WASHINGTON – Today, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice in President Biden’s Cabinet for America’s 33 million small businesses, praised a new slate of key Biden-Harris Administration appointees serving critical positions at the SBA.
“With President Biden’s appointment of these talented individuals, the SBA will continue to strengthen its capacity to deliver for America’s small businesses and the communities they serve,” said Administrator Guzman. “I know they will work hard alongside the mission-driven SBA team to provide our capital, entrepreneurial development, and disaster recovery resources to advance our nation’s economy.”
Appointees and their roles are listed per office below:
Office of the Administrator
Liz Murray, Director of Scheduling and Advance. Ms. Murray brings nearly a decade of experience working for multiple members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including Congressmen Steve Israel and Brad Sherman, and Congresswomen Louise Slaughter, Abigail Spanberger, and Katie Porter. Before the SBA, she served as Director of Political and Executive Operations at SKDK, specializing in strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and media relations for a range of corporate, nonprofit, advocacy, and crisis clients. Ms. Murray attended The Catholic University of America. She is a native of Delmar, New York.
Jessica Reeves, Director of Public Engagement. Before joining the SBA, Ms. Reeves led projects for organizations such as YWCA, Rock the Vote, and Supermajority, as well as local and national clients with a focus on reaching and mobilizing diverse communities. An experienced small business owner and nonprofit leader with a history of working at the intersection of media, politics, and culture, she also co-founded Support Latino Business, a nonprofit focused on supporting Latino-owned businesses. Previously, Ms. Reeves also served as Chief Operating Officer of Voto Latino, where she led the organization’s growth to register half a million voters, as well as developed key initiatives such as the first shared rides to the polls with Lyft and Uber and introduced new technologies to register young voters. She attended Boston College and Georgetown University.
Tyler Robinson, Special Assistant. Before joining the SBA, Mr. Robinson worked in the nonprofit industry, helping build outreach programs for community organizations, and on several political campaigns in North Carolina and Iowa. Most recently, he has worked as a Regional Political Director in North Carolina for the Biden Campaign and the Fight for North Carolina Coordinated Campaign. Mr. Robinson attended North Carolina State University.
Quinn Carrigan, Confidential Assistant in the Office of the Administrator. Before joining the SBA, Mr. Carrigan worked as Managing Transcript Editor and Producer for the Federal Network, a nonpartisan news outlet reporting on the U.S. Congress. In addition, he served as an organizer for the Biden-Harris Presidential Campaign across various states. After Election Day in November 2020, Mr. Carrigan organized for the Warnock and Ossoff Campaigns in the Georgia Senate Runoff. He attended the University of Arizona.
Office of Communications and Public Liaison
Christina Hale, Associate Administrator. Before the SBA, Ms. Hale served as the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation’s Head of Communications, where she oversaw the Agency’s strategic communications, including planning, development, and implementation. In 2012, Ms. Hale was elected to serve in the Indiana General Assembly where she passed more than 60 bills with a focus on improving conditions for business owners and was named Small Business Champion. She has led teams, projects, and offices throughout the United States and several countries in Europe and Asia-Pacific. Ms. Hale was a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholar at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and attended Purdue University.
Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs
Tommy Walker, Deputy Associate Administrator. Before joining the SBA, Mr. Walker spent 12 years in a variety of roles on Capitol Hill. Most recently, he served as the policy director for the Senate Rules Committee. Earlier in his career, he worked as a legislative assistant handling a broad economic portfolio for Senator Amy Klobuchar and as deputy chief of staff, in addition to other roles, for Congresswoman Diana DeGette. Mr. Walker attended Carleton College and John Hopkins University.
The newest appointees join previously announced appointees and thousands of SBA career public servants who have worked tirelessly to equitably deliver economic relief to America’s small businesses, innovative startups, and disaster-impacted communities and execute Administrator Guzman’s priorities as the Agency reimagines itself to better support entrepreneurs at all stages of their life cycles as we transition to stable, steady growth.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.