NEVADA.SBDC - Key Persons

Albert Delgado

al..@unlv.edu

Job Titles:

Business Development Advisor at the BlackFire Innovation
Director, Nevada SBDC at UNLV ( Nevada SBDC Regional Manager )

Albert Delgado is a Business Development Advisor at the BlackFire Innovation location in Las Vegas. He has been involved with many facets of consumer and business lending and provides a background in banking, credit, financial literacy, cash flow, financial reports, sales, CRA development, real estate, and other aspects of alternative capital development. A native of San Diego California and USAF Veteran, Albert has been in the valley since June of 2000 and is proud to call Las Vegas his home. He believes in Las Vegas as a community and dedicates much of his free time to many non-profit organizations and enjoys educating by facilitating workshops and participating in access to capital panel discussions. Having developed a vast network of professionals, he uses those contacts to cultivate new business and economic development that are mutually beneficial to his clients, SBDC and community partners.

Anabel Navarro

an..@unr.edu

Job Titles:

Southern Nevada Area Regional Manager
Southern Nevada Area Regional Manager / Location: Henderson

Anabel Navarro has been with the Nevada SBDC since 2014. Her office locations are at the Las Vegas Urban Chamber of Commerce and at the Henderson Chamber of Commerce. Mrs. Navarro speaks Spanish-English and has expertise in Small Business creation, Business Plan Guidance, Retail, Business Management, Marketing and Financial Analysis. Mrs. Navarro has a BS in Physical Education and has previously owned a Fitness Center in her home town Guadalajara, Mexico. Since she moved to the Las Vegas area, she has owned several retail businesses such as a Computer Shop, Cellular Store, a Jeweler and Women's Accessories stores. Mrs. Navarro enjoys being a Spanish Instructor and Presenter as well.

Andy Allison

Job Titles:

Business Development Advisor
Business Development Advisor / Location: City of North Las Vegas

Andy Allison has counseled business owners with the SBDC for over 11 years (7 years in the New York State SBDC). Andy counsels throughout the southern valley in Nevada, as well as writes and presents training workshops for the Nevada SBDC. He has a BIS degree and a Masters Degree. Andy has owned his own businesses and has worked in corporate management, developing an understanding of the real necessities in a business model. Andy's expertise is focused in the hospitality industry, the food service industry and the retail and merchandising sectors of business. Andy has had training in business management and lean Six Sigma processes. Andy has developed operating systems, production flow schematics and preventive waste concepts with time, money and materials for small business owners.

Avison Young

Job Titles:

Commercial Real Estate

Ben Tedore

Job Titles:

Web Communications Advisor
Web Communications Advisor / Location: Reno

Ben has been with the Nevada SBDC since 2005. He works in Reno at the University of Nevada, Reno location. Ben has specific experience with digital marketing, web development, social media, IT and graphic design. He previously worked as a Digital Media Technician in the Department of Art at UNR as well as a freelance Web Developer and Designer for several years.

Bonnie Drinkwater

Job Titles:

Chairman of the Advisory Board

Brad Scribner

bs..@unr.edu

Job Titles:

Community Project Manager
Community Project Manager / Location: Reno

Born and raised in Nevada, Brad graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno, in 2015 with a degree in Journalism. He is passionate about his work with small businesses, and loves nothing more than connecting, promoting, and supporting the entrepreneurs that drive the Silver State's thriving economy. On the weekends you can catch him at the river, a local bar, or rocking out in his garage.

Bram Buckley - VP

Job Titles:

Vice President

Brenda Bryant

br..@unlv.edu

Job Titles:

Business Development Advisor
Business Development Advisor / Location: City of North Las Vegas
Local Board Member of the National Speakers Association

Ms. Bryant has been a local board member of the National Speakers Association and the American Society of Training and Development. She has also earned the Minority Small Business Award from the Women's Chamber of Commerce of Nevada and was nominated for an SBA Minority Business Award. Brenda's undergraduate work was at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, with a major in Business Administration (Finance, Statistics, and Accounting). Her graduate work was at the University of San Francisco (USF), majoring in Human Resources and Organizational Development (the diagnosis and treatment of organizations).

Brian Bonnenfant

Job Titles:

Project Manager for the Center for Regional Studies
Project Manger Center for Regional Studies
Project Manger Center for Regional Studies / Location: Reno

Brian is the Project Manager for the Center for Regional Studies where he has conducted a wide variety of mapping and analyses at the University of Nevada, Reno since 1994. Brian specializes in spatial analyses including site selection, market area, feasibility, land use, industry, employment, sales demographic, residential, and economic impact studies using geographic information system (GIS) software. Brian's educational background includes a Master of Science degree in Geological Engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from California State University, Chico.

Carlos Gomez

Job Titles:

Business Development and Membership

Carlos Mejia Castillo

Job Titles:

Business Development Advisor
Business Development Advisor / Location: City of North Las Vegas

Carlos Mejia is a Business Development Advisor in the Las Vegas office. Carlos graduated from UNLV with his bachelor's of Science in Business Administration majoring in Economics. Carlos is a first generation college graduate, a dreamer (in every sense of the word) and is all about data & numbers which he hopes to use along with his economics background when helping clients.

