Frank Sainato serves as the Director of Development at Joseph’s House & Shelter, having joined the team in January 2024. The Development Department helps sustain the agency and manages relationships with private foundations, community organizations, individual donors and more.
As Director of Development, Sainato is focused on growing the department to match the recent growth of the agency—and the growing needs of the community. He has made online outreach, donor convenience and community relationship-building central to Joseph’s House & Shelter’s development strategy as the agency works to grow wider grassroots support among small donors. Though his tenure has been short, he has already embraced new payment processing tools which streamline contribution data entry, engaged community stakeholders and policymakers to increase awareness of the agency and its mission, and utilized his media relations background to turn news cycles on local homelessness into opportunities for growth and partnership.
Prior to working at Joseph’s House, Sainato spent nearly a decade working in government and political communications, serving the State Assembly Majority, the Office of Senator Brouk and as the communications director for the City of Troy under Mayor Patrick Madden.
He lives in Troy, NY with his wife.
Jenna was born in Albany, New York, and began dancing at the age of three. She grew up studying tap, jazz, ballet, contemporary, and hip hop, and competed at the Regional and National level. At the young age of 14, she began exploring her passion as an educator teaching children ages 5-17 years old.
After graduating high school, it became clear to Jenna that becoming an educator in the arts was something that she was extremely passionate about. She went on to receive her Bachelors of Science in Business Administration, with a marketing concentration, at The University at Albany. During her studies, she continued performing with many regional and local dance groups, all while continuing to teach young aspiring artists state-wide.
Jenna was a member of the semi-pro Albany Empress AFL Dance Team during her junior year and took on the position of Captain of the UAlbany Dance Team her senior year of college. Upon graduating, she teamed up with her brother Corey and Co-Founded the Capital District Arts Initiative, a recreational and professional artistic training facility out of Latham, NY.
She serves as the Business and Marketing director of the facility and continues to educate and mentor students of all ages in several different genres of dance. She also serves as the Assistant Dance Team Coach & Choreographer for the NLL Albany WolfPack Dance Team!
Being an Albany native, giving back to the Capital Region and educating young artists is something she has looked forward to doing for years. She is eager is pass on her knowledge to each student who crosses her path.
Being apart of this performance means everything to Jenna. She is excited to continue using dance as a way to spread joy, entertain, and bring awareness to such a great cause.
