Chris Neary serves as Senior Vice President for Policy, Research and Advocacy at Cinnaire, a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) working to bring investment to impactful affordable housing and community development projects. Based in Cinnaire’s Wilmington office, Chris is responsible for developing and advancing Cinnaire’s public policy agenda, including programs that support affordable housing and community development in underserved communities.

After more than a decade in Washington, D.C., Chris moved to Wilmington to join Cinnaire’s team in 2019. Previously, Chris served as Economic Policy Advisor to U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Policy Director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship. As a senior staff member, he crafted and helped enact legislation to drive economic development in the United States. Chris is privileged to leverage his experience and expertise to support Cinnaire’s work, which harnesses both public and private sector resources to meet the needs of Delaware’s communities.

A Delaware County native and graduate of Salesianum School, Chris lives with his wife and son in Wilmington, where they enjoy the city’s neighborhood walks, restaurants, and easy access to public parks. Chris received a B.A. in Policy Studies and Political Science from Dickinson College.