Speakers

Tenisha Dyer is the Deputy Commissioner of the Division of Economic and Financial Opportunity (DEFO) within the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS), where she oversees teams charged with increasing equity in financial opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses and other underserved businesses in City contracting. Her work includes helping to provide a pathway for Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs), emerging businesses, and local businesses to do more work with the City of New York through certification, technical assistance, training, mentoring, and capacity building programs. In addition, Tenisha oversees the Division of Labor Services, which monitors citywide vendor compliance with equal employment opportunity and labor standards, as well as compliance of ICAP abatement beneficiaries.

Tenisha previously held positions with the NYC Mayor's Office of M/WBEs as Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives and with the NYC Mayor's Office of Contract Services as Executive Director of the M/WBE Program where she was responsible for strategic policy and program initiatives around the City's M/WBE Program, as well as overseeing Program performance analytics and reporting metrics. Tenisha is an experienced attorney and advocate who has worked on behalf of businesses and marginalized communities within NYC and has a deep belief in the power of public service to support and empower NYC residents and business owners.

Tenisha holds a B.A. in Psychology from New York University and a J.D. from New York University School of Law.