Are You Looking to Start or Grow Your Small Business?

San Diego & Imperial SBDC Network Team Members

San Diego & Imperial SBDC directors, business advisors, and support staff are dedicated to empowering your small business. They’re highly skilled in their fields and industries as well as knowledgeable in specific business topics.

Abdulrahman Ibrahim, International Rescue Committee

Abdulrahman Ibrahim

Senior Childcare Business Program Specialist

Licensing process, application completion, capital access, small business consultation

Afal Al Sammarraie, San Diego & Imperial SBDC Business Advisor at the International Rescue Committee

Afal AlSammarrie

Advisor

Speaks Arabic, marketer, coordinator

Amy Chapman, North SBDC

Amy Chapman

Administrator

Works with all clientele as an administrator

Amy Duncan, The Brink

Amy Duncan

Center Director

Life science, product-market fit strategy, positioning, voice of customer

Angela Nagel, San Diego & Imperial SBDC Business Advisor at the East San Diego SBDC

Angela Nagel

Advisor

Communications manager, nonprofit professional

Benton Moore, The Brink

Benton Moore

Advisor

Strategy, scale-up, funding, investing

Brandon Napoli, Center Director at the South San Diego SBDC

Brandon Napoli

Center Director

Start-ups, existing, access to debt financing

Briana Weisinger, South SBDC

Briana Weisinger

Associate Regional Director

Start-ups, operational management, innovative problem-solving

Caroline Murray, World Trade Center

Caroline Murray

Coordinator

Exports, trade advisory, speaks Spanish

Cheryl Brown, San Diego & Imperial SBDC Business Advisor at the North San Diego SBDC

Cheryl Brown

Center Director

Government contracting, entrepreneur, award-winning advisor

Daniel Fitzgerald, San Diego and Imperial SBDC

Daniel Fitzgerald

Regional Director

SBDC network direction, grant relationship management with the SBA, state, and more

Danielle Sparks, San Diego & Imperial SBDC Business Advisor at the East County SBDC

Danielle Sparks

Director of the East County SBDC

Customer service, management expert

David Zumaya

David Zumaya

Advisor

Childcare business, Tech or Life Science, Start-up, Raising Equity Capital, New/Not yet in Business,...

Diana Barbiani, Advisor

Diana Barbiani

Advisor

Retail specialist, retail/wholesale strategies, military markets

Frank Salazar, South SBDC

Frank Salazar

Advisor

Public affairs, communications, marketing

Gretel von Son, Connect

Gretel von Son

SBIR/STTR Director

Public affairs, small business, research, and technology transfer

Hayato Nakamura, San Diego & Imperial SBDC Business Advisor at the East County SBDC

Hayato Nakamura

Advisor

Entrepreneur, digital marketer expert

Irene Bwayo, San Diego & Imperial SBDC Business Advisor at the International Rescue Committee

Irene Bwayo

Microenterprise Program Supervisor

Microenterprise, program developer/designer, start-ups

James Kelley, San Diego & Imperial SBDC Business Advisor at the North San Diego SBDC

James Kelley

Advisor

Financial and bank lending expert with CFO experience

James Sly, East County SBDC

James Sly

CEO of Host Organization

Sales, value propositions, manufacturing, finance, operations, HR

Jeff Bernstein, East County SBDC

Jeff Bernstein

Advisor

An entrepreneur with a strong history of business, who's dedicated to advising small businesses

Jennifer Garvey, East County SBDC

Jennifer Garvey

Advisor

Operational efficiency expert, social media marketer

Jerice O'Malley, Growth Director, The Brink

Jerice O'Malley

Growth Advisor

Data-driven sales & G2M strategy, high-tech start-ups/exits

Jessica Javier, Alliance SBDC

Jessica Javier

Advisor

Start-ups, strategic approaches, sales, funding

Jesus Solarzano, Imperial Valley SBDC

Jesus Solorzano

Business Project Advisor

Business administration, corporate law (Mexico), attorney (Mexico), import/export, Spanish

Jet Bunditwong, Alliance SBDC

Jet Bunditwong

Advisor

Start-ups and existing businesses, restaurants, retail, e-commerce, mobile pop-ups

Jo Marie Diamond, San Diego & Imperial SBDC Business Advisor at theEast County SBDC

