NYCCFB Appoints Paul S. Ryan as Agency's New Executive Director

12/20/2023

The New York City Campaign Finance Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Seamus Ryan as the next Executive Director of the agency.

Mr. Ryan is currently the Deputy Executive Director of the Funders’ Committee for Civic Participation, and is nationally recognized as a leading voice in the areas of campaign finance and democratic participation. He previously served as the Vice President for Policy and Litigation for Common Cause and as the Deputy Executive Director of the Campaign Legal Center.  Through his many professional experiences Mr. Ryan has proven himself to be a capable manager and organizational leader. He is a graduate of UCLA Law School and the University of Montana.

“Mr. Ryan is exactly the right person to lead the Campaign Finance Board at this time,” said CFB Chair Frederick Schaffer. “He is an experienced lawyer and national leader in the areas of voting rights, campaign finance and democratic participation. He has demonstrated managerial abilities and has worked effectively with political leaders around the country. Paul brings the relevant knowledge, skills, values and experience to the job of leading the agency.”

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead the CFB,” said Paul S. Ryan. “It is the foremost campaign finance and voter empowerment agency in the United States, and it will be an honor to work with its dedicated staff to further its mission and improve upon its already impressive performance over more than three decades.”

Paul S. Ryan will be the fourth Executive Director since the Campaign Finance Board was founded in 1988. This appointment is the result of a long and thorough search and selection process, conducted with the support of CFB staff members and an external search firm.

As mandated by the City Charter, the five-member Campaign Finance Board selects the agency's Executive Director. The Board is composed of five members: two are appointed by the mayor, two by the speaker of the City Council, and the chair, by the mayor after consultation with the speaker. The Board is strictly nonpartisan, and the mayor’s and the speaker’s two appointees must not be affiliated with the same political party. Board members serve staggered, five-year terms.