Natalie Madeira Cofield Appointed Assistant Administrator of U.S. Small Business Administration

Natalie Madeira Cofield has been appointed to serve as the assistant administrator for the Office of Women’s Business Ownership, a division within the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Cofield, currently serves as the CEO and founder of Walker’s Legacy, the largest digital platform for multicultural women in business. She will join the SBA on March 1, serving as a senior executive. In the role, Cofield will provide executive oversight, management, and leadership.

The Howard University alum will oversee the 136 centers that make up the Women’s Business Center (WBC) national network. The center’s offer one-on-one counseling, training, networking, workshops, technical assistance, and mentoring to women entrepreneurs.

Last month, 20 new centers opened, marking the largest expansion of WBC’s in the SBA’s 30-year tenure. In addition to managing WBCs, Cofield will also oversee the SBA’s new launch of Ascent, a digital e-learning platform specifically designed to help women entrepreneurs grow and expand their businesses.

President & CEO, US Black Chambers Inc., Ron Busby Sr. had nothing but praise for Cofield and her career.

“I’ve had the honor of working with Natalie and watching her personal and professional
growth for more than a decade. To know Natalie is to understand her focus and vision, as
well as her brilliant combination of business and economic expertise,” Busby said. “Natalie has always been a driven and passionate change agent for the inclusion of minority business owners. Her founding of Walker’s Legacy is a testament to this. Because of both her entrepreneurial acumen and her commitment to service, Walker’s Legacy has evolved into a nationally regarded leader for women of color advocacy. In building an organization to pay homage to legacy, Natalie has undoubtedly created her own.”

As an entrepreneur, Cofield has successfully raised more than $22 million in corporate and philanthropic investments and government contracts and has also given out more than $300,000 in cash prizes and awards.