Sharla Roberts is a results-driven thought leader with over 30 years of economic development experience in her roles in the public and private sector. Ms. Roberts has advocated and successfully created programs to foster the growth of small and diverse businesses in her leadership roles Her vision her transformed lives and communities with her expertise in diversity, equity and inclusion She currently serves as the Director of Procurement Diversity at the University of Illinois and is responsible for ensuring that disadvantaged businesses are afforded every opportunity to participate on contracts throughout the University of Illinois System. Her knowledge and experience in economic development and building programs that impact small and diversity businesses, led her to be appointed by the Governor of the State of Illinois to the Business Enterprise Council, which oversees the State’s supplier diversity program, where she served as Chairperson of the Certification and Compliance Committees. Additionally, Ms. Roberts served on the Fair Practice in Contracting Task Force to research and create solutions to resolve racial disparity in government contracting for small and diverse businesses.