Senator Ryan Names All-Female Senior Leadership Staff
Sen. Ryan also names team members to support constituent services, grants administration, scheduling and communications
To lead his office for his first term in the New York State Senate, Sen. Christopher Ryan announced an all-female senior leadership team. This leadership team exemplifies Sen. Ryan’s dedication to fostering diversity and creating pathways for women to excel in leadership roles.
Leading the team is Chief of Staff Hollyanne Lupi, a seasoned strategist with a deep understanding of legislative processes and public service. She is joined by Director of Communications Brooke Schneider, who brings extensive experience in media relations and public affairs. Legislative Director Sara Garcia-Ryan oversees policy development and legislative initiatives. District Director Amy Connolly will spearhead constituent services and community engagement across the district.
“I am incredibly proud to have such a talented and dedicated group of women leading my office,” said Sen. Ryan. “Their expertise, leadership, institutional knowledge, and commitment to public service will be instrumental in advancing our legislative priorities and serving our constituents effectively.”
Lupi joins Sen. Ryan’s team from the New York State Senate Majority Intergovernmental Affairs team, where she served as a liaison between members and Senate Majority Leadership, supporting members legislatively and working with outside stakeholders on behalf of the Conference. This fall, she served as the Campaign Manager for the re-election campaign of State Senator James Skoufis. Prior to joining the public sector, Lupi worked as Chief of Staff for Gramercy Communications, a strategic communications firm, and as the Director of Human Resources for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area, both based in Troy, NY. She received her master’s degree in public administration from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy and her bachelor’s in communications and media studies from Fisher College. She is dedicated to supporting women’s advancement in the public sector, serving on the board for the Center for Women in Government and Civil Society and is the chair of Eleanor’s Legacy Innovation Council. She is primarily based in the Albany office.
Schneider joins the team from the City of Syracuse, where she served as Senior Public Information Officer for the Ben Walsh administration. In this role, she managed key components of media relations and planning, as well as traditional and digital communications for the Office of the Mayor and several administrative departments. Before moving into the public sector, Schneider worked as an Account Executive at Burson (formerly BCW Global) on financial, technology and energy accounts. She’s also worked in Brussels with global union federation Education International and in New York City on the public affairs team at BerlinRosen. Schneider received her master’s degree in public administration from the Maxwell School and her bachelor’s in public relations from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. She serves on the board of the Central New York chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. She is primarily based in the Syracuse office.
Garcia-Ryan joins the office from the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, where she served as a Program Specialist, coordinating and supervising compliance checks for applicants, licensees and permit holders. She has also previously held roles in the New York City Office of Management and Budget as a Senior Budget Analyst, and with the New York State Senate Majority Finance Committee as a Public Protection Budget Analyst. Garcia-Ryan has her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany. She is an openly LGBTQ+ member of Sen. Ryan’s team, and is primarily based in the Albany office.
Connolly joins Sen. Ryan’s team after serving as Campaign Manager for his successful run for the New York State Senate 50th district seat. She previously worked as a field organizer for the New York State Democrats and as the planning board and board of appeals secretary for the Town of Constantia. She also spent ten years working in a research support role as part of the Office of Research Integrity and Protections at Syracuse University. There she was responsible for ensuring federal and state guidelines were met. Connolly holds her bachelor’s degree in conservation biology from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF). She is primarily based in the Syracuse office.
Also serving on Sen. Ryan’s staff are:
- Erica Cerchia, Constituent Services Representative: Cerchia is responsible for managing constituent casework and responding to incoming constituent communications. She most recently served in the Office of State Senator John W. Mannion as constituent services representative, before his transition to the U.S. Congress. She has her masters in social and public policy from Empire State University, and holds bachelors degrees in sociology, and public policy and public service from Hofstra University.
- Ryan Kostusiak, Grants Administrator: Kostusiak oversees the capital grant process, which provides necessary funding for municipalities, public schools, nonprofits and more. He most recently worked for Sen. Ryan’s campaign for State Senate as field director. He holds his bachelor's degree in international/global studies from SUNY Oswego.
- Catherine Tomczyk, Scheduler: Tomczyk manages scheduling for Sen. Ryan. She most recently worked for Sen. Ryan’s campaign for State Senate as a field organizer. She holds her master’s in public administration, and bachelor’s degrees in international affairs and criminal justice from the University of New Haven.
- Jared Petrosky, Communications Associate: Petrosky is responsible for assisting in traditional and digital communications, including social media and marketing. He joins Sen. Ryan’s team after working for Sen. Ryan’s campaign for State Senate as a field organizer. Petrosky is part-time with Sen. Ryan’s Office until his graduation from Syracuse University; he will receive bachelor’s degrees in public relations from the Newhouse School and political science from the Maxwell School this May.