SIMA LADJEVARDIAN
Sima Ladjevardian is a distinguished lawyer, small business owner, community activist, and devoted mother of two. Dedicated to uplifting immigrants and women, Sima became one of the first Iranian American major party nominees for Congress and served as the Regional Director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In this role, she represented HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, coordinating policy initiatives with state, local, and tribal governments in Region 6, covering Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and 68 federally recognized tribal nations. She addressed the impact of COVID-19 on women, focusing on healthcare, childcare, and broadband access.
In 2023, President Biden appointed Sima as Chair of the National Women’s Business Council where she guides women entrepreneurs and leaders and champions initiatives to facilitate access to capital and foster inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems. Sima draws inspiration from
her grandmother, who was one of the first women elected to the Iranian Congress and played a pivotal role in securing the right to vote for women in Iran. Her grandmother’s example and influence have imparted in Sima a desire to dream big, never give up, and always believe in herself.
Recognized as one of Houston’s Most Influential Women, Sima has co-founded and served on numerous boards, including the Texas Signal, EveryTexan, and the Society of Iranian American Women for Education. She is a trustee of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH), the Harris Health System, and the AAPI Victory Fund, and actively fosters intercultural relations in political and nonprofit arenas. Fluent in English, Farsi, French, and Spanish, Sima connects with diverse communities to advocate for inclusive policies that empower women entrepreneurs. Sima received her Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics from UCLA and her Juris Doctorate from Hastings College of Law.
SAMANTHA ABRAMS
Samantha Abrams is a transformational leader with more than 20 years of serving in private and nonprofit sector roles, leading dynamic growth teams. She’s a skilled relationship architect in strategic corporate partnerships as well as engagement, board development, and management. She also has an exercised level of comfort engaging with high-level domestic and international stakeholders and is known to be an agile strategist with deep knowledge and experience in co-designing and executing strategic plans with data-driven outcomes.
Samantha is the founder and CEO of Color Lens Consulting, her family-owned boutique consultancy firm that creates business connections beyond national borders through government advisory. She is known as a global ecosystem leader, equipping and advising entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey.
Samantha is also the founder and CEO of her family’s company that have built Caribbean restaurants in the Maryland and D.C. areas and is advancing a vision to expand.
Samantha has also served on numerous boards and commissions. She is an appointee to NWBC by The Honorable Isabella Guzman, the current administrator of SBA; is on the Advisory Board of the University of Guyana Foundation; is an advisor to the Guyana Economic Development Trust; and advises several early-stage impact companies. In addition, she sits on the Board of Directors for Black Public Media and is a founding board member of the Social Justice School. Samantha holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Bowie State University.
BRANDY R. BUTLER
Brandy R. Butler brings more than two decades of educational and leadership experience in human resources to her role as CEO and Managing Principal of ADC Management Solutions. Since founding ADC in 2003, she has driven its growth with her expertise in staffing and marketing. Combining creative and operational strengths, Brandy has strategically overseen
marketing, operations, finance, and quality control, securing contracts with key local and Federal government agencies and commercial clients, including the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Treasury, U.S. Census Bureau, NASA, D.C. Water, D.C. Department of Transportation, D.C. Department of General Services, BITHGROUP Technologies, Kaiser Permanente, and WSP.
Brandy is passionate about expanding business opportunities for women and minority-owned companies and fostering employment for diverse candidates. Under her leadership,
ADC has employed more than 1,500 individuals and implemented workforce development programs that have helped more than 300 people acquire the skills needed for successful careers at organizations like Pepco, DCSEU, AmeriHealth, and Prince George’s County.
She is an active member of prestigious organizations, including Women in Infrastructure, the Bow Collective, and the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), a global leadership community of over 29,000 chief executives in 130 countries. In 2023, Brandy was invited to serve as a council member for the NWBC. She is also a distinguished member of the Leadership Greater Washington Class of 2013 and a graduate of the inaugural cohort of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program in Baltimore, MD, in 2018.
Brandy explores her love for fitness as a wellness coach and owner of an F45 Gym franchise in Washington, D.C. She holds a B.A. in Human Resources Management from Temple University and an M.A. in Human Resources Management from Catholic University.
