Trailblazers
The 2025 Trailblazers in Economic Development
New York job creators leading the push for growth.
City & State presents the 2025 Trailblazers in Economic Development. Jane Goodrich; Municipal Credit Union; NYSTEC
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If there’s one thing that politicians across the ideological spectrum can agree on in these hyperpartisan times, it’s the need to ensure conditions that fuel economic growth and create jobs. Of course, there are sharp disagreements over the best way to achieve that fundamental goal. Still, there are plenty of New Yorkers who are making a demonstrable difference in paving the way for economic development. There are executives in the financial sector investing the capital needed to develop new products and services, workforce development experts training workers with advanced skills for jobs needed to support growing industries, and forward-looking leaders in such industries as construction, real estate, tourism, tech, energy and higher education that are shaping the future of New York’s economy. A group of these outstanding individuals – along with key government officials, labor leaders and heads of trade associations, business improvement districts and nonprofit organizations – make up City & State’s 2025 Trailblazers in Economic Development.
Ronald Rosado Abad
Ronald Rosado Abad has dedicated his career to housing New Yorkers. A former assistant commissioner at the New York City Department of Homeless Services, Abad now leads Community Housing Innovations, a nonprofit that provides housing services in New York City’s suburbs. CHI is partnering with Mount Hope Community Development Corp. on a new 56-unit building in White Plains. Abad has also joined with faith leaders and Westchester officials in pushing for state lawmakers to pass the Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act, which would make it easier for faith groups to build housing on their land.
Yash Acharya
Yash Acharya is dedicated to improving the operations of state and local governments and educational institutions to better serve the public. A state, local and education corporate services transformation leader in the government line of business for KPMG, Acharya spends much of his time focused on optimizing the back-office operations of these critical levels of government. Acharya is a thought leader in the field of public administration, previously authoring a monthly column on government innovation for the Public Administration Times.
Mohamed Attia
Street vendors selling hot dogs, halal food and other foods are an iconic part of the New York City landscape. For a decade, Mohamed Attia was one of them – and now he’s advocating for these workers. Attia, who now leads the Street Vendor Project, where he helped to pass 2021 city legislation to increase the number of street vendor permits. Attia also helped pass a recent city measure to reduce criminal liability for street vending violations, which will protect immigrant vendors from not only criminal charges but help them avoid immigration enforcement..
Matthew Bauer
Madison Avenue is a top luxury shopping district in the world thanks in part to the work of the Madison Avenue Business Improvement District’s longtime president, Matthew Bauer. Last year, 41 new stores opened on Madison Avenue between East 57th and East 86th streets, 23 of them in the second half of the year, and the BID reported another 36 new businesses opening this year. Bauer has served on the New York City Mayor’s Small Business Advisory Commission, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Manhattan Small Business Alliance and the New York City BID Association board.
Justin Birzon
Justin Birzon’s background in law and as a state legislative staffer gives him the training and experience to guide his clients at Albany Strategic Advisors in navigating state government. A former editor of The New York Environmental Lawyer who is passionate about the environment, Birzon has advocated for clients in the renewable energy, infrastructure and technology sectors. Birzon, who practiced corporate and civil law while in private practice, has served as legislative counsel to both the Assembly Judiciary Committee and the state Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee.
Gregg Bishop
Gregg Bishop has moved in many directions in New York’s public sphere. Before taking the helm of the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation Social Justice Fund in 2021, he led the civic leadership organization Coro New York and ran the New York City Department of Small Business Services, where he helped small businesses secure $200 million in capital and provided training to 10,000 New Yorkers. Now working for the owners of the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty basketball teams, he drives economic mobility and equitable investments in communities of color.
