Dr. Tara Lynn Gray
Director CalOSBA

Tara Lynn Gray was sworn in on April 26, 2021, as the 5th Director of the California Office of the Small Business Advocate. She serves as the voice for California’s 4.2 million small businesses in the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.

Under Director Gray’s leadership, the California Office of Small Business Advocate is helping to bring about Governor Newsom’s vision of a California for All through further development of the state’s small business ecosystem and by ensuring that questions about equity and inclusion are the starting point for all the state’s small business programs. Gray has administered fourteen different programs at CalOSBA and directed nearly $5.3 billion in state resources.

Gray’s first model of economic development was learned in her grandmother’s beauty shop. Gray learned how important access to credit is for small businesses and her grandmother imbued her granddaughter with her sense of compassion and indelible determination.

Running her own business for two decades, working with two small business development centers, and running a business association and a foundation has given Director Gray the requisite experience and expertise to advocate for small businesses.

Immediately prior to her appointment by Governor Newsom, Director Gray led the Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce (FMBCC) and Chamber Foundation (FMBCF) as CEO. In her adopted city of Fresno, Director Gray engaged, educated, and empowered small businesses across California’s Central Valley. She led several regional initiatives including “Betting Big on Small Businesses Owned by Women and People of Color” on behalf of the Fresno DRIVE Investment Plan, the Clean Shared Mobility Network, and employment and training programs to advance economic mobility.

Closing opportunity gaps, the role of women and BIPOC business leaders, and small business procurement are recurrent themes in her advocacy work. Gray holds a bachelor’s degree in business management, a master’s in Christian studies, and a doctorate in Healthcare Administration.

Gray has been widely recognized as a leader and received many awards of distinction including the 2025 Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce Small Business Champion Award, 2024 National Small Business Alliance Advocate of the Year Award, 2023 California Black Chamber Trailblazer Award, 2022 California Diversity Award, 2022 California SBDC STAR Award, 2019 Marjorie Mason Top 10 Professional Women Award.