Administrator Linda McMahon of the U.S. Small Business Administration announced the appointment of Shawn Pensoneau as the Assistant Administrator for the SBA’s Office of Native American Affairs. In this role, he will oversees the office’s collaboration with American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians who seek to create, develop and expand small businesses and ensure they have full access to the business development and expansion tools available through the agency’s entrepreneurial development, lending and procurement programs.
“I’m glad to welcome Shawn to the SBA’s team and we look forward to the work he will do on behalf of Native American small businesses. With his leadership, we will continue to champion Native American entrepreneurs and provide them with the tools and resources to start and grow small businesses,” McMahon said.
Prior to joining the SBA, Pensoneau served as a public affairs specialist at the Department of Interior’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. In this capacity, he was involved with providing information on secretarial decisions and actions to news media and other entities interested in Indian Affairs via news releases, media relations, and the Indian Affairs website.
Pensoneau previously served as Director of Governmental Affairs for the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC). In this role, he worked to achieve the organization’s success by maintaining a unified voice when working on various challenges throughout Native American communities. He also worked for the National Indian Gaming Commission and the Navajo Nation Washington Office.
Pensoneau is a graduate of Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo., and is an enrolled member of the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma.