U S SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Online Business Presence & Marketing
- Professional Brand Developer
Ashly McHatton is a cutting edge Professional Brand Developer and Business Brander for companies and other businesses nationally. She delivers full scan brand development across all media - visual, digital and social. She creates powerful brand identities applying a combined framework of platinum development standards used by Disney, Jeep, Starbucks, Clark Bar, REI and other leading global brands. With detailed analysis, she takes business visions to iconic branding and innovative, award-winning marketing reality.
Job Titles:
- Business Development and Startups
Colette George is a self-proclaimed chronic entrepreneur. Over the course of her 37 year career she has owned 6 businesses, most of which were under the parent company of Plexus Pacific Industries. Companies included: Aerostat (hot air balloon rides in wine country); Graphic Service (servicing industrial equipment); TRUPAK® (manufacturing industrial test equipment); Ecowood Displays (recycling used lumber into retail display systems); B*Green Hangers (Ecofriendly bamboo clothing hangers); Vintage Home Care (home care company serving the elderly). With TRUPAK®, Ecowood Displays, and B*Green Hangers, she achieved successful branding and distribution on a national and international level. With Vintage Home Care she developed a thriving business with a Latina partner who successfully bought Colette out and became a fully owned minority business. She is currently retired and renovating a house at the Delaware shore with her husband and lifelong business partner, Don. JEDI has convinced her to step in and share her experience with challenges that resulted from the economic crash in 2008. Her favorite word is "Onward!"
Colleen assists the JEDI staff on various projects. She enjoys the rich diversity of the entrepreneurs and business owners that come to JEDI and the WBC for services and professional development.
Di Strachan, adventurer and owner of the award-winning leadership and development firm, Positive Futures. Di provides community economic development services, executive coach and trainer, and is a community change innovator and motivational speaker. She has worked with hundreds of leaders, rural small business owners, non-profit directors and managers, city, state, and national governments along with resource agency leaders to help them thrive in their personal and professional lives. Di was the founding executive director of a rural non-profit that received the "Governor's Award for Environmental and Economic Leadership in the area of Innovation for the State of California". Another business project of Di's recently won the "Visit California Public Relations Poppy Award for Commitment to Community". She has written and generated over 1,500 travel and news stories for her clients with some story angles winning state and national media awards.
Job Titles:
- Online Marketing Assistant
- Social Media Administrator and Consultant
Isabelle Sullivan-Moore has been a social media administrator and consultant in the Pacific Northwest since 2012. Over the past 7 years, she has served 60+ small business and non-profits with social media management, content creation, graphic design, eNewsletter creation, member growth, and social ad campaigns.
Not only is Jenny Payton the voice of the WBC and JEDI on the phone, she's the customer service and marketing manager. Jenny manages the computer lab, scheduling, program, and marketing support. She is also a former small business owner.
I enjoy the enthusiasm of new and existing clients for their business or business idea. Assisting them on the path to getting started and overcoming the frustrations of lack of knowledge or a skill necessary to create a successful business is rewarding. When not at JEDI, I'm often gardening, walking with my dog, bird watching or reading. Depending on the season I also enjoy kayaking and visiting the lake and mountain.
Job Titles:
- Technology and Database Manager
Jim Wood is our Technology and Database Manager. Jim helps JEDI and its clients put technology to work for them. He is also responsible for our extensive reporting systems including VistaShare Outcome Tracker, NeoSerra and EDMIS. He is a musician and a small business owner.
Job Titles:
- Digital Business Marketing & Websites
- Founder of Marketing Understood
Kate is the Founder of Marketing Understood and helps overwhelmed business owners find the focus, clarity, and direction needed to build strong businesses. She provides step by step implementation and strategy to demystify the secrets to digital marketing and building online businesses.
She does this with courses, private group coaching, books, speeches, business advisory and personal coaching.
With 20+ years of hands-on marketing experience she can assist with funnel building & strategy, website development, email marketing, list building, blogging, membership and group coaching program development, affiliate marketing and general marketing.
She holds certifications in email marketing, marketing automation, SEO, Facebook advertising, media buying, and social media.
Lisa McCormack has over thirty years as an HR practitioner and leader. She works with small businesses to make HR "manageable" by providing practical solutions to everyday and complex people challenges.
Lisa's strength lies in forging strong relationships with clients. Working for highly successful organizations such as Intel Corporation and numerous venture-backed start-ups has resulted in a pragmatic approach to problem solving and conflict resolution, which produces practical solutions and effective results.
Lisa has a Bachelor's degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from San Jose State University, is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and resides on the Mendocino Coast.
Job Titles:
- Founder of JEDI
- JEDI Executive Director
As a founder of JEDI, Nancy is profoundly committed to developing prosperity for all. She currently manages the JEDI team, develops programs and funding streams, and ensures regulatory compliance. She has built the organization to be responsive to community needs, meet its promises, and perform at a level that gains it the respect of its peers. Ms. Swift helped design the Women's Business Center at JEDI. Nancy is a former small business owner.
Job Titles:
- Advisor and Owner of the Boutique Bookkeeping Firm, Arius Bookkeeping
- Quickbooks Specialist & Consultant
Natalie Ortiz is a Quickbooks Online Certified Pro Advisor and owner of the boutique bookkeeping firm, Arius Bookkeeping. She holds associate degrees in Accounting and Business Administration. Natalie is passionate about helping fellow small business owners understand and maintain accurate financial records. She lives in Mount Shasta with her family, where she enjoys gardening, swimming, and playing the ukulele.
Job Titles:
- Business Development Consultant & Loan Specialist
With over 15 years of experience in business planning and development, and a business owner herself, Nina is looking forward to applying her extensive knowledge to guide entrepreneurs and business owners through the process of planning, starting, and expanding their business visions. Based in Redding, Nina provides our clients with access to a wide network of funding resources and assists clients in producing formal business plans and financial projections for loan and grant applications. Nina obtained her Master's Degree from the School of Global Policy & Strategy at UC San Diego and is fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian.
Job Titles:
- Business Development Specialist
Paj Kane is a business development specialist, a certified tax preparer and a Certified Enrollment Counselor for Covered California (health insurance). Since 2002, she has helped small businesses with their bookkeeping systems, payroll, taxes, cash flow, business plans and loan applications. She also manages JEDI's free VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) tax preparation site. Paj was the owner of the former and famous Pasta Shop in Mt. Shasta. Has 13 years' experience as a small business owner, 15 years' experience as a Business Counselor specializing in bookkeeping systems, business plans for loans, individual taxes, and general business startup.
Job Titles:
- Prosperity Asset Building Manager and WBC Consultant
Renee Getreu is one of the founders of JEDI, and has benefited clients as the instructor of the financial awareness class Making Your Money Work For You for over 10 years. She also manages the matching-savings and an asset-building program called Prosperity Asset Building (PAB). An entrepreneur herself, she has lived in Siskiyou County since 1982. What inspires me most about working with JEDI are the courageous people who work with JEDI, both staff and clients working to develop strong business and financial skills so we can help our communities thrive and remain locally self-determined.
Job Titles:
- Director of Women 's Business Center
Trisha Funk has 18 years experience as an entrepreneur in various industries but her small business background goes well beyond that; She grew up in the family business working alongside her father and grandmother. She spent ten years as a registered rep and insurance agent before turning her financial business into a consulting and coaching practice that also focused on financial literacy education. From 2002 until 2017 she also played a cornerstone role in the family used car, truck and RV dealership. In 2016 she founded Pennies On Purpose, Youth Financial Literacy Non-Profit where she is passionate about ensuring that our youth in the public school system gain the skills and knowledge to make positive financial decisions for their future.