Editor’s note: Gregg Bishop is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
Michael Brady
The South Bronx is on the upswing, thanks to the work of local community leaders like Michael Brady. Brady helped the Bronx Downtown Revitalization Initiative Planning Committee obtain $10 million in economic development funding and in the implementation of a planning strategy along the Harlem River that features housing, waterfront access and upgraded infrastructure. He has been focused on food security issues and is advising mayoral campaigns on economic development strategies. He is a former CEO of the Third Avenue Business Improvement District.
Ralph Bumbaca
Ralph Bumbaca views banks as a key partner in cultivating the New York economy. As head of TD Bank’s operations in the New York metropolitan area, Bumbaca has placed its role as a community development financial institution front and center. He has said that his “passion” is providing access to capital for small businesses to start and develop, along with supporting the creation of affordable housing. He works to encourage the bank leaders across the region to remember to focus on their local communities.
Rob Byrnes
For 23 years, Rob Byrnes has been working to improve and enhance the East Midtown community, with programs focused on supporting businesses and residents along with promoting a clean and beautiful neighborhood. Byrnes launched a series of programs promoting public art in East Midtown, with an emphasis on the art as economic development. Programs related to literacy have been another recent focus for the East Midtown Partnership. Byrnes helped launch a new Mardi Gras celebration and a partnership with the Society of Illustrators for a holiday craft fair.
Marco Carrión
Marco Carrión joined the Consortium for Worker Education in February, taking over an organization supporting workers and working families in New York City. CWE, the workforce development arm of the New York City Central Labor Council, serves 30,000 New Yorkers a year with career education, job placement services, child care and training on workplace rights and forming worker cooperatives. Carrión previously served as executive director of El Puente and was commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit and legislative director for the Central Labor Council.
Greg Connors
Greg Connors drives economic development in one of New York’s premier summertime destinations. Connors estimates that this year’s annual 49-day horse racing season in Saratoga pumped $450 million into the local economy. He predicts 2026 will be an even bigger tourism year, thanks to horse racing and the 250th anniversary of the pivotal Battles of Saratoga. Outside of tourism, biomedical powerhouse Regeneron recently acquired a 1 million-square-foot property in Saratoga Springs for production support and possible manufacturing. Connors was appointed to SUNY Empire State’s University Council by Gov. Kathy Hochul this year.
Clare Cusack
New York’s state-chartered banks employ 200,000 people statewide and have over $10 trillion in aggregate assets, serving as the backbone of the state’s banking system. Claire Cusack, who has led the New York Bankers Association since 2020, recently joined other financial associations in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in an attempt to get the court to overturn the state’s Foreclosure Abuse Prevention Act. Cusack is focusing on advocating for Community Development Financial Institutions, improving the state business climate and creating a new financial literacy program.
Therese Daly
Therese Daly is uplifting New Yorkers as the leader of the United Way of New York State, a post she assumed at the start of the year. Daly has already advocated successfully for increased state funding for 211 New York Inc., the organization’s service support hotline. She is a prominent thought leader on economic issues, including the benefits cliff and apprenticeships. Daly has also made the United Way the SkillSPAN lead in the state. She previously led government affairs and was interim executive director at the New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals.
Stacey Duncan
Stacey Duncan is a one-woman economic development machine for the Binghamton region. Duncan runs the Leadership Alliance, an umbrella organization for the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce, and The Agency, Broome County’s industrial development agency, She has called on the state to adopt an all of the above energy plan. With technology investment driving an upstate and Binghamton economic resurgence, Duncan says reliable energy is needed to continue the boom. The tech economy is a natural successor to one of Binghamton’s original economic engines, IBM.
Amanda Farías
Since taking over as chair of the New York City Council Economic Development Committee almost four years ago, Amanda Farías has been leading the charge to redevelop the city’s industrial base, along with other economic expansion initiatives. Farías has passed legislation to create a city plan for industrial development. She’s also monitoring the redevelopment of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, pushing for increased funding for industrial development and advocating for the city’s tourism industry. Farías, who’s also the legislative body’s majority leader, is among the contenders to be the next City Council speaker.
