Office of Business Opportunity

Bridget E. Ross

Bridget E. Ross ... serves as the Assistant Director at the City of Houston’s Office of Business Opportunity (OBO), an agency dedicated to promoting an inclusive and competitive economic environment. In her role, Bridget acts as a senior advisor to the OBO Director and leads key divisions, including Contract Compliance and Certification. She plays a pivotal role in establishing strategic objectives, managing departmental budgets, overseeing personnel management, and fostering operational improvements across all business areas.

Bridget brings over 19 years of transformative leadership experience in community and economic development, regulatory compliance, grant management, and small business advocacy. Before joining OBO, she held executive leadership roles at local Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) in Texas, significantly enhancing program funding, compliance, and strategic initiatives across multiple states. Her impactful leadership included managing multimillion-dollar grant portfolios and innovating initiatives such as small business accelerators and resiliency programs.

Her earlier roles included the Center Director of the Prairie View A&M University Small Business Development Center, where she successfully executed strategic programs and secured substantial funding to promote small business growth and economic resiliency. Bridget’s extensive expertise includes regulatory compliance, policy development, strategic planning, and data-driven performance evaluation.

Bridget holds a Master of Science in Community Development from Prairie View A&M University and completed her Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) as part of the second cohort at Prairie View A&M University in 2025. Active in numerous professional and community organizations, Bridget has served on several Texas community boards and remains deeply committed to enhancing economic opportunities for historically underserved communities.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Bridget values her family heritage as the daughter of an Army Purple Heart recipient and the wife of a Navy Submariner. She takes pride in her roles as a mother and grandmother.