Prior to her tenure at Bennington, Dr. Silver served as Acting Assistant Secretary for International Affairs and Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Policy in the United States Department of Homeland Security under President Obama, as Policy Advisor to Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, as Senior Advisor to the President of Arizona State University, and at Columbia University.

Dr. Silver holds a BA in History from Yale University, an MSc in Science and Technology Policy from the University of Sussex, a Ph.D. in Economic Geography from the University of California at Los Angeles, and an honorary Ph.D. from Hofstra University.

Dr. Silver is married to musician Thom Loubet and is the mother of two children.