About
Natalie Madeira Cofield is a nationally recognized executive leader, entrepreneur, and policy strategist whose career spans the highest levels of government, philanthropy, academia, and the small business innovation ecosystem. She currently serves as President & CEO of the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), the nation’s leading organization dedicated to expanding economic opportunity for small businesses through research, policy, and ecosystem development.
Cofield previously served as an Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration, where she led the Office of Women’s Business Ownership through the largest expansion in its history. A respected voice in economic policy and innovation, Cofield is a Forbes contributor whose writing examines the intersection of small business, federal policy, economic trends, and the evolving needs of entrepreneurs. Cofield is also the founder of NMC Advisory, a strategic consulting practice. She serves on prominent boards, including Harbor Bank, and has been widely recognized for her leadership by Entrepreneur Magazine, Black Enterprise, and the Washington Business Journal, among others.
Cofield holds a Master of Science in education from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Public Administration from the Baruch School of Public Affairs, where she was selected as a National Urban Fellow. She is an Honorary Doctorate recipient of Shaw University and earned the Certificate of Management Excellence from Harvard Business School. Cofield is an alumna of Howard University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in business. Her lifelong commitment to economic mobility, innovation, and public service continues to shape national conversations on building more vibrant, competitive, and inclusive economies.