Debra Feinberg
Debra Feinberg knows all about business, creative industries and housing. Now a lobbyist at Bolton-St. Johns, Feinberg has an extensive background in boosting the New York City economy. She is a former general counsel and state lobbyist at the Partnership for New York City. As operations director for Steiner Studios, she handled government affairs for Steiner’s real estate arm and helped pave the way for one of Brooklyn’s largest residential towers and for the first Wegmans in New York City. She also served as chief of staff to the chair of the Assembly Housing Committee.
Katy Gaul-Stigge
People most associate Goodwill Industries with their thrift stores, but the nonprofit organization provides an array of workforce development programs to support workers and the local economy. Its programs include job training and placement services for individuals with disabilities, allowing them to gain economic independence. Goodwill also offers temporary employment services for employers, with 20,000 employees ready to deploy. Prior to taking over Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey nearly a decade ago, Katy Gaul-Stigge led workforce development for New York City.
Eddie Gazzillo
The Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association offers far more than the popular New York International Auto Show held at the Javits Center each year. The trade association also represents and advocates for an industry that generated $67.6 billion in economic activity in the New York City metropolitan area last year and supports 67,300 jobs with a payroll of $6.3 billion. Eddie Gazzillo, a former New York City educator, joined the association in 2011 with a focus on education and training efforts and was named chief operating officer in 2022.
Bridget Gibbons
Bridget Gibbons is laser-focused on cultivating the STEM economy in Westchester County. She’s behind the newly launched partnership between the county and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to bring workforce development classes in such areas as artificial intelligence, semiconductor technology and machine learning to Westchester residents. She co-founded the New York State Quantum Consortium and launched ConnectWestchester to close the digital divide. Gibbons is seeing the life sciences sector grow in the county, with Regeneron expanding and the New York Blood Center relocating to Rye.
Dan Goldman
Formerly the lead counsel on President Donald Trump’s first impeachment, Rep. Dan Goldman is now spurring redevelopment along Brooklyn’s waterfront. In September, Goldman led the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force in approving a $3.5 billion vision plan. The plan features an all-electric port, 275,000 square feet of industrial space, 6,000 new homes and 28 acres of open space, and it’s expected to have an $18 billion economic impact. Goldman helped secure a $164 million federal grant for the project, the largest federal grant for the New York City Economic Development Corp. in history.
Brad Griggs
Amazon is one of the country’s largest companies, and Brad Griggs is expanding its footprint in New York and across the Northeast U.S. Griggs oversees the tech giant’s expansion of corporate offices and fulfillment centers in New York and elsewhere. On his watch, large-scale fulfillment centers have popped up in Syracuse, Rochester, Albany and other areas, adding over 15 million square feet of operations facilities. With experience in real estate at WeWork and Newmark, he also guided the acquisition of the former Lord & Taylor Building in Manhattan, now the site of Amazon’s largest New York corporate office.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
New York City Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez has been focused on growing New York City’s manufacturing and industrial sectors. The Brooklyn lawmaker organized and led the M-Zone Coalition, a group of elected officials and business and community leaders focused on manufacturing zoning. The coalition obtained new zoning amendments in response to Mayor Eric Adams’ City of Yes plan that are designed to protect and expand the industrial sector and supported the creation of the city’s Industrial Development Strategic Plan. The coalition also passed new rules regarding the concentration of last-mile delivery warehouses.
John Harris
A top expert on energy and environmental issues in New York, John Harris leads the energy team at Brown & Weinraub, the state’s top-ranked lobbying firm, in advising clients in New York’s clean energy industry. With a deep knowledge of regulatory and permitting processes, he guides clients looking to build new renewable energy sources, install electric vehicle charging stations, and create new fuel cells and battery storage facilities. Harris serves on the boards of Capitalize Albany Corp. and the Albany-based Center for Economic Growth.
