Our Team
Ryan M. Silva has served as Executive Director of the New York State Economic Development Council (NYSEDC) since August of 2017. Ryan has helped NYSEDC achieve several landmark policy development wins including passage of The New York State Green Chips Act and the Federal CHIPs and Science Act, the creation of the Fast NY (Shovel Ready) Program, reauthorization of $250 Million for the RESTORE New York Program, the development of the $100 Million New York Forward Program, and creation of an emergency loan/grant program for Industrial Development Agencies (IDAs) during the pandemic. Under his leadership, the NYSEDC has increase operational revenue by 120%, doubled its staff, launched several new educational programs, and positioned the organization to help coordinate and lead New York’s industry attraction efforts.
Prior to joining the NYSEDC, Ryan served as Vice President of Regional Economic Development for Empire State Development (ESD) and Deputy Director of the Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) Initiative for Governor Andrew Cuomo. He oversaw and helped develop several economic development policies and programs including the Upstate Revitalization Initiative (URI) and the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI). During his tenure at ESD, the REDCs awarded over $2.5 billion to more than 2,000 projects. Ryan began his professional career at the Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce, growing membership and launching several new initiatives, including the Economic Development Partnership (EDP).
Ryan has been recognized for his professional achievements throughout his career, most recently being appointed to the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Board of Directors in September of 2022. He was also appointed to Governor Kathy Hochul’s Prison Redevelopment Commission in May of 2022. Ryan was recognized by Development Counsellors International (DCI) as a Top 40 under 40 awardee and City and State’s Upstate Power 100 in 2021. He was also recognized as a City and State 40 under 40 Rising Star in 2018, an Albany Business Review 40 under 40 honoree, and the recipient of the Capital District YMCAs Presidents Award, in 2016. Ryan was appointed to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Health Benefit Exchange Regional Advisory Committee in 2012. He has been honored with the American Chamber of Commerce Executives Lifetime Achievement Award, receiving the Gold Level in 2010, Silver Level in 2007, and the Bronze Level in 2006 for membership growth and development. Ryan currently serves as co-chair for the New York State Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Board of Advisors.
An active and involved community member, currently serves on the Greenbush Youth Soccer Club Board of Directors and the Greenbush YMCA Board of Advisors. He has served on the Capital District YMCA Board of Directors and was Board Chair of the Troy YMCA from 2014-2016. He was a member of The College of Saint Rose Board of Associates and the Huether School of Business Advisory Board.
Ryan graduated from The College of Saint Rose with a major in public communications in 2003. He resides in East Greenbush, N.Y. with his wife, Sandra and their three children.
Shelby Schneider is the Deputy Director of the New York State Economic Development Council. Schneider has over twenty-years of experience working in economic development in Saratoga County. In her most recent role, she served as the President and CEO of the Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership leading critical economic and workforce development initiatives across the public and private sectors, driving economic success for residents, businesses and government in Saratoga County, New York.
Over her career she has had the opportunity to work on transformational economic development projects such as the development of the Luther Forest Technology Campus, and the attraction of AMD, which later became GLOBALFOUNDRIES Fab 8. She also served as Empire Zone Coordinator, administering incentive programs on behalf of Saratoga County.
She has also worked extensively with Saratoga County employers and start-ups to assist with business expansion strategies. She also spent over two and a half years managing national marketing for a craft brewery. In that role, she worked with the New York State Brewers Association and National Brewers Association where she advocated on behalf of the industry in Washington and Albany. During that time, she led the creation of a Brewers Training Certificate Program in collaboration with regional breweries, regional workforce investment boards, and Schenectady County Community College to meet the growing need for trained workforce in the craft beverage industry.
Schneider has extensive experience promoting Saratoga County and business assets to the global semiconductor and clean-tech industries. She traveled throughout the US and abroad to industry trade shows and developed an extensive knowledge of the industry and relationships with key industry decision makers and site selectors. She also spearheaded public relations campaigns, which helped garner international and national media exposure for the Saratoga County from The Economist, The Christian Science Monitor, ABC World News with Diane Sawyer, the Huffington Post, and others. Schneider’s has been recognized as one of Saratoga Today’s 2020 Women of Influence, the Capital Region Business Review’s 40 under Forty, and 40 Under 40 Rising Stars in Economic Development by Development Counsellors International in 2013.
Schneider currently serves as the Chair of WMHT Public Service Media for Eastern, New York and board member of the Saratoga Arts Council. Her most recent volunteer activities include serving as an appointed member of the Saratoga, Warren, and Washington County Workforce Development Board and an appointment member of the New York State Workforce Investment Board. She has previously served as a director at the Saratoga Springs City Center, the advisory council at Capital Region YMCA’s Camp Chingachgook, and the Children’s Museum of Saratoga.
She earned her BS in Management and Business Administration from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York and is a Leadership Saratoga Alumni. She lives in Wilton with her husband Evan and their four children.
Stephanie Cavalier
Membership and Marketing Manager
Steph has been with the New York State Economic Development Council (NYSEDC) since August 2023. She serves as the organization’s Membership and Marketing Manager, helping the organization continue its strong trajectory of growth in a rapidly-evolving economic development landscape.
Prior to NYSEDC, Steph spent nearly a decade in Austin, Texas. Her background in communications took her from marketing agency work to the Texas State government. After training with Annie’s List, an organization working to elect more women in Texas, Steph joined a successful State Senate campaign in Fort Worth. Her finance team raised more than $1.5 million in one of the most competitive swing districts in the state. She then transitioned to the Texas State Senate, where she served as a Scheduler and subsequently a Communications Director. Most recently, she was Communications Director for the non-profit organization the Children’s Defense Fund–Texas.
Steph grew up in upstate New York and received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Union College in Schenectady. She lives in Ballston Spa with her husband Ryan and their dog, Sadie.
Matt Jones
Bookeeper
Matt has been with the New York State Economic Development Council (NYSEDC) since July 2017 serving as the NYSEDC’s bookeeper. Matt’s accounting work with the NYSEDC has helped the organization grow by providing accurate financial data for management and instituting operational procedures.
Matt currently works for BST & CO. CPAs in their CFO for Hire division as an Accounting Manager, which provides outsourced accounting solutions to many companies and organizations throughout upstate New York. Matt’s primary industries are membership organizations and public authorities, which allows for a unique insight into how economic development agencies operate.
Matt grew up in upstate New York and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island. He currently lives in Guilderland.