Karen Kerrigan

Karen Kerrigan is a prominent figure in American small business advocacy. She serves as president and CEO of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council and is the founder of Women Entrepreneurs Inc. Kerrigan is recognized for her expertise in policies and initiatives that support entrepreneurs and for developing collaborative relationships with business associations, public policy groups, media, government, advocacy organizations, and the private sector. These efforts have contributed to reforms and initiatives that encourage and sustain entrepreneurship globally.

Kerrigan regularly testifies before Congress on issues affecting small business and the economy. She has been appointed to several federal advisory boards, including the National Women's Business Council, the U.S.-Iraq Business Dialog, the U.S. Treasury's Taxpayer Advisory Panel, and the National Advisory Committee for Labor Provisions of U.S. Free Trade Agreements. Kerrigan engages with the president's cabinet and key advisors and has participated in White House economic summits and events hosted by the Treasury Department and other federal agencies. She also serves as chair of the Small Business Roundtable, a coalition focused on advancing policy, securing access, and promoting inclusion for American businesses.

Kerrigan's influence extends internationally, where she advocates for ecosystems that support startup activity and small business growth. She has served as an entrepreneurial envoy and small business ambassador for U.S. State Department missions and various NGO events and conferences. As a founding member of the World Entrepreneurship Forum, Kerrigan provides counsel to governments and business associations worldwide on entrepreneurial development, capacity building, and policy implementation. She has worked in countries including Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tunisia, Morocco, Nepal, and the Palestinian territories to support entrepreneurship, women's economic empowerment, investment, and business growth. Kerrigan also contributed to projects such as the first Mideast/North Africa Women's Business Summit in Tunis, Tunisia.

Kerrigan has received recognition for her work, including being named a Top 100 Champion Small Business Influencer by Small Business Trends and receiving the Excellence in Advocacy Award from the Global IP Center of the U.S. Chamber for her work on intellectual property protections and advocacy for investment, innovation, and entrepreneurship. She appears regularly on Fox Business to provide commentary and analysis on economic data, market trends, and the outlook for entrepreneurship and small business growth. Kerrigan has authored numerous op-eds and newspaper columns and is a frequent guest on national television, podcasts, and talk radio programs.

In addition to her policy and advocacy work, Kerrigan is certified as a health and wellness coach and is the founder of Steps to Wellness. She serves as a board member and audit committee chair of the Center for International Private Enterprise, an institute of the National Endowment for Democracy focused on strengthening democracy through private enterprise and market-oriented reforms. With more than three decades of leadership in entrepreneurship, public policy, and global economic development, Kerrigan is a leading voice for small business owners and entrepreneurs.