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

ECONOMIST

Dr. Suzanne O'Keefe serves as SRRI’s Economist responsible for research oversight, public information activities, and 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

DIRECTOR

Ryan Sharp serves as SRRI's Director performing and directing original analysis and research for all SRRI 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 incluing 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: rsharp@srri.net

DEPUTY DIRECTOR

Helen Schaubmayer, SRRI's Deputy Director, is responsible for conducting original and secondary research and analysis for most SRRI 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 SRRI 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: hschaubmayer@srri.net

RESEARCH ANALYSTS

Vanessa Kritlow, one of SRRI's Research Analysts, is responsible for performing research and analysis for SRRI projects. Ms. Kritlow earned Bachelor’s Degrees in Economics and International Relations from the University of California, Davis, and is currently working towards a Master’s Degree in Economics from California State University, Sacramento. Her academic research experience includes being a student research assistant at Sacramento State and various Master’s level research projects involving a variety of topics such as monetary policy, business cycle volatility, and state and local government finance. Ms. Kritlow has also tutored for the Sacramento State Economics Department and works as a teacher’s assistant for an Introductory Macroeconomics course. Before joining SRRI, she worked as a Graduate Student Assistant for the California Employment Development Department. There she assisted in Strategic Planning efforts and maintained and analyzed performance measure data for the Department’s Tax Branch.
E-Mail: vkritlow@srri.net

Dan Scott, an SRRI Research Analyst, has worked for a variety of government agencies and non-profit organizations conducting research, community interventions, and social marketing. He holds a B.S. in Health Sciences from San Francisco State University and is a Master’s candidate in Public Policy and Administration at California State University, Sacramento, where he is also pursuing a post-graduate certificate in Collaborative Policymaking. He is experienced in marketing research, survey design, epidemiology, econometric analysis, and strategic communications.
E-Mail: dscott@srri.net

BUSINESS SUPPORT

Bobbi Park, Business Development Manager
E-Mail: bpark@srri.net

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

INTERNS