Jo Marie Diamond

Advisor

Government contracting, innovation, real estate, life sciences, tech, cybersecurity

Joel Sedeno, South San Diego SBDC

Joel Sedeño

Advisor

Financial entrepreneur, banking expert, creative professional strategist

Jonathan Irwin, The Brink

Jonathan Irwin

Advisor

Business strategy, funding, scaling early stage companies

Kuntal Warwick - Export at World Trade Center

Kuntal Warwick

Principal

Global marketing, communications, branding, exporting, strategic partnership development

Leonardo Ortiz

Leonardo Ortiz

Advisor

Start-up, New/Not yet in Business, Existing, Retail, Restaurants, Sidewalk Vendors

Lucas Coleman, Export SBDC at World Trade Center

Lucas Coleman

Director of the Export SBDC

Supply chain management, global e-commerce, international business law

Maha Alkhateeb, International Rescue Committee

Maha Alkhateeb

Small Business Cultural Navigator

Refugee assistance, employment, administrative, speaks Arabic

Marisa Castaneda, Project Specialist for the San Diego and Imperial SBDC Network

Marisa Castaneda

Senior Project Specialist, Advisor

Administrative, intake, restaurant & hospitality, managerial experience, entrepreneurship

Marzia Rahimi, International Rescue Committee

Marzia Rahimi

Childcare Business Advisor

Trilingual (English, Dari, and Farsi)

Matt Alamo, Connect

Matt Alamo

Events & Marketing Manager

Entrepreneur, business, and marketing

Miguel Magdaleno, South San Diego SBDC

Miguel Magdaleno

Advisor & Program Specialist

Business coach, serial entrepreneur, administrative support

Mike Kenn, Connect

Mike Krenn

CEO of Connect

Leadership, mentoring, funding security, and entrepreneur.

Mike Olivier, East SBDC

Mike Olivier

Advisor

Cybersecurity, compliance, manufacturing

Natalia Pence, The Brink

Natalia Pence

Advisor

Intellectual property, business development

Pam Covararubias, South San Diego SBDC

Pam Covarrubias

Advisor

Brand builder, podcaster, speaker, visionary

Petra Stegmann, Connect

Petra Stegmann

Springboard Senior Director

Public relations, entrepreneur, and research

Rosalva Sandoval, South San Diego SBDC

Rosalva Sandoval

Senior Project Clerk

Fellow Jaguar, community supporter, entrepreneurial guidance

Sam DeLeon, Connect

Sam DeLeon

Captial Programs Coordinator

Entrepreneur, investment, finance, business, management, and start-up businesses

Sandra Fernandez, San Diego & Imperial SBDC Business Advisor at the East County SBDC

Sandra Fernandez

Advisor

Industrial engineer, microenterprise developer/operator

Sara Nicholson, South San Diego SBDC

Sara Nicholson

Advisor

HR, management, business basics

Sarah Gyselbrecht, East County SBDC

Sarah Gyselbrecht

Administrative Assistant

Business operations, communications, military, transportation

Shakila Mahmodi, International Rescue Committee

Shakila Mahmodi

Microenterprise Business Advisor

Business plans and permits, micro loans and grants, trilingual

Shawn Lynam, South San Diego SBDC

Shawn Lynam

Advisor

Franchise entrepreneur, C-level executive, strategic approaches

Simona Racek, World Trade Center

Simona Racek

International Expansion Advisor

Export-related financing & government export grants, bilingual in English & Romanian

Tre Braquet, Connect

Tre Braquet

Senior Marketing Manager

Marketing, business, management, communications, and data analysis

Val Reyes, Connect

Valerie Reyes

Office Assistant

Administrative support, logistics, research, communications, business, and management

Viridiana Rosales, Imperial SBDC

Viridiana Rosales

Interim Director

Capital gains, start-up, retail, restaurants, speaks Spanish

Wes Paul, North San Diego SBDC

Wes Pawl

Advisor

Loan officer, mortgage banker, entrepreneur, marketer

Wesley Quach, Alliance SBDC Director

Wesley Quach

Director of the Alliance SBDC

Small business advocate, startups, community leader

Yvonne Gao, Alliance

Yvonne Gao

Program Coordinator and Business Advisor

Business development, marketing and events, leadership, problem solving, time management, Mandarin

Are You Looking to Start or Grow Your Small Business?