BOISE – Mayor Lauren McLean has named Andrea Cantor as the city's new Director of Economic Development. Cantor, who has supported the city’s economic development since 2020, succeeds Sean Keithly in the position.
“Andrea has been a key team member on many of Boise’s development projects,” said Mayor McLean. “Time and again she has shown a willingness to take on difficult projects, a dedication to finding solutions that serve the broader community and has prioritized building trust with our partners as we grow. I look forward to her leadership in this position.”
Most recently, Cantor served as Senior Policy Advisor to the Mayor on land use and planning. Prior to that role, she was the Economic Development Advisor, working closely with stakeholders to support business growth and community development initiatives.
"On behalf of BVEP and our stakeholders, we are thrilled to continue working with Andrea in this new capacity,” said Clark Krause, Executive Director of Boise Valley Economic Partnership. “Andrea's dedication and hard work have been evident throughout our partnership, and we look forward to supporting her continued success as Economic Development Director."
During her time at the city, she has worked on policy for several key projects including small business licensing, Micron’s expansion and downtown Boise’s 8th Street expansion. She also supported the creation of the city’s Five-Year Economic Development Plan. Before joining the City of Boise, Cantor held positions in market research, multifamily operations and development, and corporate development, bringing a well-rounded perspective from the private sector to her public service work.
A Boise native, Cantor holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies and political science from the University of Idaho and a master’s in real estate development from Georgetown University. In 2024, she was selected to be a member of the Bloomberg Harvard Leading Cities in Economic Development Cohort. She serves on the Board of Commissioners for the Garden City Urban Renewal Agency, is active with Urban Land Institute Idaho, and is a member of the Idaho Economic Development Association.