KATHY COCHRAN
Kathy Cochran is the founder of Elevate2 Consulting, an organization dedicated to accelerating business growth and organizational success for women business owners through business management coaching and advisory services.
Before starting Elevate2, Kathy held executive leadership roles at Microsoft and chief operating officer roles for several technology companies. These roles provided experience in mergers and acquisitions, global partner development, business development, internal operations, and, most importantly, team development.
But her passion for women-led businesses returned her full circle to her rural small business roots. Kathy works with small businesses to transform ‘how’ they work to create financial and organizational success.
She believes the sustainable growth and success of women business owners will lead to economic parity and systemic change for the next generation of women business owners.
Kathy also teaches process leadership and project management at Minnesota State University Moorhead and is learning the art of grandparenting.
KAREN CLARK COLE
Karen Clark Cole is an entrepreneur, visionary thinker, and strategic planner who co founded and formerly served as CEO of Blink UX. In 2016, Blink UX was named on Forbes Magazine’s Best 25 Small Companies in America list. During her tenure as CEO, she negotiated six acquisitions of smaller user experience (UX) firms and led the acquisition of Blink UX by Mphasis Corporation in 2021.
An investor in several women-founded businesses, Karen is also a writer and public speaker specializing in User-Centered Leadership and Possibility Thinking. She is the Executive Director of two nonprofits she founded: Girls Can Do and Heaven on Earth Animal Retirement Sanctuary. Additionally, Karen chairs the Board of Governors for St. Margaret’s School, an all-girls K-12 independent school in Canada, and serves as a member of the National Women’s Business Council.Karen was presented with the 2016 Enterprising Women of the Year award and was a
finalist for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2015.
Karen began her career studying visual arts at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver. She holds a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Victoria and is a graduate of the Information Technology & Multimedia program at Capilano University. She started a Ph.D. program in Values-Driven Leadership at Benedictine University and is currently enrolled in Stanford’s Graduate School of Business Board Readiness program.
SELENA RODGERS DICKERSON
Selena Rodgers Dickerson is the president and founder of SARCOR, LLC, an engineering design and project management firm, and Selene, LLC, a diverse business solutions company. A Birmingham native, Selena received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Tennessee State University and her MBA in Project Management from Capella University. Through prayer, ambition, and perseverance, Selena grew SARCOR from a one-person firm to a team of engineers and management professionals. Now, through Selene, LLC, she seeks to help grow and develop other small businesses and raise awareness that minority firms are more than a minority participation goal.
Selena is a graduate of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Emerging Leaders Program and Leadership Birmingham. In December 2019, she graduated from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Babson College.
Additionally, she is the recipient of several awards, including the 2017 Alabama Department of Transportation Disadvantage Business Enterprise Consultant of the Year Award, the 2018 Summit Media Fusion Creator Award, the 2014 Birmingham Business Journal’s Entrepreneur Spotlight, and the 2013 Dr. A.G. Gaston Minority or Women-Owned Emerging Business of the Year Award. Selena was also featured on the Public Broadcasting Service’s nationally televised show, Start Up, in October 2014. She serves on several local boards, the City of Birmingham’s Small Business Council, and makes time for family, mentoring, volunteering, and community service activities. Selena is an active Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church member in Fairfield, AL.
JEN EARLE
Jen Earle has been a dedicated leader with the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) since 2008. Leveraging her extensive institutional knowledge and commitment to advancing NAWBO’s mission, Jen has collaborated with the National Boards of Directors and past CEOs to steer the organization to its current prominence.
Under her leadership as CEO, NAWBO has expanded to more than 50 chapters nationwide, including a virtual chapter, and launched an educational institute to support women business owners online. Jen has spearheaded virtual education courses, fostering a community where business owners can grow and scale their ventures. Her strategic relationship-building with national partners has resulted in innovative programming and countless opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
Internationally, Jen plays a pivotal role in the education and support of women business owners
through her participation in the FCEM (World Association of Women Entrepreneurs) Task Force.This involvement allows her to travel globally, gaining insights into the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs and devising ways to support them.
With over a decade of high-level experience in operational and project management, Jen has worked with a broad range of boards, business groups, entrepreneurs, CEOs, and executives. Before joining NAWBO, she was an entrepreneur, giving her a deep understanding of the complexities faced by women business owners. In addition to serving as CEO of NAWBO, she’s the Executive Director of the NAWBO Institute, a Council Member of the National Women’s Business Council, and an Advisory Member for Enterprising Women Magazine.
