About Our Industrial Development Agency
The mission of the Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) is to promote economic development in the county by helping businesses expand and grow, increase employment opportunities and add to the quality of life for the residents of Suffolk County. The Suffolk IDA is the lead agency attracting new investment in Suffolk County and driving the region’s innovation economy and job expansion. Carrying out the work of the Suffolk County IDA is a team of experienced, highly skilled economic development professionals. They focus on attracting new business, supporting the expansion of existing industry, and mobilizing local and regional assets supporting regional long-term growth and economic development.
Suffolk IDA Board Members
Sarah Lansdale, Chair
Committee: Audit and Finance; Governance and Compliance
Sarah Lansdale, AICP, is the newly appointed Commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning. Prior to her new position, Sarah was Suffolk County’s Director of Planning. She has more than 20 years of planning experience in the public and nonprofit sectors. Ms. Lansdale has a Master’s degree in urban planning from New York University, an undergraduate degree in environmental studies, and she is a graduate of the Energeia Partnership at Molloy College.
Kevin Harvey, Vice Chair
Committee: Audit and Finance, Chair
Kevin Harvey has served on the Suffolk IDA board since 2012. A former business manager at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union Local 25, Harvey was elected to Treasurer of the IDA in 2019. He has since moved up to serve as Vice Chair.
Sondra Cochran, Treasurer
Committee: Audit and Finance
Sondra Cochran is the Executive Director of the Wyandanch Community Development Corporation and has served on the Suffolk IDA board since 2014. She has spent over 25 years at the development corporation, which helps rehabilitate and build housing as well as counseling residents on housing issues.
Gregory T. Casamento, Secretary
Committee: Governance and Compliance, Chair; Audit and Finance
Gregory T. Casamento is currently the Managing Partner at Locke Lord LLP, a full service law firm focusing on complex litigation, regulatory, and transactional work. Casamento has spent over 25 years as a practicing attorney and eight years in his current Managing Partner position. He has served on the Suffolk IDA board since 2014.
Joshua Slaughter
Committee: Governance and Compliance
Josh Slaughter, the Long Island Political Coordinator at Mason Tenders District Council PAC, was elected to the Suffolk IDA board in 2019. He previously served as a Local 66 official at the Laborer’s Union. Slaughter also has a strong background in government relations in being a legislative aide and working on fundraising during campaigns.
Brian Beedenbender
Committee: Governance and Compliance
Brian Beedenbender is currently the Vice President of Sales at Teq, a company based around instituting STEM education. Beedenbender has been with Teq since 2016, previously serving as Senior Director of Sales and Vice President of Inside Sales. He was elected to the Suffolk IDA board in February 2021.
X. Cristofer Damianos
Committee: Governance and Compliance
X. Cristofer Damianos is currently a principal of Damianos Realty Group, LLC, overseeing acquisitions, development and management of over one million sqft of commercial real estate on Long Island. He has spent over 30 years with the group guiding the organization through its tremendous growth throughout Suffolk County. He was appointed to the Suffolk IDA Board in June 2022.
The Team
Kelly Murphy
Acting Executive Director
Read About Kelly
Kelly Murphy has been Deputy Executive Director of the Suffolk IDA since January 2015. Previously, Murphy held previous positions including Assistant to the Commissioner of Suffolk County Economic Development and Planning, the Executive Director of the Glen Cove CDA/IDA, and the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the City of Glen Cove.
Send E-mail
631-853-4802
Catherine Fee
Associate Director
Read About Catherine
The Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency (SCIDA) appointed Catherine Fee in July 2023 to serve as the Associate Director for the Agency. Prior to joining the SCIDA, Catherine was Chief Marketing Officer and Director of Business Development for the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency (NCIDA) from April 2019 through July 2023. Ms. Fee was responsible for the planning, developing, implementing, and monitoring the overall business marketing strategy of the agency to attract new businesses to the county and worked closely with retention and expansion efforts for businesses that are currently there. Prior to joining the NCIDA, Ms. Fee was Project Coordinator for Nassau County working in tandem with the County Executive’s administration on various county initiatives involving finance, compliance, public safety, Dept. of public works/parks, health services, and economic development. Previously, Ms. Fee was the Manager at Harris Beach PLLC where she managed all aspects of day-to-day operations. Ms. Fee earned her B.A. in Business/Corporate Communications at Queens College and an MBA from Adelphi University.