Teresa is a veteran microenterprise practitioner with over 18 years of direct experience. A nationally recognized leader in her field, Teresa received Best Practice designation for her work with self-employment, social enterprise, industry and business incubator initiatives, providing counsel to organizations across the US and abroad. Teresa's program development activities have resulted in the creation of more than 450 new business ventures, 3000 new jobs and $110 Million for community investment, winning the National Champion of Veterans in Business award for her government contracting assistance programs in 2004. Her leadership and public policy work has resulted in effective legislation and collaborative partnerships with key state entities. Teresa holds a Masters in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University. She is a certified Economic Development Finance Professional and has extensive training in economic development and non-profit management. Teresa is a strong advocate for meeting the challenges of economic opportunity across industry, community and class.

 

A 10-year poverty reduction initiative of the Northwest Area Foundation, BuRSST promotes economic development initiatives as the primary approach to generating prosperity for low-income residents living in Burien, Renton, SeaTac, Skyway, and Tukwila, with microenterprise development being a strong emphasis in this work. Before coming to BuRSST, Diana spent 7 years working in the economic development and workforce field, as Policy Director and Vice President of Community Development for the Snohomish County Economic Development Council, and Director of the Materials and Process Development Center of Excellence, a partnership between Edmonds and Everett Community Colleges. During this time, Diana specialized in economic and workforce development policy and program development at the local and state level. Prior to her work in the Seattle area, Diana lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, Germany and the Republic of Slovakia where she began her career in building business and community partnerships with the purpose of serving the needs of families, youth, and children.

Mike moved from Ohio to Washington in 2005 and began work as Director of Community Services for the Tacoma Housing Authority (THA). There he provided program and strategic direction in educational, employment, asset building, and case management programs serving over 1,200 public housing and 3,500 Section 8 households. While serving at THA, he started the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, now the largest VITA in Pierce County; served as a steering committee member on the new Pierce County Asset Building Coalition; secured the first ever private foundation award for THA from the Washington Family Fund totaling $400,000 with a matching grant of $500,000 from the Gates Foundation. Before moving to WA he worked for 15 years as a social worker and director with the nationally recognized Cleveland Housing Network where he directed self-sufficiency programs for 2,000 households including employment programs for low to moderate income populations. He received his master degree in Social Service Administration from the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences/Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. He is currently a Vice President in KeyBank’s Community Development Bank where he is responsible for Community Reinvestment compliance in the state of WA for the bank. Mike has served on several boards throughout his career in both Ohio and WA. He currently serves on the board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound and the White Center Community Development Association.

Dave Heyamoto is the Business Development Manager for SNAP Financial Access in Spokane Washington. Dave provides technical business assistance and loan funding for SNAP microenterprise clients. He began his career in the private sector holding management positions in marketing, advertising, product development, and non-traditional business development. After 34 ½ years in the industry, he decided to take an early retirement and seek a second career that would be new, exciting, challenging and fulfilling. He found everything he wanted in the microenterprise field and has been with SNAP since early 2007. Dave is also a licensed professional civil engineer, a fact that his marketing friends find absolutely hilarious.

Maria DJ Garcia has more than ten years working with nonprofit organizations, including seven years assisting microentrepreneurs and microbusinesses through counseling and financing. Currently, she is the Loan Specialist and Loan Manager at Rural Community Development Resources. Maria has three years of experience in developing organization budgets and preparing/submitting grant proposals. She has served in other community organizations and boards. She has volunteered with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Yakima County to organize their annual cultural event as well as providing training for young ladies in leadership, public speaking and self growth.

Candi Jaeger is Director of The Prosperity Center, a division of Opportunities Industrialization Center of Washington. Candi has a background in Business, Insurance and Education. She spear-headed the development of The Prosperity Center and it's Microenterprise Development Organization (MDO). Ms. Jaeger is seasoned in asset development activities such as: MDO's, Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), Homebuyers Education, Credit Counseling, Budgeting, Money Management, "Starting Your Own Business" Workshops, Micro loan Funds, and facilitates a Business Mentor Program. Candi sits on the Board of Directors for the Washington State Microenterprise Association and is Vice-President of the Moses Lake Business Association.

Jim Keogh is the economic analyst in the policy division of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Prior to this position Jim had a 20 year career in the Economic Development Division of the state Department of Community Trade and Economic Development−with eight years as a managing director of Grants and Loans Services Unit and twelve years serving either as the Business Retention and Expansion specialist for the state or as manager of the Employer Ownership Program. Jim was one of the first in his department to gain certification as a Certified Economic Development Professional (IEDC) and he also holds a National Development Council certification as an Economic Development Finance Professional. Prior to joining CTED in 1987, Jim was a manager at Group Health Cooperative for seven years and worked in neighborhood development for five years.

Lisa Smith has worked as the Executive Director of Enterprise for Equity, a non-profit in Olympia, WA since 2000. Enterprise for Equity helps people with limited incomes start and sustain small businesses in the South Puget Sound region. This microenterprise development organization specializes in comprehensive business training, technical assistance, micro-loans, financial education workshops and seminars for entrepreneurs in Thurston, Mason, Lewis, Pacific and Grays Harbor Counties. Enterprise for Equity has launched an increasing number of successful green enterprises in the region. Lisa brings 17 years of experience working with business, academic, legislative, environmental, tribal and non-profit interests. In addition to her work accomplishments, Lisa has had her research and/or writing published in "Consumer Reports," "Scholastic Magazine," and the "American Journal of Public Health."

Jim is an economic developer with a background as a commercial loan officer. His 18-year banking career led him through several banks including Rainier National Bank, Security Pacific Bank, Emerald City Bank and Key Bank. In 1993, Jim and a business partner formed Parker & Thomas, Inc. a financial management and consulting firm managing loan funds for municipalities. In 1996, Jim began the research to establish Community Capital Development, which opened for business in August 1997 and has since exceeded all loan and job growth targets. Jim earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Business Administration from the University of Washington. He serves as an officer and member of the board for several community organizations. He believes strongly in business assistance tools for economic development that provide people with the opportunity to develop and grow their entrepreneurial skills and abilities.