The Center for Strategic Economic Research (CSER) maintains a highly qualified team of professionals. CSER's staff is supported by a network of associates in the broader research community as well as economic development and university partners. CSER's Director and Economic Advisor are invited to speak regularly within the economic development and business communities who rely on the Center's research as a key resource for identifying and analyzing local, statewide, and national economic trends. Brief bios for CSER's core staff are provided below.

DIRECTOR

Ryan Sharp serves as CSER's Director performing and directing original analysis and research for CSER projects. Mr. Sharp has a Master's Degree in International Affairs from California State University, Sacramento with a focus in public policy and administration; a graduate-level certificate in Collaborative Governance from California State University, Sacramento; and a Bachelor's Degree in International Relations specializing in political and economic development from the University of California, Davis. He has experience in both the public and private sectors and has developed a wide range of skills in complex economic analyses including input-output analysis, market area and economic development strategies, economic structure and specialization evaluations, occupational skills and labor force assessments, and regional growth and development approaches. In addition, working as a consultant for a professional services and advisory firm he acquired strong skills in program evaluation, performance measurement, project management, government relations, and financial assessment. Further, as project manager for a non-profit environmental institute, he managed a scientific research project and implemented an online environmental reporting system leading to the development of high-quality research, management, and writing skills.
E-Mail: ryan@strategiceconomicresearch.org

DEPUTY DIRECTOR

Helen Schaubmayer, CSER's Deputy Director, is responsible for conducting original and secondary research and analysis for most CSER projects. Ms. Schaubmayer has a Bachelor's Degree in German and International Relations (specializing in economic development) from the University of California, Davis, and a Master's Degree in Business Administration from California State University, Sacramento. She has experience in the local non-profit and private sectors. Her recent positions prior to CSER were Member Services Assistant, Project Manager, and Operations Manager. Responsibilities in those positions included coordinating/developing membership correspondence; developing manuals and presentations to train global departments on new procedures; and recommending organizational process improvements and documenting the approved processes. Ms. Schaubmayer's previous work experience plus her educational background allowed her to develop her project management, research, writing, communication, and analytical skills.
E-Mail: helen@strategiceconomicresearch.org

ECONOMIC ADVISOR

Dr. Suzanne O'Keefe serves as an Economic Advisor to CSER providing guidance on research approaches for complex research engagements. Dr. O'Keefe has over 11 years experience in economics faculty positions at the University of California, Berkeley; University of Southern California, Sacramento Center; and is currently an Associate Professor of Economics at California State University, Sacramento. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in 1999 with fields of concentration in public finance, labor economics, and applied microeconomics and her B.A. in Economics and B.S. in Human Development from the University of California, Davis with highest honors in 1994. Dr. O'Keefe's current research interests include migration within California, the effect of the living wage on disposable income, and the effectiveness of enterprise zones. She has been published in several journals and reports and has presented her research in the Sacramento Region, Bay Area, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. Dr. O'Keefe is affiliated with the American Economics Association and the International House Davis, where she serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors.
E-Mail: sokeefe@csus.edu

RESEARCH ANALYSTS

Caitlin Hicks, one of CSER's Research Analysts, received her Bachelor's Degree in Economics with a minor in Business Administration from Sonoma State University and is currently working toward a Master's Degree in Economics at California State University, Sacramento. While attending Sonoma State University, Ms. Hicks worked as a Student Assistant for the California Institute on Human Services. Before joining CSER, Ms. Hicks worked as an Administrative Assistant for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's Research department in Boston, Massachusetts. There she assisted with grant writing and creating relational databases.
E-Mail: caitlin@strategiceconomicresearch.org

BUSINESS SUPPORT

Celeste Silveira, Contracts Manager
E-Mail: csilveira@sacto.org