WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, the National Small Business Association (NSBA) is recognizing five small-business leaders from across the country for their commitment to advocating on behalf of America’s small-business community.
The 2026 Advocate of the Year finalists represent a range of industries, communities and experiences, but share a common focus: bringing the perspective of small-business owners to policymakers at the state and federal levels.
Listed alphabetically, this year’s Advocate of the Year finalists are Dr. Whitney Colella, of Gaia Energy Research Institute, Sanjyot Dunung, of Atma Global, LaMar Holliday, of Holliday Collaborative Agency, Christine Hopkins, of ASCI Federal Services, LLC, and Anthony Roberts, of Tony Roberts Food Products Co:
Sanjyot Dunung
Atma Global | New York City, New York
Sanjyot Dunung is Founder and CEO of Atma Global, a New York-based digital learning and advisory firm whose services have reached more than 3 million learners worldwide. In 2024, Atma was named to Fast Company’s list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies.
Beyond her work at Atma, Ms. Dunung serves on NSBA’s Board of Trustees, AI2030’s Board of Advisors and the Truman Center for National Policy’s Board of Directors. She previously served on President Biden’s Foreign Policy Working Group and most recently ran for Congress in Illinois’ 8th Congressional District.
Dr. Whitney Colella
Gaia Energy Research Institute | Alexandria, Virginia
Dr. Whitney G. Colella, Ph.D., M.B.A., serves as President and Principal Research Engineer of Gaia Energy Research Institute, which specializes in the research, development, modeling and testing of advanced energy technologies, with a focus on low-carbon energy systems.
Dr. Colella is an advocate for America’s small research and technology companies and has worked to protect and strengthen the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. She participated in the NSBA Small Business Technology Council’s 2025 Defend SBIR advocacy summit.
Dr. Colella holds advanced degrees from Princeton, Sussex, Stanford and Oxford universities and has received numerous fellowships and honors. Her work has appeared in more than 70 journal articles and peer-reviewed reports, as well as 11 book chapters and three textbook editions.
LaMar Holliday
Holliday Collaborative Agency | Indianapolis, Indiana
LaMar Holliday is CEO of Holliday Collaborative Agency, a full-service public relations, marketing and government relations firm with locations in Indianapolis and Washington, D.C.
The agency is certified as an SBA 8(a), Minority Business Enterprise, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and LGBT Business Enterprise and has earned contracts with prominent public-sector and nonprofit clients.
Mr. Holliday has received a Gold Stevie Award, multiple Telly Awards and Best in Show honors from the Public Relations Society of America. In 2024, he was named Minority Business Enterprise of the Year by the City of Indianapolis and Indiana Black Expo and received NSBA’s Lewis A. Shattuck Rising Star Award.
As an advocate, Mr. Holliday works at the state and federal levels to advance small-business interests. He is collaborating with Indiana state legislators on a proposal to increase small-business set-asides for state-level contracts and is a registered state and federal lobbyist.
Christine Hopkins
ASCI Federal Services, LLC | Anchorage, Alaska
Christine Hopkins is President and CEO of ASCI Federal Services and Advanced Supply Chain (ASCI) Federal Services LLC, an Alaska-based WOSB and EDWOSB providing logistics, transportation, warehousing and mission-support services to federal and commercial customers.
Since becoming majority owner in 2021, Ms. Hopkins has led ASCI through significant growth and transformation, including securing a $26 million prime contract supporting the U.S. Marine Corps.
In 2026, Ms. Hopkins authored the Alaska Logistics Cost Index, an independent research initiative providing policymakers and business leaders with data on freight and transportation costs affecting Alaska’s business community.
Ms. Hopkins serves on NSBA’s Leadership Council and the Alaska Women’s Business Center Advisory Board and participates in Women Impacting Public Policy. She was named Alaska’s 2025 SBA Small Business Person of the Year and Alaska’s 2026 SBA Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year, and was also named NSBA’s Rising Star in 2025.
Anthony Roberts
Tony Roberts Food Products Co. | Fullerton, California
Anthony Roberts is President of Tony Roberts Food Products Co., a California-based foodservice company serving the school nutrition industry.
A longtime leader in his field, Mr. Roberts was named the SBA Los Angeles District Small Business Person of the Year in 1998 and has received numerous honors from the School Nutrition Association and California School Nutrition Association.
Mr. Roberts has spent more than three decades engaging policymakers in Washington, D.C., and more than 25 years advocating at the state level in California. He has participated in small-business councils and roundtables throughout California and testified before the USDA and the California State Board of Education.
In 2024, Rep. Judy Chu recognized Mr. Roberts for 30 years of advocacy at the federal level.
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The 2026 finalists reflect the breadth of small-business advocacy, from federal contracting and logistics, to technology, energy, foodservice, and international business.
NSBA’s Advocate of the Year recognition honors members who go beyond running their businesses to actively engage with policymakers and advocate on issues affecting the small-business community.
NSBA congratulates all of this year’s Advocate of the Year finalists and recognizes their continued leadership and commitment to America’s small businesses.
Winners will be announced at this year's Washington Presentation, Sept. 22-23, in Washington, D.C.