentious, then for sure KGB. My vote for most powerful would be Pat or Tess.
Tony
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:49 pm
No one came to my mind. Money is power. When you say influential, I think about who would I want to hear guest speak. I wouldn’t care about meeting Shirley, mona, or anyone else mentioned. If you asked me who could get me a meeting with Obama, that’s gillinbrand or Shirley.
Bob
Jun 3, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Alice Green, the conscience of the community.
funny guy
Jun 4, 2012 at 10:26 am
Matt
the Original Colleen
Jun 4, 2012 at 12:27 pm
Me? I seem to be able to make people lose their cool on a moments notice; what me? Nope I didn’t mean to but I do….and really I do have to know EVERYTHING!
Lizziek1
Jun 4, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Sandra Lee
Jillian
Jun 4, 2012 at 7:09 pm
I’m fairly certain Lydia gets her hair done at the same place I do, which would explain why it’s so fabulous.
I do love Tess. She is an asset to the City. And now I am hungry for a garbage plate, dammit!
Kate, the boys’ club mentality has been made painfully evident to me during my time at the State Senate. It’s a shame.
Marc
Jun 4, 2012 at 7:10 pm
Mona Golub handsdown – but not because she has money but rather because she and her family care and use their money to do so much for our community!
bjh
Jun 5, 2012 at 7:49 am
Bob, you beat me to the punch…Alice Green!
AddieM
Jun 6, 2012 at 10:55 am
Kristi Gustafson? Please tell me you’re joking. She might win an award for someone who THINKS she’s powerful & influential but severely overestimates her own importance and relevance….