Anita Steenson
Disaster Recovery & Resilience · U.S. Small Business Administration
📍 Round Rock, TX
Episode: Why Resilience Matters: What Round Rock Business Owners Can Learn from the SBA’s Anita Steenson
About Anita
Anita Steenson didn’t just get hired into disaster recovery work — she was recruited from a disaster zone. From Hurricane Andrew to 9/11 to the LA fires, she has been present at the worst of it. That history is what drives her. Most people in her office have the same story: survivors helping survivors.
At the SBA’s Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience, her team doesn’t just help businesses recover from floods, fires, and storms. They help them come back stronger. They offer low-interest, long-term, trauma-informed disaster loans — with no payments and no interest for 12 months. Homeowners can receive up to $500,000 plus $100,000 for personal property. Businesses and nonprofits can access up to $2 million. And there’s no cost to apply.
When a Texas homeowner was struggling to upload paperwork, she didn’t point him to a help desk. She met him in person and walked him through it. That’s the job. Real people showing up when everything feels broken — and reminding business owners they don’t have to navigate disaster alone.
In Their Own Words
Apply, apply, apply. Even if you’re just curious.
— Anita Steenson, SBA Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience
There’s no cost to apply. No obligation to accept the funds. No downside to exploring your options.
— Anita Steenson, SBA Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience
Resilience isn’t just a buzzword. It’s survival with a strategy.
— Anita Steenson, SBA Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience
Their Best Advice
Apply, apply, apply. Even if you’re just curious. Even if you think you’re too late. There is no cost to apply and no obligation to accept the funds. The only risk is not knowing what you qualify for.
— Anita Steenson
Connect with Anita