he Honorable Donald “Don” R. Cravins, Jr. serves as Head of Government Affairs and Outreach for Williams where he leads its DC office. Previously, he served as the first Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development where he led the Minority Business Development Agency in its service of the nation’s 9.7 million minority business enterprises. He was appointed by President Joe Biden on May 6, 2022, and was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 4, 2022. Don holds a BA in Political Science from LSU and a JD from the Southern University Law Center. In 2004, he was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives and in 2006 elected to the Louisiana State Senate. While in the Legislature and following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Don served as a voice and champion for business owners, assisting with navigating the challenges related to recovery and rebuilding. In January 2009, Don left the legislature to serve as Staff Director and Chief Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, where he played a vital role in the successful passage of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. In January 2013, he became the Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana. At that time, he was the only African American Chief of Staff in the United States Senate. Don has served in key executive positions for some of America’s largest non-profit and for-profit corporations, including the National Urban League where he served as its Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. As one of the Nation’s preeminent Civil Rights Organizations, Don led the National Urban League’s entrepreneurial initiatives and spearheaded its corporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program. In addition to his civilian career, Don is a United States Army Lieutenant Colonel in the District of Columbia Army National Guard Judge Advocate General Corps. He is also a Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., a Life Member of The Rocks, Inc., and a member of the 100 Black Men of Prince George’s County. His honors include induction into the Southern University Law School Hall of Fame, recognition as a Distinguished Alumnus of Louisiana State University, and in 2020 he was named Advocate of the Year by the National Bar Association. Don and his wife, Yvette Puckett Cravins, Esq., have three children and reside in Maryland.