Kara Hughes
From working to rebuild lower Manhattan after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to leading New York City’s legislative efforts under then-Mayor Bill de Blasio, Kara Hughes is a seasoned economic development pro. Among Hughes’ recent accomplishments at O’Donnell & Associates are supporting a global transportation company on issues related to congestion pricing and modernizing fare gate infrastructure to support long-term economic growth. She is also working with transportation and security technology companies to bring new investments and secure government funding.
Roel Huinink
Roel Huinink hasn’t just overhauled and expanded Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport – he has reimagined and revitalized the passenger experience at the New York City airport’s largest terminal. Huinink launched the first phase of JFKIAT’s North Star program this year to develop a strategic vision across terminal stakeholders, including employees. Huinink is also leading the terminal staff in creating passenger experiences that are reflective of New York City. Last year, the terminal awarded $37 million in contracts to MWBE firms as part of the terminal’s redevelopment.
Patrick B. Jenkins
As the head of his eponymous lobbying firm, Patrick B. Jenkins is advocating for clients who are helping to grow the Empire State’s economy. Jenkins’ key clients include Charter Communications, Genting New York, American Innovators Network, the American Chemistry Council, One Fair Wage, Waymo, the Real Estate Board of New York and the Sports Betting Alliance. Jenkins, a close ally of Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, also served as co-chair of the economic development committee of Queens Community Board 12.
Jennifer Jones Austin
Jennifer Jones Austin is tired of the short-term approach of attending just to low-income New Yorkers’ immediate needs – she wants to address the root causes of poverty and develop long-term plans for those seeking economic security. This includes getting city and state officials to steer policy development toward this objective and also ensuring that those who need assistance know about existing programs. At the nonprofit FPWA, her accomplishments include advocating for raising the minimum wage and for higher wages for human services workers.
Oliver Karp
The U.S. Army’s New York City Recruiting Battalion has become one of the most successful in the country in recent years, and its new commander is an experienced Army recruiter. Lt. Col. Oliver Karp took over in July after serving as the Milwaukee Recruiting Battalion commander. A native New Yorker, Karp came into recruiting from Army Civil Affairs, including service in Lebanon, Jordan and Yemen. Karp leads Army economic, education and workforce development efforts in New York City, Long Island and Westchester County.
Gary LaBarbera
Gary LaBarbera has construction workers’ backs. LaBarbera has been calling for changing New York’s prevailing wage laws so construction workers can have a middle-class lifestyle. The influential labor leader is also advocating for an all of the above energy strategy, including new natural gas pipelines, saying they’re needed to keep energy affordable during a transition to renewable energy sources. LaBarbera has favored putting solar panels on New York City schools and public buildings. He also serves on the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s board.
Sarah Lee
Sarah Lee joined the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp. this year following a decade leading the Think Dutchess Alliance for Business, an economic development corporation. Prior to joining the HVEDC in April, Lee was also executive director of the Dutchess County Industrial Development Authority, where she brought in $5 billion of private investment into the county, resulting in the creation and retention of 15,000 jobs. Lee currently serves as the board chair of the New York State Economic Development Council.
Degan Mercado Leopold
The New York Jobs CEO Council was created in 2020 by the chief executives of some of New York City’s largest companies to bring a united employer voice to the city’s workforce development ecosystem. As the organization’s chief partnerships officer, Degan Mercado Leopold oversees its cross-sector partnerships with CUNY and others, helping to coordinate over 50,000 job placements. Leopold, who was previously at Bloomberg LP and served in the Bloomberg administration, is a member of the New York City Workforce Development Board and the Green City Force board.
Randy Levine
In March, New York City Mayor Eric Adams touted the economic boost that the New York York Yankees deliver, projected at $594 million during the 2025 regular season. Randy Levine, the president of the Yankees for a quarter century, also has an ally in President Donald Trump, dating back to Levine’s tenure as deputy mayor for economic development. Levine joined Trump for a UFC event last November, and he welcomed the president to Yankee Stadium for a game on Sept. 11. Levine is also of counsel at Jackson Lewis.