Carmen Mendez

ca..@unlv.edu

Job Titles:

Business Development Advisor

Carmen comes with extensive management and business development experience across different industries, such as H&R Block, 7-Eleven Corporate and PepsiCo. In her tenure with these industries she has developed well-honed communication, interpersonal and relationship management skills. The value she brings is her leadership, understanding of managing a business, work ethic and a creative entrepreneurial spirit

Caroline McIntosh

cm..@unr.edu

Job Titles:

Rural Business Development Advisor
Rural Business Development Advisor / Location: Ely

Caroline is a White Pine County native and retired Nevada educator. Throughout her career in K-12 education, Caroline held positions including teacher, principal at Mt. High School at Ely State Prison, Nevada's only maximum-security institution, Assistant Superintendent of White Pine County School District, Superintendent of Lyon County School District, and Head of School at Nevada Virtual Academy. Caroline's passions include economic development and education. She enjoys serving as a community volunteer and member of various board and project teams. Caroline holds and Associate of Arts from Cottey College, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Master of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Catherine Francisco

ca..@unr.edu

Job Titles:

Business Development Advisor

Charae Parks

ch..@unr.edu

Job Titles:

Business Development Advisor
Business Development Advisor / Location: Las Vegas

Charae joined the SBDC in 2022 where she works as a Business Development Advisor at the Urban Chamber of Commerce in Las Vegas. Originally from Cincinnati, OH, she received her undergraduate degree from Ohio University where she studied Retail Fashion Product Development Management and Business. She is currently completing her Masters Degree at NKU. With a background in e-commerce, product management, graphic design, and marketing, she takes pride in helping others start their business. Charae started her first business in undergrad and enjoys learning about new businesses. She is proud mom and in her spare time enjoys traveling, working out, and planning events.

Chris Lynch

cl..@unr.edu

Job Titles:

Director of the Nevada Business Environmental
Director, Business Environmental Program
Director, Business Environmental Program / Location: Reno

Chris, Director of the Nevada Business Environmental Program (BEP), has been with the Nevada SBDC since 2010. Mr. Lynch and his consulting team provide assistance to hundreds of business owners and entrepreneurs annually on a broad range of issues including environmental regulatory compliance and permitting, environmental sustainability strategies, green business development, energy efficiency, clean transportation, and environmental energy project funding. Mr. Lynch provides assistance statewide out of BEP's offices in Reno. He was awarded his Juris Doctor and Master of Studies in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School and received his Bachelor's degree in Economics and Government from St. Lawrence University.

Danell Wilson-Perlman

Job Titles:

Owner

Donna Corey

dc..@unr.edu

Job Titles:

Assistant
Business Advisor
Executive Director
Business Development Advisor
Business Development Advisor / Location: Pahrump

Donna Corey is a Rural Business Advisor for SBDC and the Assistant Executive Director for SWCREDA. She has worked with businesses in rural Nevada since 2017. She owned an automotive repair shop, has been in construction, helped build a solar power plant, ran major festivals for her town and taught 2nd through 12th grade in a one room schoolhouse. Helping small rural towns develop has become a passion.

Duke Nishimura

dn..@unr.edu

Job Titles:

Business Development Advisor
Business Development Advisor / Location: Reno

Duke joined the Nevada SBDC in 2020 as a Consulting Director for the Black Rock Incubator and then as a Business Advisor in the University of Nevada, Reno office. Duke's experience includes serial entrepreneurship of 17 companies, business management, international business, and business consulting for 25 years to over 400 C-Suites in public, health system, biotech, government entities, and developing the High-G Force Loss of Consciousness Training Program for the US Air Force and Naval Air Force. He has been President/CEO of 7 international companies, 3 C-Corps, 1 S-Corps, 8 LLCs, 3 Sole Proprietorships, and managing partner of over 40 Joint Ventures with national and public companies in over 10 states and 3 countries. Duke has also served on 2 community boards for 10 and 2 years, a large healthcare system Leadership Board for 10 years, an international scientific review board for 11 years, and currently serves on 3 corporate boards and several entrepreneurship committees. Duke's specialties include innovative corporate strategies, strategic partnerships, M&A, developing and managing companies in the fields of industrial medicine, evidence-based healthcare, physical medicine and rehabilitation, healthcare management, biotechnologies, emerging technologies, business consulting, strategic planning, mental health app, and specialty foods. Duke earned a B.S. in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering from the US Military Academy at West Point, and an MBA with a focus in Entrepreneurship from Louisiana State University Shreveport (Summa cum laude), and Certifications/Faculty/Trainer in Venture Capital, Spine Care, LEAN, EMT, FEMA, and Professional Ski Patrol. His military experience includes serving as an Armor officer, helicopter pilot, and creating the industrial medicine program and school for 34,000 personnel. His life motto is, "When was the last time you did something for the first time in your life?" and his life outlook is that he has never met a stranger.