Vice President of Government Affairs and Communication, LIA
Stacey I. Sikes is an experienced leader of innovative programs in government, the non-profit sector, and higher education. She is Vice President of Government Affairs and Communications for the Long Island Association, where she advocates for issues important to Long Island’s economic growth.
Stacey previously served as the Executive Dean of Entrepreneurship and Business Development at Hofstra University, where she oversaw the globally-recognized Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Scott Skodnek Business Development Center. She developed and implemented new initiatives to support students and entrepreneurs, including the ideaHUb NYS certified business incubator and Hofstra Veterans Venture Challenge. She authored successful grant applications from federal, state, and private sources to build entrepreneurship facilities and introduce programming to foster innovation and the growth of small businesses.
Stacey collaborates on regional initiatives to support economic development, including serving as a writer for the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council, and developed surveys on behalf of Nassau and Suffolk Counties to assess the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. 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.
Stacey was recently named one of Long Island’s Power 25 in Higher Education by Long Island Business News (#13), was a 2019 Girls Inc. of Long Island Gala Honoree, and has served as a speaker on several Newsday panels offering advice to businesses navigating the economic challenges presented by COVID-19.
