Sam Nelson

He/Him/His

Director of Business Development

Office of the Executive Vice President

About Sam

Sam started at Chautauqua Institution in 2010. He was a part-time seasonal employee at the Athenaeum Hotel working in many capacities for years including busser, runner, special functions, bellman, captain, front desk agent, and server. Sam then worked part-time year-round in Information Technology (IT) first as an intern until 2012, then part-time year-round from 2013 through May 2017 as the helpdesk manager. At the same time, he worked in retail, food service, food manufacturing, and a few other jobs. He also occasionally helped at the hotel during this time and worked for Laurie Stanton in group sales for a year or two. In 2017, Sam started full-time year-round in IT as network administrator. He was most happy about the Enterprise WIFI implementation he worked on during this job. He became IT project manager in 2019 and helped implement Chautauqua Assembly as a large part of this role. In 2021, he became manager of strategic initiatives.

Sam has a bachelor’s degree in technology management from Alfred State College and a master’s degree in strategic leadership from St. Bonaventure University.

Why did you choose to work at Chautauqua? What do you like about working at Chautauqua?

Growing up originally in Cleveland and then Chautauqua County, I got to see both city and rural life. I had experienced political disagreements and often heard the loud voices on both sides but Chautauqua Institution allowed me to experience a place that was accepting, engaged in civil dialogue, and had both a city feel with a sense of rural community. There is just no place like Chautauqua. What was supposed to be a summer job for a year or two became a part of my life and a place I love. The Institution has helped shape my thinking about many things and made me a more understanding person over the past 12 years.