ROBERTA MCCULLOUGH
Roberta McCullough serves as senior vice president of operations for Institute Capital, a community development financial institution (CDFI) program for the National Institute of Minority Economic Development. She leads her team in providing investment capital for small businesses, affordable housing developers, and community-based organizations. She also encourages historically Black colleges and universities’ collaboration through partnership development, providing training and funding to future entrepreneurs in their student bodies. McCullough has served the economic development industry in management and executive capacities for over 30 years. Her focus has been alleviating systemic economic injustices by providing access to grant and loan capital for women- and minority-owned small businesses.
McCullough currently serves as board chair for the Association of Women’s Business Centers (AWBC) and board treasurer for Partner Community Capital, a certified CDFI. She holds a
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Shaw University and has a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Southern New Hampshire University.
JENNY POON
Jenny Poon is a serial entrepreneur and founder of HUUB, a data-driven digital platform for governments to streamline the delivery of small business support services. As the daughter of Vietnamese refugees and a self-made businessperson, she speaks, writes, and advocates daily for safer entrepreneur ecosystems for women and people of color. She is CEO of HUUB; before HUUB, Jenny founded CO+HOOTS, the first coworking space in Phoenix, AZ, which she grew to two locations, creating thousands of jobs and serving more than 1,000 entrepreneurs monthly.
Jenny contributes regularly to the Kauffman Foundation, The Business Journals, and The Arizona Republic/USA Today. She serves as an advisor for numerous startups, as Board Chair of CO+HOOTS Foundation (a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization), and as a mentor for several young entrepreneurs. Jenny was named Phoenix Business Journal’s 2016 Phoenix Businessperson of the Year. She was the first minority and the first woman to receive the honor.
PAMELA PRINCE-EASON
Pamela Prince-Eason is president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), a role she assumed in 2011. Under her leadership, WBENC has grown into one of the country’s foremost leaders in women’s professional development and has significantly expanded its work with the Fortune 500 and dedicated initiatives for underrepresented women’s business enterprises (WBEs), including Women of Color and LGBTQ+ communities.
Among many accolades, she is an Enterprising Women Hall of Fame member. She has been honored with the Women’s Business Enterprise Hall of Fame Executive Leadership award, the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE) – Woman of Achievement and celebrated at the 2023 Gala of Power Women Moves Nexus Club. She’s featured in “Women Mean Business,” published in 2023, in which female trailblazers share how they are transforming women’s lives one voice at a time.
KATICA ROY
Katica Roy is an award-winning gender economist, former Global 500 executive, programmer, data scientist, and the CEO and founder of Pipeline, an acclaimed SaaS company. Pipeline leverages advanced technology to achieve intersectional gender parity. It launched the first gender equity app on Salesforce’s AppExchange and was recognized by TIME Magazine as one of the Best Inventions of 2019 and by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies in 2020 and 2023.
Katica’s expertise and unique perspective have been sought by major media outlets including CNN, MSNBC, CBS, Bloomberg, MarketWatch, Yahoo Finance, Wharton Business, and NBC. She has interviewed prominent figures such as President Biden, Vice President Harris, Senators Booker and Gillibrand, Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Canadian Pay Equity Commissioner Karen Jensen, and Gretchen Carlson.
Katica is also a sought-after speaker, having presented on more than 100 major stages worldwide, including SXSW, CES, Web Summit, and events for corporations like BNP Paribas,JP Morgan, P&G, Cisco, Google and Microsoft. Her visionary articles are published by the World Economic Forum, Fast Company, Fortune, Forbes, Bloomberg, NBC, Entrepreneur, The Hill, The Advocate, and Harvard Business Review. Additionally, she writes the weekly Equity for All® op-ed for Fast Company, with her articles garnering over 2.9 billion impressions.
Recognized for her impact, Katica was named a Luminary by the Colorado Technology Association in 2017, a Colorado Governors’ Fellow in 2018, and one of the Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business in 2019. She has also received the Stevie Entrepreneur of the Year—Gold Award and was named Colorado Entrepreneur of the Year in 2020 and a LinkedIn Top Influencer for gender equity in 2022. Katica is a member of Fast Company’s Impact Council, Bloomberg’s New Economy Forum, The Aspen Institute’s Tech Accountability Coalition, and the National Women’s Business Council.