Peter Madonia
For Peter Madonia, the recipe for economic success is a pinch of yeast, plenty of frosting and strong advocacy. Madonia champions the Arthur Avenue region of the Bronx from his perch as chair of the Belmont Business Improvement District. He’s also the third-generation owner of Madonia Bakery and was part of the effort to block a 2023 proposal to eliminate car traffic on Fordham Road on the grounds that it would have hurt the Arthur Avenue area, a transit desert. Madonia was chief of staff to then-New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg.
Patricia Maltezos
Establishing a brand-new neighborhood while supporting an iconic neighborhood adjacent to it is a unique challenge, but Patricia Maltezos is up to the task. As director of planning and development for the Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance, Maltezos has been driving new environmental initiatives in the area, including the creation of 40 microgardens along Ninth Avenue and the planting of new trees. In the Canoe Plaza, Maltezos has spearheaded improvements, including adding native perennial gardens to planting beds and reviewing ongoing maintenance of the plaza.
Raju Mann
Raju Mann is working to protect Manhattan from future climate catastrophes as he leads the Battery Park City Authority in flood-proofing lower Manhattan. He has overseen a newly reconstructed Wagner Park, which includes a hidden flood wall, and is planning future phases of projects along Battery Park City’s western and northern waterfronts. Last year, Mann announced a plan with city and state officials for BPCA to fund $500 million in affordable housing. Following the closure of farmers markets in lower Manhattan, the BPCA launched its own farmers market this year.
Kyle Markland
Since Kyle Markland took the helm at the Municipal Credit Union five years ago, he has successfully guided the financial institution through the COVID-19 pandemic and a $10 million budget gap. MCU is flourishing under his leadership, with 630,000 members and over $4.7 billion in assets. Markland, who was previously the chief operating officer at what’s now the FourLeaf Federal Credit Union, has opened additional MCU branches, hired almost 200 new employees, broadened membership criteria and boosted a scholarship program with the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services.
Zachary Markovits
A onetime community organizer, Zachary Markovits is now on a mission to ensure local governments are effectively managing their funding to create a greater impact for their communities. At the civic organization Results for America, he has partnered with local government budget leaders to realign resources toward economic and workforce development initiatives. Pilot programs from his initiatives are currently in place in Shelby County, Tennessee, and Dallas. He authored the Results for America’s County Evidence-Based Budgeting Guide.
Matthew McDonough
Matthew McDonough boosts economic growth on Long Island in myriad ways. This year, the real estate, municipal and economic development attorney became chair of the board of the 230,000-member Jovia Financial Credit Union, bringing a focus on growth and innovation. As special counsel to the Babylon Industrial Development Authority, he helped structure the Wyandanch Rising redevelopment, negotiated a community benefits agreement for a Deer Park redevelopment, and facilitated MWBE and veteran-owned business growth. He also served as Babylon’s special counsel, assisting in the development of the town’s marijuana regulations.
Randy Moore
At the CD&R Foundation, Randy Moore is focused on growing the workforce development pipeline on behalf of the grantmaking arm of the private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. The foundation is focused on providing training and employment opportunities to young people to help grow the workforce development pipeline. Among the groups awarded grants by the foundation include Hot Bread Kitchen, the Ali Forney Center, America on Tech, JobsFirstNYC and ThinkForward. Since 2021, the foundation has committed $40 million in support to organizations in New York City and London.
Gregory Morris
New York City workers have Gregory Morris in their corner. The New York City Employment and Training Coalition, which Morris has led since 2022, advocates on behalf of the more than 220 workforce development organizations in the city. Morris has called for increased investment into job training to strengthen the city’s economy. He launched NYCETC’s Workforce Development Agenda and has advocated for arts and culture as an economic engine and for streamlining city contracting. NYCETC’s annual conference in December has also become a must-attend event.
