Greetings!

I am a people connector and a problem solver - a strategic thinker adept at building authentic relationships by balancing critical thinking and creativity. It doesn't hurt that I'm able to leap tall buildings in a single bound while maintaining my sense of humor. I’m passionate about creating a more equitable and just world, and I work towards that goal by supporting entrepreneurship as a tool for community and economic development while advocating for change in our systems and institutions. 

 
Currently I am the Director of Temple University’s Small Business Development Center(SBDC). Housed at the University’s Fox School of Business, the SBDC serves the greater Philadelphia region, with a mission to help businesses start, grow, and prosper. Our no-cost services include one-on-one business consulting to pre-venture, start-up and existing businesses; workshops and business courses; and a legal clinic in partnership with expertise from the Beasley School of Law at Temple University. In 2020 and 2021 we received additional awards from the SBA and EDA which allowed us to grow our team and offer amazing additional services in eCommerce and digital transformation. I’m always learning, always working to make things better, and always trying to connect resources, talent, and need.

I'm working towards my PhD in political science at Temple University, sparked by an interest in the intersection of political and economic systems, the barriers to participation and finding actionable solutions to empower traditionally disenfranchised populations and amplify voices that often go unheard by policy-makers.

I earned my MS in Organization Development (with a focus on ethical leadership development) from Saint Joseph’s University, where I also completed an ICF-certified coaching leadership program. I attained an MFA from The Ohio State University, and a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. In my first career, I was a glassblower and I used to have a glass studio and gallery in Old City, Philadelphia. A little added trivia: I went to high school with Jada Pinkett (Smith) and Tupac Shakur at Baltimore School for the Arts. Fun times!