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Leadership

Leadership

Patricia St. Clair

Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

In this capacity, she leads the Department’s efforts to broaden participation in federal procurement by small, minority owned, women owned, veteran owned, HUBZone, and other disadvantaged businesses. She provides strategic leadership that brings together policy, partnership, and practice to create a fair and open environment where qualified businesses may compete and contribute to the important work of the Department. Through her guidance, OSDBU strengthens its service to the business community and supports USDA missions across the nation.

Before assuming this role, Ms. St. Clair served as the Associate Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. In this position, she oversaw programs dedicated to the enforcement of federal civil rights laws including Title VI, Title VII, Title VIII, and Title IX. She guided the Department’s civil rights compliance activities and led efforts to identify and address areas of operational risk. She also provided direction for programs responsible for employment related processes and resolution efforts within the Department. Her work was defined by a sincere commitment to supporting both the workforce of the Department and the public it serves. More...

Michelle E. Warren

Deputy Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

Michelle Warren began her federal career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 1988, as a Federal Market News Reporter within the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Agency, then later served as a Contracting Officer responsible for the supervision of purchasing teams handling programs which relates to the purchasing and administration of contracts for fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, specialty crops, and other assigned commodities for distribution to the National School Lunch Program and other Food Assistance Programs.

Michelle Warren has served as Deputy Director for USDA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) since 2015. In this role, Ms. Warren provides executive leadership and policy direction, while promoting federal contracting opportunities for small businesses. Michelle served as Acting Director from December 2016 to May 2022 and again from March 2025 to February 2026. More...