Claudia Pazmany Named Executive Director of the Downtown Amherst Foundation and The Drake

Source: Gabriel Gould

The Downtown Amherst Foundation (DAF) has named Claudia Pazmany its new executive director, bringing a familiar downtown leader back to Amherst in a role focused fully on the foundation and its signature cultural enterprise, The Drake. Her first day will be June 1.

“Bringing Claudia onto this team feels like the most natural next step,” said Gabrielle Gould, president of the Downtown Amherst Foundation Board of Directors. “I truly can’t imagine a better person to join us at this moment in our growth.”

Gould said the hire marks an important step as The Drake builds on four years of momentum as a destination for live music, community gathering, and downtown energy.

“The Drake has thrived because of the support of our community and key partners across Amherst,” Gould said. “We’re grateful to everyone who has helped bring us this far and to the generosity that is allowing us to take this next step toward long-term sustainability and success.”

Pazmany previously served as executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce from 2019 to 2024, where she was a visible advocate for local businesses and the vitality of downtown. She most recently served as chief development officer for Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services in Springfield, helping advance fundraising, partnerships, and new initiatives.

That combination of downtown knowledge, nonprofit leadership, and community-building experience makes Pazmany well positioned to guide the Foundation’s next chapter.

“My time at Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Services has been profoundly shaping,” Pazmany said. “I’m proud of what we built together – from launching inaugural events and statewide collaborations to strengthening partnerships and laying the groundwork for sustainable fundraising. I remain dedicated to advancing its mission as a volunteer.”  

“As I step into this new role, I bring that same commitment to community, belonging, and bold, collaborative growth,” she said. “I’m excited to help expand the reach of the arts across our communities, deepen access, widen participation, and help shape the next chapter of The Drake’s impact in Amherst.”

A longtime Amherst resident, Pazmany returns to downtown with deep roots in the community and a strong commitment to its civic, cultural, and economic life.

The Downtown Amherst Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to strengthening downtown Amherst through arts, culture, community partnership, and place-based initiatives and ensuring a thriving, beautiful, and diverse cultural college community.