Rick Siger, Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development

On May 3, 2023, the Pennsylvania Senate unanimously confirmed Governor Josh Shapiro’s nomination of Rick Siger as the Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development. In his current role, Rick leads the commonwealth’s efforts to grow our economy and build a better future for Pennsylvanians. He is committed to helping small businesses thrive, spurring innovation, and increasing opportunities in communities to make Pennsylvania a national leader in growth and innovation. Prior to his current role, Rick served as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the President at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh and led CMU’s growth strategy at Hazelwood Green, a former Pittsburgh industrial site re-envisioned as a new model for economic development and translational research.

Rick served President Barack Obama for more than seven years in multiple roles, including as Chief of Staff at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and Deputy Chief of Staff at the Department of Commerce. He also worked as former Governor Tim Kaine’s Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade in the Commonwealth of Virginia.Rick was born and raised in Pittsburgh and currently lives there with his wife Kinsey Casey, daughter Margaret, and dog Amos. He holds a B.A. in political science from Columbia University.

Sign-up to see him speak at the 2023 Legislative Education and Advocacy Day (LEAD) - an exciting event that gives attendees an opportunity to learn about advocacy on the local and state levels. Presented in partnership with our regional Chambers, LEAD is designed to further attendees' knowledge of the legislative process, grassroots advocacy, and major current statewide and national policy initiatives. Register here!