The Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Advisory Board’s Pravina Raghavan, ’01, Named New U.S. Government Director for Small and Medium-Sized Manufacturers  

Stillman School alumna Pravina Raghavan, M.B.A. '01, is the new director of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), which helps small and medium-size U.S. manufacturers develop new products and customers, expand and diversify markets, adopt new technology, and improve supply chains. MEP is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 

"We are excited to welcome Pravina to NIST to lead the Manufacturing Extension Partnership as it helps to ensure our country has a strong manufacturing base," said James Olthoff, who is performing the nonexclusive functions and duties of the under secretary of commerce for standards and technology and NIST director. "She has extensive experience connecting companies with the resources they need to succeed, which is exactly what MEP’s public-private partnerships do for manufacturers across the United States."

Raghavan has provided advisory services to businesses in the startup, growth, expansion and maturity phases of development for more than 20 years. She most recently served as executive vice president in the Division of Small Business and Technology Development for Empire State Development, the New York State economic development agency. In that role, she led and managed the New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership, which provides more than $10 billion in economic impact for the state; created and implemented the $100 million New York Forward Loan Fund and Empire State Digital resource for COVID-19 small business recovery; and designed and implemented the state's $800 million COVID-19 Small Business Recovery Grant Program.

She also served as deputy associate administrator of investment and innovation at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and was responsible for the Small Business Investment Companies Program, Small Business Innovation Research Program and High Growth Entrepreneur initiatives. She also served as district director for SBA’s New York District Office.

Before joining the federal government, Raghavan was a vice president with MTV and BET Networks, a founder and owner of a global strategic advisory firm, and business development director for Misys PLC, one of the world’s largest banking software companies. She was also an associate at Broadview International, a London investment bank, and worked at AT&T in several finance and management roles, including her last five years as mergers and acquisitions director for Europe and Asia. Raghavan has an M.B.A. in finance from Seton Hall University and a B.S. in finance from the Pennsylvania State University.

Pravina Raghavan serving as a judge in the 2021 Pirates Pitch Startup Competition.

"Pravina is a terrific role model for our students," said Center Director Susan Scherreik, "and we are honored that Pravina is a long-serving advisory board member of the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship." Scherreik noted that Raghavan frequently mentors students and often serves as a judge in the annual Pirates Pitch startup contest. "We congratulate Pravina on her most recent success."

Categories: Business