Nygina Mills

About Nygina Mills

Nygina Mills is an accomplished legal and governance professional with extensive experience in the aerospace, defense, and financial services sectors. She is recognized for her expertise in regulations, contracts, and compliance, as well as her ability to navigate complex legal and strategic challenges. Throughout her career, Nygina has held numerous leadership, board, and committee roles, earning a host of professional and academic accolades.

In her role as Associate General Counsel, Financial Law at the SBA, Nygina oversaw the legal management of an $852 billion loan portfolio and a $26 billion Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) venture capital portfolio. She worked closely with major financial institutions across the United States, ensuring regulatory compliance and sound governance practices.

Prior to this, Nygina served as Director of the Strategic Initiatives Directorate at the U.S. Department of Education. There, she managed all sub-agency strategic initiatives for 1,600 employees, overseeing a $70 million annual budget allocated to administer $120 billion in annual nationwide loan funds. She also played a key role in overseeing a total lending portfolio valued at $1.4 trillion.

Nygina’s leadership extended to the defense sector, where she held senior roles such as Associate General Counsel for Contracts at the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA). In this position, she provided legal oversight for U.S. and international contract cost resolutions under Federal Acquisition Regulations (FARs), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARs), and Cost Accounting Standards (CAS). She also advised on mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and divestitures. Prior to that, as Associate Counsel at the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), she oversaw compliance and contracts for leading companies like Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing, collaborating with Fortune 100 corporate counsel.

In addition to her government service, Nygina has a distinguished private-sector career. She served as a Partner at FisherBroyles, LLP, where she specialized in advising clients on contracts, corporate securities, licensing, private equity, mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, and private placements.

Nygina holds a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and is an alumna of Harvard Business School. Her leadership and expertise have solidified her reputation as a trusted advisor in both public and private sectors.