Hugh O’Neill

President

As founder and president of Appleseed, Mr. O’Neill has provided socioeconomic research and analysis and economic development planning services to a wide range of government, institutional, non-profit and corporate clients. Prior to founding Appleseed, Mr. O’Neill was Assistant Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, where his responsibilities included management of the Authority’s annual business planning and capital planning processes, and the development of major new business initiatives such as the restoration of Trans-Hudson ferry services. From 1979 through 1985, he served as Deputy Secretary to the Governor for Economic Development under New York State Governors Hugh Carey and Mario Cuomo. He also served as Deputy Commissioner at the New York State Department of Social Services from 1975 through 1978. Mr. O’Neill is a graduate of Manhattan College, and holds a Ph.D. in political science from Columbia University.

Anna Chelius

Vice President

Since joining Appleseed in 2011, Ms. Chelius has participated in economic impact studies for several major universities, including Cornell, Columbia, New York University, Johns Hopkins University and Health System and Tulane, and for trade associations and corporations, including the New York Gaming Association, The Related Companies and Taconic Investment Partners. She holds a B.A. in economics and fine arts from Hamilton College, and an M.A. in food studies from New York University.