Meet Our Staff & Board

WSMA Staff

Lisa Smith

Executive Director

Lisa Smith is the Executive Director of the Washington State Microenterprise Association (WSMA) that provides technical assistance, grants and resource coordination support for microenterprise focused nonprofits.  She has been working to strengthen the smallest businesses in Washington for over 25 years through her collaboration with business, academic, policy, environmental, tribal and nonprofit partners. This experience has helped WSMA build the capacity of nonprofit partners who are assisting thousands of entrepreneurs every year to launch, grow and finance their small businesses. Her work and advocacy have helped hundreds of microenterprises launch and grow and many dozens scale up and blossom to become leaders in their communities and make significant contributions to their local business economies.

She has a special interest in the potential for microenterprise to boost Washington’s economy, especially through green enterprise, rural and tribal communities, and other marginalized populations.

Smith’s research and writing has appeared in Consumer Reports, Scholastic Magazine, and the American Journal of Public Health.

Lisa is inspired by the power of microenterprise development to build regenerative communities and economies. She is driven to engage partners to meaningfully serve BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color), rural, LGBTQ+ and veteran owned businesses, returning citizens, entrepreneurs with disabilities and other historically marginalized communities as catalysts for positive change throughout Washington.

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Catherine Borgeson

Grant Specialist

Catherine Borgeson is a Grant Specialist based in Olympia, with expertise in leveraging technology to address inequities. She has over a decade of experience in grantmaking, systems development, nonprofit, and government roles. Catherine emphasizes data, sustainability, equity, and innovation to help small businesses overcome ownership barriers. Catherine transitioned into grantmaking as a system administrator, supporting the shift from legacy to cloud systems for the State of California's civil legal aid grants for low-income people, veterans, seniors, people with disabilities, immigrants, and rural communities. Her work reflects a strong commitment to supporting legal aid and nonprofit sectors.

Catherine started her career in program work and business operations at the Long Now Foundation. This science-based nonprofit ignited her passion for large-scale environmental projects and highlighted the impact of technology in the digital age. The concept of the "Long Now" encourages individuals to shift their perspective, agency, and responsibility from the immediate "here" and short "now" to a broader "Big Here" and "Long Now." It promotes global thinking and long-term planning while emphasizing the importance of being good stewards of our civilization. 

Her education and training are in broadcast radio journalism, where she honed her storytelling skills. She DJed at KCPR, the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo radio station, where an extensive listenership included inmates at the California Men's Colony. She also helped produce pieces for two NPR-member radio stations, KCBX California Central Coast Public Radio, and for the show The California Report on KQED Bay Area Public Radio. Her background in media demonstrates her ability to connect and communicate effectively.

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Vanessa Marenco

Administrative Specialist

Vanessa Marenco joined the WSMA team as Administrative Specialist in December 2024. With a decade of experience progressing through administrative roles within higher education, she now provides essential support to WSMA’s work in microenterprise development. Though she has primarily worked within nonprofit and academic environments, Vanessa comes from a diverse range of industries including, but not limited to, food, hospitality, agriculture, arts, and national service through AmeriCorps NCCC. She is also a proud Greener and graduate of the Native Pathways Program.

Vanessa is committed to advocacy and creating safe environments that nurture courage, compassion, and connection within her communities. In addition to her professional development goals within administration, she plans to use her passion for writing and professional experience to eventually own and operate her own business. In the meantime, she remains steadfast in her efforts to learn, support, and grow within the vast ecosystem of microenterprise development, while ensuring WSMA advances in its mission toward economic justice and equal access to opportunity for every small business and entrepreneur in Washington.

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WSMA Board of Directors

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Sharonda Amamilo

Elected in 2021, Judge Amamilo is a seasoned leader with over 21 years of combined experience as a trial judge and former trial counsel, dedicated to strategic problem-solving in and out of the Courtroom. Decisive and accountable with advanced analytical skills, and the ability to translate financial data into informed decisions. She is committed to fostering an open,

inclusive, and results-driven work environment that empowers staff and promotes excellence. As a member of the Thurston County Superior Court, State of Washington, she is a respected advocate in legal and civilian communities, with a strong track record of developing resources that protect justice. She is adept at leading multi-disciplinary teams to solve complex problems and achieve impactful results. She currently serves as President of the Board for Washington State Microenterprise Association.

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Mitchell Acosta

Mitchell Acosta is a seasoned banking professional with over 14 years of experience specializing in financial services for micro-businesses. With a deep understanding of small business challenges and opportunities, he has dedicated his career to empowering entrepreneurs through tailored financial solutions, credit access, and strategic advisory support.

Throughout his tenure in the banking sector, Mitchell has worked closely with startups and microbusinesses, helping them navigate cash flow management, funding options, and sustainable growth strategies. His hands-on approach and commitment to financial inclusion have made him a trusted advisor in the small business community.

As a board member, Mitchell brings a unique perspective on economic development, risk management, and community-based lending. His expertise ensures that WSMA remains aligned with the needs of small enterprises while fostering innovation and financial resilience.

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W. Kwadwo Boateng

Kwadwo is a seasoned retired financial regulator with over 37 years of professional accomplishment in Federal and State financial regulation, covering consumer financial protection, fair lending, safety and soundness, risk management practices, and corporate governance. He held various positions throughout his career, including his final role as Senior Examination Manager with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Joining the Bureau in April 2011 as a CFPB Fellow (Senior Policy Advisor), he participated in the preparatory work involved in standing up the agency and played a major role in supervising large banks and non-bank institutions in the Bureau’s West Region, which spans from the Dakotas to Arizona and westward to Hawaii.

As Senior Policy Advisor during the Bureau’s formative phase, Kwadwo contributed to strategic decisions regarding the development of product line-focused examination procedures to ensure integration of depository and non-bank examinations. He was instrumental in designing and implementing procedures for conducting risk-based consumer protection examinations, including risk assessment, scoping, and setting priorities for both bank and non-bank institutions. He also prepared groundwork for protocols coordinating joint examinations with state regulators across the country. Prior to his federal service, Kwadwo served as Examination Chief and Program Manager with the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions, where he oversaw the examination and investigation of non-bank institutions such as mortgage lenders, money services businesses, and escrow agents.

Kwadwo’s expertise includes compliance issues involving both bank and non-bank institutions. He has collaborated with the IRS, HUD, FBI, U.S. Attorneys Office, and local law enforcement in enforcement actions in Washington State. He also served on several national committees recommending regulatory changes to rules and guidelines, including the Truth in Lending Act, Borrower Ability-to-Repay, and Multi-State Joint Examinations. Kwadwo received several Superior Achievement Awards from state and federal agencies, holds the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) designation, and is a graduate of the 1995 Federal Law Enforcement Training Center’s Fraud and Financial Institutions Training Program. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Finance from the University of Wisconsin, an MBA from Willamette University, a post-graduate certificate from the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking, and a Graduate Certificate in Leadership from the Wharton School. Kwadwo and his family live in Olympia.