Chris James is President and CEO of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise, where he leads the largest Native American economic development organization in the country. Prior to joining the National Center in 2017, Chris was a Senior Executive Service Appointee and Associate Administrator at the U.S. Small Business Administration. Chris was closely involved in White House and interagency coordination with the SBA and had a hand in implementing all SBA programs and services nationwide, including those focused on the Native American community. His first job in the Obama Administration was at the Department of Treasury, where he served as an Associate Program Manager focused on Native American Community Development Financial Institutions. His entry in tribal economic development was as Associate Director and Senior Loan Officer for the Sequoyah Fund, a Native American CDFI and an enterprise of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Chris has a Master of Entrepreneurship from Western Carolina University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from UNC-Wilmington.