LESLIE LYNN SMITH
Leslie Lynn Smith is a member of the United WE-Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Commission on Childcare and Women's Entrepreneurship, and the Founder and Principal of Themis Strategic Partners, a consulting firm focused on developing actionable strategies at the intersection of equity and growth. Prior to this, Leslie was the National Executive Director for GET Cities at SecondMuse, advocating for gender equality in tech. Born during Detroit’s 1967 civil uprisings, Leslie’s work is inspired by a vision of economic justice and inclusion that enriches communities.
Leslie’s extensive career in economic growth and community-based business development has shaped her belief that local entrepreneurs are best positioned to address community challenges and foster equity. She previously served as the founding president and CEO of Epicenter, a nonprofit supporting Memphis’s entrepreneurial community, where she
coordinated efforts among economic development, academic, corporate, and government partners. Leslie also ledTechTown, Detroit’s leading business incubator, launching innovative urban development programs and fostering regional entrepreneurship collaborations.
As director of business acceleration for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Leslie managed the state’s $300 million startup investment portfolio and innovation economy. Her leadership has been recognized in publications like Forbes, Fortune, and StyleBlueprint, and she has been featured as a TED speaker. Leslie was named one of Memphis Business Journal’s “Super Women of Business” in 2019. She actively serves on multiple boards, including the Center for American Entrepreneurship and the National Women’s Business Council.
DR. SHAKENNA K. WILLIAMS
Dr. Shakenna K. Williams is the Executive Director of the Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (CWEL) and founder of the Black Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (BWEL) Program at Babson College. She also owns Kenna Business Solutions, and previously erved as Deputy Academic Director and Lead Faculty Director of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program.
With her passion to propel women entrepreneurs to new levels of success and ensure resources are accessible, Dr. Williams has been appointed to NWBC and is the proud recipient of the Babson Entrepreneurial Thought and Action Award, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Changemaker Award, and the African American Female Professor of the Year Award. She also authored the book Hooked: Entrepreneurial Leadership Skills Learned While Fishing with My Dad and The Mark (excerpt).
Dr. Williams received her doctorate from Capella University (dissertation, Talent Management and Retention in Small Family-Owned Businesses: A Multiple-Case Qualitative Study), her MBA from Oklahoma City University, and her B.S. (Finance; Investments) from Babson. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., The Links, Incorporated, and the Academy of Management. Dr. Williams cherishes being a foster mom, and loves to travel, spend time with family, cook, and paint.
NWBC STAFF BIOGRAPHIES
TENÉ DOLPHIN – Executive Director
Tené Dolphin serves as the executive director for NWBC, providing support and leadership around issues that impact America’s women business owners. Before joining NWBC, Tené provided strategic and operational leadership for Wells Fargo’s Small Business Growth Philanthropy. Prior to Wells Fargo, Tené served as the first director for the Office of Business Diversity and Opportunity for the City of Birmingham, AL. In that role, she established the Mayor’s Inaugural Small Business Council; developed the city’s inclusive procurement program; launched a disparity study; served on the supplier diversity council for the 2022 World Games; and created essential local and national partnerships, connecting resources to the city’s small business community.
Tené has spent most of her career in Washington, D.C. In 2017, Mayor Muriel Bowser appointed her to support critical local business initiatives. As the Senior Deputy Director for the
Department of Small and Local Business Development, Tené oversaw the city’s Certified Business Enterprise program, the Aspire program, and the Made in D.C. program. In 2008, Tené was appointed to Senior Executive Service by President Barack Obama for the U.S. Department of Commerce, first serving as director of the Office of the Executive Secretariat and then as chief of staff for the Economic Development Administration (EDA). While at EDA, she elevated the work of historically Black colleges and universities and coordinated with the White House on departmental and agency strategic initiatives.
Tené is a proud graduate of Howard University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Jack and Jill of America Inc., and Leadership Greater Washington’s Class of 2012. She is an active humanitarian, volunteering for several local and national organizations. Her highest honor is being a mom to her amazing son.
