Molly Wilkinson
Chief of Staff
Office of the Administrator
U.S. Small Business Administration

Molly Wilkinson became chief of staff at the U.S. Small Business Administration in January 2008 to implement Administrator Steve Preston’s agency reform agenda to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability.  In addition, Wilkinson works to augment federal small business procurement through SBA’s new recertification requirements preventing large corporations from being credited with small business contracts and scrubbing $4.6 billion in miscoded contracts out of the contracting database.  She also plays a major role in personnel decisions, is a key advisor to the Administrator and Deputy Administrator, and oversees agency staff operations.

Previously, Wilkinson was chief acquisition officer at the General Services Administration effective March 5, 2007.  She was responsible for developing and reviewing acquisition policies, procedures, and related training for both GSA and federal acquisition professionals through the Federal Acquisition Institute, Civilian Acquisition Advisory Committee, Federal Acquisition Regulation, and GSA’s acquisition manual and training programs.

Prior to her appointment at GSA, Molly was associate deputy secretary for management at the Department of Labor where she provided counsel and support to the DOL secretary, deputy secretary, and senior staff on internal agency operations regarding management, budget, and personnel issues.

Additionally, she held several positions within the Department of Defense.  Most significantly, she served as special projects coordinator for the Iraqi National Conference and special advisor to the Iraqi Supreme Commission in 2004, where she managed American security, logistics, and administrative support for the 1,500 delegates who chose the Interim Iraqi National Council.

In 2000, Gov. George Pataki appointed Wilkinson as the New York State Refugee Coordinator & Director of the Bureau of Refugee & Immigration Affairs where she developed policy and management procedures for performance-based contacting practices, program management reform, performance standards of contractors and government agencies, and revamped performance monitoring for evolving programs. 

Wilkinson worked in the New York State Legislature for seven years and, from 1997-2000 served as an assistant counsel in the General Counsel’s Office of the New York State Office of Temporary & Disability Assistance (formerly the New York State Department of Social Services), where she focused on New York State contracts law. 

A 1989 graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., Wilkinson earned her law degree from New York’s Albany Law School in 1996 and is a member of the New York State Bar.  A native of upstate New York, she currently resides in Alexandria, Va.