Walter Mosley
New York Secretary of State Walter Mosley oversees a wide-ranging agency that performs a number of economic functions, and he also assumed the role of chair of the state’s Regional Economic Development Councils following Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado’s falling out with Gov. Kathy Hochul. Mosley’s Department of State runs such local economic programs as the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, Local Waterfront Revitalization and New York Forward, awarding millions of dollars statewide – including $10 million grants for the villages of Pulaski and Catskill in 2025. He also launched the Be Your Own Boss initiative to promote entrepreneurship through state professional licensure programs.
Dee Dee Mozeleski
Dee Dee Mozeleski wears many hats at the City College of New York, where she helps advance economic and workforce development programs. Mozeleski launched the Charles B. Rangel Infrastructure Workforce Development Initiative, which aims to expand job training in transportation, construction and clean energy and provide pathways to jobs in the industry. Mozeleski also oversees the Zahn Innovation Center, a startup incubator program featuring coworking space, hackathons and bootcamps for entrepreneurs. Additionally, Mozeleski serves as executive director of the Foundation for City College and senior adviser to the school’s president.
Brian Murphy
Corporate attorneys are the unsung heroes of the economic development world, structuring deals that are legally sound and helping to shepherd new ideas and companies to the market – along with guiding existing companies together in mergers and acquisitions. Couch White Partner Brian Murphy is one of those attorneys specializing in corporate transactions that can support business expansion and spur economic growth. He has assisted businesses and private equity funds in a number of M&A deals, exceeding $400 million in the past year alone.
Katie Newcombe
Katie Newcombe is a seasoned economic development professional who rejoined National Grid this spring after 4 1/2 years at the Center for Economic Growth. National Grid’s economic development program has awarded over $180 million in grants since 2003, creating and retaining 79,000 jobs, and the utility also helped New York land the $100 billion Micron deal outside Syracuse. Newcombe has said economic development is about “unlocking potential,” bringing vibrancy to local communities and investing in “the resilience and future of our entire state.”
Cristyne Nicholas
A leading PR advocate for New York’s tourism, cultural and arts sectors, Cristyne Nicholas has made these sectors the key to her career. Nicholas’ communications firm, Nicholas & Lence, focuses on economic development, with clients including New York City business improvement districts, key cultural institutions, real estate companies and Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts. Nicholas, a former head of the city’s tourism arm who presided over the rebuilding of the sector after 9/11, chairs the Broadway Association and the state’s Tourism Advisory Council.
Gwen O’Shea
Gwen O’Shea is tackling the affordable housing crisis on Long Island. Community Development Long Island offers a number of programs to assist in the creation of new affordable housing in Nassau and Suffolk counties and in Brooklyn and Queens, on top of ones focused on the rehabilitation of existing housing stock for new buyers. The organization also offers assistance to first-time buyers to put them in a financial position to own long-term. Prior to joining CDLI, O’Shea was president and CEO of the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island.
Courtney Olsen
New York’s innovation economy is a growing part of the statewide economic picture, and NYSTEC’s Courtney Olsen is part of the effort to expand that ecosystem. Olsen leads IgniteU at NYSETC, where she has expanded training and education opportunities to grow the innovation ecosystem pipeline. This has included expansion of access to STEAM education, exposing more high school students statewide to careers in the field and connecting them with mentors. The IgniteU Fellowship Program provides training for students to thrive in new industries and supports the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Vanessa Preston
Grant Associates is a cornerstone of New York’s workforce development community, and Vanessa Preston brings deep experience to her role as its president. Preston currently oversees the Workforce Solutions Borderplex program in El Paso, Texas, and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families job placement and occupational training programs in Washington, D.C. Among Grant Associates’ services are creating and implementing workforce development programs, including one-stop programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
Tomas Ramos
Tomas Ramos is on a mission to eliminate poverty and uplift communities throughout New York City and the Dominican Republic. Since 2020, Ramos has led the Oyate Group in assisting over 700 small businesses, including with business development workshops, microgrants, pop-up markets and networking events. With the Taste of Mott Haven, the Oyate Group has generated over $1.6 million in economic impact for the Bronx neighborhood. Under Ramos’ leadership, it has also organized college and career readiness programs for youth in New York City, serving over 2,500 students annually.
