<p>Maria Contreras-Sweet is an expert in economic growth, job creation, corporate governance (ESG) and competitiveness.</p><p>Internationally acclaimed for her insights on growth, innovation, and corporate governance, or Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG), Contreras-Sweet serves on multiple boards of directors, including infrastructure firm Sempra Energy, TriNet, Regional Management Corp., and Zions Bancorporation. In 2021, she was named one of the most influential leaders in the boardroom by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) as part of their Directorship 100™ program, recognizing those who have made a significant impact on corporate governance. She also serves on the nonprofit boards of the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C. and the World Affairs Council/Town Hall in Los Angeles.</p><p>The former Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (2014-2017) in the Obama administration, Contreras-Sweet was widely recognized for her creative leadership and forward-thinking economic solutions. Her drive to bring the SBA into the digital age and expand into broader domestic and global markets yielded record results in lending and contracting for American businesses. A longtime advocate for America’s small business owners and entrepreneurs and a respected champion for diversity and inclusion, job creation, economic innovation, and equal opportunity, Maria’s achievements in bringing efficiencies and modernization to organizations have earned her international acclaim. </p><p>An entrepreneur and business executive herself, Contreras-Sweet was also a former vice president at Westinghouse and the founding chairwoman of ProAmérica Bank. From 1999 to 2003, she served as the Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing for the State of California, where she was the fist Latina to hold a state cabinet post. She is the founding president of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), and in 2021, she was named to the Marquis Who’s Who list of Top 50 American Latino Leaders. </p>
Former Head of the U.S. Small Business Administration; Corporate Governance Expert
<ul><li><strong>Environmental, Social, & Governance (ESG): Actions & Data Speak Louder Than Words</strong></li><li>As a serial entrepreneur, former banking and finance executive and cabinet-level government leader who currently serves on multiple corporate boards of directors, Maria Contreras-Sweet is a champion of corporate governance and the Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) criteria that are increasingly key to business success. Once primarily a tool for investors, ESG is increasingly important for all businesses, encompassing ethical and socially responsible practices, environmental and social impacts, and a commitment to achieving employee diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. Contreras-Sweet helps audiences understand the implications of ESG for American business resilience and sustainable growth in the future.</li><li><strong>American Small Business Growth and the Economy: A Forecast</strong></li><li>As the engine of the U.S. economy, small businesses make up most of our workforce. From manufacturing to pre-Silicon Valley IPOs to Main Street America, they drive innovation, job creation, and help us compete in the global economy. As an entrepreneur and the former head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Contreras-Sweet shares her deeply informed perspective on the current economy and the key drivers for small business growth.</li><li><strong>The Promise of Diversity and Inclusion in Business</strong></li><li>Maria Contreras-Sweet arrived in the U.S. as a five-year old immigrant from Mexico. Her 30-year rise to successful entrepreneur, finance executive and cabinet official highlights both how important small business opportunities and access to capital are for minority enterprise and economic development—and how critical a diverse workforce is to American business. As her story, America’s economic history, and the latest studies show, a diverse workforce yields the best results—for individuals, for stronger, more innovative teams and work cultures, and for every company’s bottom line. </li><li><strong>Leadership as Championship</strong></li><li>In this presentation, Maria Contreras-Sweet shares stories about her development as a leader, her experiences as a Latina working in the C-Suite and in cabinet-level government leadership roles, and her evolving philosophy about the importance of giving back as much as you get by championing the growth and development of the next generation of leaders.</li></ul>