ERIN HUSTINGS – Associate Director of
Policy and Research
Erin Hustings brings a background in equity and civil rights policy strategy to the work of developing data based policy solutions to advance women’s entrepreneurship. In two decades of work with community development organizations and mission-driven entities in the nation’s capital, Erin has advocated inclusion and agency in immigration policy, elections, public data collection, education, workplaces, and workforce development programming. She helped to draft and secure favorable votes on the Voting Rights Advancement Act, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, and other key federal legislation; she has briefed elected officials, members of Congress, and the public on topics ranging from quality of public hate crimes data to dangers of conducting government business in English only.
Erin began her career as a junior high teacher in the Peace Corps in West Africa and
and subsequently did organizing and development work for public foundations focused on empowering women and children. Since becoming a lawyer, she has been an active volunteer with the Election Protection Coalition’s hotline and poll monitoring program and pro bono counsel to immigrants seeking humanitarian protection. She is the co-founder and coordinator of the D.C. Detention Visitation Network, which supports people affected by immigration detention in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
Erin earned her B.A. from Grinnell College and a J.D., Cum Laude, from Georgetown University Law Center, where she received the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Service to the Law Center Community and the Joyce Chiang Award and was a Pro Bono Pledge honoree.
RHYLEE JONES – Public Affairs Assistant
Rhyee Jones serves as NWBC’s public affairs assistant and develops and executes communication strategies and outreach efforts that promote NWBC’s initiatives, accomplishments, and policy recommendations. Prior to joining NWBC, Rhylee served in various roles, including as a public policy and regulation intern with Holland & Knight, human resources intern with the U.S. Department of Transportation, and mentor to youth residing in Washington, D.C., in her free time.
Rhylee is a 2024 graduate of Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Political Science and Economics. She dreams of becoming a lawyer who advocates for economic justice, education equality, and housing security. Rhylee is excited to bring her professional experience,creativity, and optimism to NWBC to advance initiatives that support women- and minority-owned businesses and entrepreneurs.
NIA NAYLOR – Legislative and
Intergovernmental Affairs Assistant
Nia Naylor is a 2024 graduate of Howard University with a Bachelor’s in Political Science and a minor in Legal Communications. As President of the Howard University Student Association for the 2023-2024 school year, Nia was a leading voice on campus, advocating for nearly 10,000 undergraduate students. She championed initiatives that enhanced the campus experience, such as the completion of the Pride Policy to support LGBTQ+ students, adjustments to the Homecoming bill for inclusive representation, and the establishment of the A.I.M. (Advancement Through Inspired Mentoring) program. Nia’s commitment to inclusivity extended to opening a food pantry to address food insecurity, which benefited hundreds of students by providing free food, menstrual, and cleaning products. During her tenure, she completed 13 of 14 campaign promises to support the student body.
An accomplished public speaker, Nia has spoken at numerous significant events, including the “A Different World Cast Panel Discussion Opener;” Delta Sigma Theta Sorority’s National
Get-Out-The-Vote Campaign; and delivered a TEDx talk titled “Finding A Different World.” Her political experience includes working on five successful Delaware political campaigns, where she supported members for Delaware State Senators, Representatives, and the United States Congress.
ARIANA SATINA – Program and
Operations Manager
Born and raised in Virginia and currently residing in D.C., Ariana Satina considers herself a D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (or DMV) native. Hard working and small business-owning Filipino parents raised her and instilled in her those values and utilized those beliefs to turn their American dream into a reality.
Ariana followed her dream of learning more about the world by studying abroad. In 2018, she graduated from Franklin University Switzerland with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies with a minor in Psychology. After graduating, Ariana hit the ground running to give back what she received by volunteering as an outreach representative in the Visayan region of the Philippines. It was a transformative 18 months, refining her personally and professionally.
Since then, she has implemented different aspects of her education and experiences in work as a communication intern, public relations and social media consultant,and design assistant.
Through her current work as NWBC’s program and operations manager, Ariana hopes to assist and advocate for female and minority small business owners.
Ariana believes in living life to its fullest and learning from experiences. Outside work, she thoroughly enjoys experiencing and savoring as much of the world as possible through travel, food, music, and friends.
RECOGNITION OF SERVICE
