Team
Matthew Cohen
Matt Cohen became the President & CEO of the Long Island Association (LIA), the region’s leading business organization, in May 2021. Matt is working with the LIA’s Board of Directors and all LIA members to implement our vision for Long Island’s future, including making Long Island an attractive and more affordable home for young professionals and all residents, supporting small businesses, fostering a more inclusive economy and creating good-paying jobs. As President & CEO, he has created a new Small Business Support Program, updated the organization’s brand identity and website, introduced enhanced digital communications for members, launched a podcast, diversified the LIA’s Board of Directors, successfully advocated for federal and state resources for the region, and hosted national and regional policy makers and business leaders.
Matt previously served as the Vice President of Government Affairs & Communications at the LIA for 10 years. In that role, he was the chief lobbyist for the LIA’s legislative agenda, which included the enactment of a permanent state property tax cap and the receipt of billions of dollars in economic development investments on Long Island which included aid for transportation, infrastructure, housing, and downtown development. Additionally, Matt helped to coordinate the LIA’s response to Covid-19 and its economic impacts, providing critical assistance and real-time information to local businesses and advocating for federal and state resources for Long Island.
Prior to joining the LIA in 2011, Matt was Executive Director of Government Relations for the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), where he oversaw government and community affairs for the second largest public electric utility in the country at the time with 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and portions of Queens. Before LIPA, Matt served as Long Island Director for United States Senator Charles Schumer (now the Majority Leader) where he was the primary political and policy advisor to the Senator for all Long Island-related issues. Matt has also worked as an aide in the Suffolk County Executive’s office.
Matt is a member of the Board of Directors for several Long Island organizations, including the Long Island Association, Child Care Council of Suffolk (as its Chairman), Discover Long Island (on its Executive Committee), the Long Island Housing Partnership, Accelerate Long Island, the Advanced Energy Research & Technology Center at Stony Brook University and the New York League of Conservation Voters – Long Island chapter. He is also a graduate of The Energeia Partnership at Molloy College and was a member of Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s transition team. Matt has been recognized by City & State, Long Island Business News, Schneps Media and others for his work on behalf of the region, and honored by the Child Care Council of Nassau for his commitment to more affordable and accessible child care.
Matt earned a Bachelor of Arts in History (with a concentration in American History) from the University of Pennsylvania and a Juris Doctor from Hofstra University’s Maurice A. Deane School of Law. He was admitted to the bar in New York State in July 2012.
Stacey Sikes
Stacey I. Sikes is an experienced leader of innovative programs in business, government, the non-profit sector, and higher education. She serves as the Vice President of Government Affairs and Communications for the Long Island Association (LIA), the leading business organization in the region that supports Long Island’s economic growth. At the LIA, she is the primary advocate for its legislative agenda, manages the Membership Department, coordinates the work of the member Board Committees, and oversees the organization’s press and digital communications.
Stacey previously served as the Executive Dean of Entrepreneurship and Business Development at Hofstra University, where she supervised the globally recognized Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Scott Skodnek Business Development Center. Under her leadership, Hofstra was the only organization in New York State to receive a 2021 U.S. Small Business Administration Lab-to-Market award for its efforts to support a diverse population of entrepreneurs during the pandemic.
In 2022 Stacey was elected Chair of the Board of Accelerate Long Island, a non-profit collaboration among Long Island’s research and academic institutions and business community to support the growth of high-tech startup companies, and previously served as its Assistant Executive Director.
Stacey has served as a speaker on several Newsday panels offering advice to businesses navigating the economic challenges presented by COVID-19. She was a 2019 honoree at the Girls Inc. of Long Island Gala and currently serves on the organization's Advisory Board. In 2022, Stacey was recognized by the Urban League of Long Island as a Woman of Influence, by City & State on its Albany 40 Under 40 list, by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives as a 40 Under 40 executive, and was honored by the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at its annual Latina Hat Luncheon. She is a member of 2022 class of the Energeia Partnership at Molloy University and is a volunteer with Girl Scouts of Suffolk County in her community.
Stacey’s career started in government, serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Brookhaven Supervisor Mark Lesko; Director of Special Projects for Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi; and Deputy Regional Representative for U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. She received her BA and MA in Government and Politics from St. John’s University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude and also served as an Adjunct Instructor. Stacey lives in East Northport with her husband Rich and two daughters.
Michelle Byrne
Michelle Byrne is the Chief Financial Officer of the Long Island Association. She joined the organization in January 2009, first serving as Corporate Controller. She was promoted to Chief Financial Officer in December 2014 and oversees all financial aspects including accounting, budgeting, treasury, and audits. She also serves as Chief Financial Officer of the LIA Foundation and Accelerate Long Island and as the Finance Director for ANYITC Fund Corp.
The Long Island Association is the leading business organization in the region. The LIA Foundation’s primary exempt purpose is to support the initiatives of the Long Island Association. Accelerate Long Island is a unique collaboration among Long Island’s world class research institutions and its business community to commercialize research and create an entrepreneurial ecosystem. ANYITC Fund Corp. provides seed investments for local start-ups in partnership with Empire State Development.
Prior to joining the Long Island Association, Michelle held similar positions in corporate retail and was an auditor with PricewaterhouseCoopers, servicing some of Long Island’s largest public and privately held companies. Michelle is a Certified Public Account and holds a bachelor’s of science degree in accounting from Long Island University.