Ashley Ranslow
Small businesses are the backbone of the New York economy, and Ashley Ranslow is their champion in Albany. Ranslow has been advocating against the Grieving Families Act – which has been vetoed by Gov. Kathy Hochul repeatedly but was passed again this year – making the case that it would hurt businesses across the state. Ranslow praised Hochul and lawmakers for paying off the state’s unemployment insurance debt this summer, saying it would save business owners money. Ranslow has said that small businesses are not seeing benefits from the state’s film production tax credit.
Adele Reardon
Detroit makes cars and Texas drills for oil – but in New York City, real estate is the industry in the driver’s seat. Adele Reardon’s policy work at the influential Real Estate Board of New York is focused on keeping the industry thriving. For the Five Borough Jobs Campaign, Reardon developed and implemented a citywide economic development coalition to secure several key economic programs. Reardon also worked on the Better Child Care NYC coalition, which helped pass an extension of New York City’s child care center property tax abatement.
Andrew Rigie
New York City is renowned for its culinary and nightlife destinations, and Andrew Rigie is aiming to keep it that way. He hopes to expand the city’s outdoor dining program, calling on the state to pass legislation to make it year-round and pushing the city to overhaul its application and regulatory process. Rigie launched a “Hospitality and Politics” podcast to showcase the industry and recently published the second annual “District Dining Guide” highlighting elected officials’ favorite eateries. He’s also CEO of the Impact Foundation, which provides scholarships and training in the hospitality sector.
Tyré Robinson
Tyré Robinson has dedicated her career to expanding the economy in Westchester and Rockland counties along with parts of Connecticut. In addition to being the Tarrytown regional president for M&T Bank, Robinson serves as the bank’s business banking lead for the Westchester and Hudson Valley regions. Robinson has worked with M&T on career development and inclusion, creating the Brand Builder Program and co-founding the African American Resource Group. She serves on the boards of the Westchester County Association and ArtsWestchester.
Michael Romita
Westchester County knows no greater economic advocate than Michael Romita. The head of the Westchester County Association is advocating for expanding the Westchester economy, while flagging potential threats on the horizon. Romita is taking on the county’s housing issues, co-producing a study warning of major economic disturbance if new housing isn’t developed and launching a new housing policy initiative. He is also warning of the impact of potential federal Medicaid cuts. Romita convened technology leaders to discuss the digital economy and is striving to expand broadband access.
Adam Salgado
New Rochelle has spent the past decade reimagining its downtown, and Adam Salgado has been there for every step of the journey. Now New Rochelle’s development commissioner, Salgado has held various positions within the city’s Department of Development as it has developed and implemented its downtown revisioning, which started with growth in the downtown housing market. Last year, New Rochelle unveiled a new retail strategy, aiming to bring new stores and restaurants to the downtown to create a destination for neighboring communities.
Joseph Sayre
Joseph Sayre is focused on making sure the Rochester area prospers. At Rochester Gas and Electric, or RG&E, and New York State Electric and Gas, or NYSEG, Sayre has worked on projects that have created and retained more than 25,000 jobs. He helped bring to Monroe County the Fairlife project, a $650 million investment that will boost the state’s dairy industry and create the Northeast’s largest dairy processing plant. Sayre has also worked to support the NY SMART I-Corridor, part of the growing semiconductor industry.
