Willoughby was a “Poverty and Inequality” series speaker in May 2021: Recovery for Minority-Owned Business?

Over twenty years in the House, Executive Branch, and the private sector, Patrice Willoughby has solved problems and guided strategy in financial services and technology representing clients ranging from Fortune 100 to startups.

Patrice served as Chief of Staff and Counsel to a member of the House Ways and Means, Financial Services, and Small Business Committees, leading strategies to expand SBA lending programs and enhance employee protections in the Pension Protection Act of 2006. In the first two years of the Obama Administration, Patrice served as Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus, guiding legislative and political strategy to pass the Recovery Act, Dodd-Frank Financial Reform, and the Affordable Care Act.

At Signal Group, Patrice represents financial services and fintech firms and leads social impact strategies to enhance ESG, CSR, and equity goals. Prior to joining Signal, Patrice served in the Obama Administration and co-led the Technology and Financial Services practices at another firm where she enhanced client engagement with minority caucuses and stakeholder groups.

Patrice earned a B.A. in Music from Case Western Reserve University, M.A. from the University of Cincinnati, and J.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison after studying International Law in the Netherlands. She serves on the Board of the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER), N Street Village (women’s recovery and housing services) and is a member of the National Academy for Social Insurance (NASI).