VTSBDC - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Preservation Trust of Vermont
Debra has been a VtSBDC Business Advisor since 2010. She has an extensive background in both large and small business and the non-profit arena; with experience in marketing, operations management, financial forecasting, and consulting with small business owners to create efficient and profitable businesses. A skill set she did not want but has gained is Disaster Recovery after advising her clients in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene.
She has always had a creative focus to her career; owning and operating three custom framing and art stores, working in publishing, at creative design firms, and with an educational video production company. Debra is a craftsperson whose work has appeared in various galleries and juried art shows in New England. She has a BA in Education and continues to teach craft and writing courses.
Job Titles:
- Business Advisor / Part - Time Business Advisor
Heidi got an Associates in Animal Science from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture in 1977, and a Bachelors of Science Recreation Management and Regional Planning University of Massachusetts in 1981. Heidi has held employment with state, federal, and municipal agencies including being a coordinator of community development, parks and recreation management. Heidi has also been involved in nonprofit management as an executive director, business manager and founding Board member. She was also a co-founder and owner of retail and tourism based recreation business named Umiak Outfitters in Stowe, VT. Heidi started with the VtSBDC as an advisor for the Vermont Food Venture Center of the Center for Agricultural Economy from 2010-14, and now is a regional advisor in the Northeast Kingdom since 2015. Heidi's specialty is value-added food production, tourism and organizational development including staffing and supervision.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Director / Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
Job Titles:
- Commissioner
- Member of the Advisory Board
Laurel has over thirty years of professional business and education experience. A certified hotel administrator (CHA), she spent many years in the hospitality/tourism industry in key operational, general management, marketing, and training and franchise development positions. In addition to working for independent and large hotel chains she has also owned and operated her own small hospitality businesses as well as a consulting business. Laurel also taught for several years in secondary and postsecondary education -business, entrepreneurship, personal and business finance, hospitality/tourism and assisted students in service learning, co-operative education and internship programs. In her full time dual capacity role with both the VtSBDC as a Business Advisor/Student Entrepreneurship Specialist and Vermont Tech's Gender Equity/STEM & Experiential Outreach Manager she brings her passion for assisting others in their entrepreneurial and educational pathway pursuits. Laurel has a degree in Business Management/Administration, is certified in secondary education, serves and has served on many civic/community, regional and national boards.
As the State Director, Linda Rossi leads a dedicated advising team at Vermont Small Business Development Center (VtSBDC) and just concluded six years on the national America's SBDC board of directors, the last two as Chair. Linda serves on the America's SBDC Accreditation committee traveling around the U.S. visiting other programs and is a board member of the Vermont Employee Ownership Center (VEOC). Prior to joining the SBDC, Linda spent 20 years in the private sector as a national project manager for IBM, business manager for 4 start-up and growing small businesses, as an Adjunct Faculty member in higher education and the Treasurer and founding board member of a non-profit organization. In addition to a degree in business management, marketing, and psychology, she holds certifications in leadership, project management, entrepreneurship education, and workforce development; and received recognition for her efforts in disaster recovery with the SBA Phoenix Award. She settled in Vermont with her husband in 1995 where they enjoyed raising two daughters and being active in their local community.
Nancy has many years of corporate and entrepreneurial experience in marketing, technology, and business development. Beginning her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Boston, to managing a business, and then to outsourcing her marketing and general business advising services. Accomplished at client relationships, communicating business issues, helping small businesses grow, and connecting people with resources. Nancy was a SCORE business mentor for over 10 years, and has a Master's Degree in Managing Innovation & Information Technology and a Bachelor's Degree in Business.
Job Titles:
- LEDC Executive Director and Secretary / Lamoille Economic Development Corporation
Job Titles:
- Marketing & Communications Specialist / Marketing Co - Advisor
Rick brings years of experience in project management, data analytics, and technology to VtSBDC. As an innovative thinker and complex problem solver, Rick enjoys working with clients to find effective solutions to keep them moving forward.
During his diverse career, Rick has served in a consulting role with many businesses, large and small, and from many industries. He has designed and implemented systems to improve efficiency, and to help businesses be more profitable. As a Northeast Kingdom native, he is very familiar with the region and the specific challenges businesses face in the NEK communities.
In his off hours, Rick enjoys several hobbies which include home automation, electronics and astrophotography.
Sarah comes to VtSBDC with two decades of experience working in both large companies and start-ups. Prior to moving to Vermont in 2006, Sarah worked in the Boston area for Converse, Inc., focusing on business development in Latin America. After her time at Converse, she worked for a series of start-up companies primarily on the strategy and business development of consumer products. During that time, she also completed her M.B.A. at Babson College. Sarah lives in Middlebury with her husband David, and her two teenagers, Devon and Amanda. You can generally find Sarah at all different types of arts events…or at the hockey rink (watching, not playing)! Sarah speaks Spanish and has advanced proficiency in French.
Scott Holson is the Innovation & Commercialization Advisor for VtSBDC who helps entrepreneurs and companies plan for successful commercialization of their innovative ideas or products. Scott's work covers many aspects of a product development pathway and is focused helping entrepreneurs see and understand undeveloped aspects of their project that have the potential to jeopardize and/or increase the expense and timeline of the project. His career has spanned from medical device development, manufacturing in consumer goods, business ownership in the automotive field and food products, retail in food and household goods, sales of computer hardware and software, consulting on government contracting, research and development funding options and commercialization. Scott volunteers his time as the co-director at the Horizons Observatory where they integrate learning about astronomy and their curriculum. Scott enjoys the outdoors hiking, skiing, snowshoeing and for fun he can be found flying his remote-control airplanes and helicopters.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Statewide Business Advisor, Strategic Projects
Sergio Alvares is a statewide advisor who works with small business owners on ownership transition, financial preparedness, and technology/cybersecurity. His expertise helps clients optimize their time and money, reduce business risks, and make sound business decisions.
Prior to joining VtSBDC, Sergio was a senior associate at JPMorgan Chase & Co. where he led a global project team from finance, technology, and operations to automate financial processes.
A veteran of another Small Business Development Center, he has also served as a finance/technology business analyst and advisor at Delaware's SBDC.
Interesting professional experiences include co-founding and building a fully remote multilingual/multicultural communication organization from the ground up in Switzerland. He has also developed and taught a graduate course at the University of Delaware Business School on Current Issues and Emerging Technologies focused on financial technology.
Sergio is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, and Italian. He has lived and worked in Europe and Latin America. During his off hours, Sergio enjoys playing the cello and hiking in the Green Mountains.
Job Titles:
- Business Advisor
- Business Advisor for Northwestern Vermont
Steve is the Business Advisor for Northwestern Vermont (Chittenden County) and Hospitality Industry Specialist statewide. He attended the University of Denver earning a BSBA in Hotel & Restaurant Management and MA Economics; served as a USMC combat officer in the Vietnam era. An entrepreneur at heart, Steve developed, owned and operated many successful businesses across the hospitality, wholesale meat & seafood, travel, recreation and fulfillment industries. Steve has been a speaker on several regional and national stages, sharing his entrepreneurial stories and experiences with both start-up, existing businesses.