Shelby Schneider
Shelby Schneider knows business owners need access to capital, and she’s focused on making sure upstate entrepreneurs have those connections. Schneider became president and CEO of the Upstate Capital Association of New York this spring, joining the association from the New York State Economic Development Council, where she was deputy director. A career economic development professional, Schneider played a role in bringing GlobalFoundries to Saratoga County, where it created 3,000 jobs. Her current organization is creating an investment community across upstate to boost investment in the region’s startup community.
Thomas Schneider
The Port of Oswego has been one of the drivers of the economic boom the Oswego area has enjoyed in recent years. Thomas Schneider took over as the port’s interim executive director late last year, succeeding longtime leader William Scriber. Last year, the port received an $11 million federal grant that will help the port facilitate the delivery of materials to the new Micron plant outside of Syracuse. However, Schneider is navigating a revenue downturn and a decline in aluminum imports due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Ryan Silva
Upstate economic development has been attracting attention lately, thanks in part to Ryan Silva. The New York State Economic Development Council, of which Silva is executive director, is a 900-member coalition of industrial development agencies, local development corporations, and other financial and business groups. It recently partnered with the Public Policy Institute on an economic blueprint for the state, recommending a review of the regulatory environment and a repeal of the state’s scaffold law. Silva successfully advocated for the continuation of $100 million for the FAST NY Shovel Ready Grant Program and $300 million for PowerUp, an energy infrastructure program.
Sonya Smith
Sonya Smith is supporting small businesses across New York, offering services to help entrepreneurs thrive. At the New York Small Business Development Center, Smith oversees 20 centers statewide that provide assistance to small businesses. She formed a partnership with the MWBE division within Empire State Development that provides technical assistance to small businesses on government procurement certifications and training. Last year, the SBDC worked with 300 small and medium-sized businesses on certifications.
Jennifer Tegan
At Empire State Development, Jennifer Tegan leads New York Ventures, the state’s venture capital program. In the past decade, New York Ventures has invested in over 122 companies, with 45% located outside of New York City. Tegan is leading New York Ventures in investing over $300 million in new companies in such industries as clean energy, manufacturing, digital health and artificial intelligence. New York Ventures also includes several funds assisting businesses at various stages of development and is assisted by the federal State Small Business Credit Initiative. Tegan has put a focus on supporting founders from underrepresented communities.
Tania Tetlow
Tania Tetlow is making her mark at Fordham University. She has positioned One Fordham, an initiative to unite the school’s campuses, as a hallmark of her tenure as president. Earlier this year, Tetlow launched a Bronx Green Jobs Center that will offer workforce development in a number of areas, including clean energy, electric vehicles and urban agriculture. She is also creating a Business AI Hub at Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus and a new STEM Hub on the Bronx campus, funded by a $100 million donation, the largest in Fordham’s history.
Milton Tingling
Best known as Manhattan’s trailblazing county clerk, Milton Tingling is also a prominent leader in Upper Manhattan for his efforts as chair of the West Harlem Development Corp. The WHDC manages funding through a community benefits agreement between Columbia University and the local community. Among the WHDC’s more recent actions was awarding $2 million in grants to community nonprofit organizations in 2024 and the growth of the corporation’s signature West Harlem Arts Alliance.
Milan Tyler
An expert in public finance, Milan Tyler provides clients with advice on the issuance of debt, in particular the federal and state tax law issues related to bonds. Much of his public finance work has been focused on bonds related to housing, energy utilities, 501(c)(3) organizations, special public benefit corporations and bonds that are supported by credit and liquidity facilities. Tyler is an expert on public finance and economic development, speaking regularly on issues in these areas on panel discussions.
Edna Wells-Handy
A former commissioner of the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services, Edna Wells-Handy is now opening up economic opportunities for New Yorkers. As the founder of the National Institute for Section 3 Empowerment at the Legal Skills Center, she is working to make sure Section 3 funds provide workforce development training for low-income individuals. At the Legal Skills Center, she is focused on increasing the reach of public assistance programs to expand economic opportunities.
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