Name: Aida Alvarez.

Family: Married to Dr Raymond Baxter. They have one child, Aurora.

Education: St Patrick's School, Brooklyn. Went to Harvard on a scholarship.

Career: Worked as a journalist with the New York Post, then moved to Channel Five Metro Media. After 11 years, took a job with New York City's Health and Hospitals Corporation where she attracted the attention of Bear Stearn. Worked in Bear Stearn and First Boston as investment banker and then became involved in the campaign to elect Bill Clinton in 1992. Was appointed head of the new regulatory agency, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight and is now head of the Small Business Administration.

Why she is in the news: The Small Business Administration trade mission with 23 US small companies will be in Dublin and Belfast next week.