Isabel Guzman, who has served as director of California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate since April 2019, received Senate confirmation via an 81-17 vote to be the Small Business Administration's (SBA) next leader, Axios reported Tuesday.
She will take the helm of SBA as the agency seeks to continue helping smaller companies manage financial challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic as part of its Paycheck Protection Program.
Guzman was nominated by President Biden in Jan. 2020 to serve as SBA administrator and she told members of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee at a hearing last month that demographic information is needed to expand federal aid to underserved communities.
She co-founded GovContractPros in 2018 with the intent to provide consulting services to companies that want to do business with the federal government. Between 2014 and 2017, she served as deputy chief of staff and senior adviser to the SBA administrator during the Obama administration.
“SBA must continue to be a lifeline for small businesses in the months ahead, and I am confident that Isabel Guzman is the best person to lead the agency out of the pandemic and through the economic recovery to follow," said Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md.
“Guzman’s commitment to equity and her deep knowledge of the needs of small businesses will make her a strong advocate for all small businesses in the Biden administration.”
