AWBC BOARD
Amy Bunton
Chair
Pathway Women’s Business Center
Nashville, TN
In March 2008, Amy Bunton joined Pathway Lending and currently serves as President of the newly created Pathway Women’s Business Center. While at Pathway Lending, Amy created and launched the $50 million Tennessee Energy Efficiency Loan Program and oversaw the execution of the Tennessee Energy Education Initiative which educated more than 2,500 individuals and companies on the benefits of sustainability and energy management practices.
Amy has extensive experience in working with entrepreneurs and has owned several businesses including a furniture manufacturing company whose most recognized piece was the button tufted “Chesterfield” sofa. Many of the distinctively styled pieces can still be seen on movie and television sets today even 20 years later.
Ann Madsen
Vice Chair, Advocacy Chair
Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women
Tampa, FL
Ann W. Madsen is the Executive Director of The Helen Gordon Davis Center for Women in Tampa, Fl., a nonprofit whose mission is to help women succeed personally and professionally. The Center operates six distinct programs, including the only SBA-designated Women’s Business Centre (WBC) on the West Coast of Florida. Madsen, who is an experienced entrepreneur (she founded two firms), launched the Women’s Business Centre in 2013 and secured funding from the Office of Women’s Business Ownership the following year to make the national resources of the SBA available to aspiring and nascent female entrepreneurs. Ann is a former journalist whose professional experience extends across corporate, academic and nonprofit sectors.
Nicole Liatos
Vice Chair, Membership Chair
WBC of Northern Ohio
Cleveland, OH
In 2018, Nicole was announced the Director of the Women’s Business Center of Northern Ohio. Nicole’s responsibilities include implementing new WBC entrepreneurship curriculum and programming, one-on-one coaching, organizing and leading training and workshops, and managing the day-to-day operations. Nicole cultivates relationships within the community and works to ensure the WBC executes on its goals to level the playing field for women entrepreneurs, who still face unique obstacles in the world of business today by providing the much-needed support system, coaching, and fundamentals. As an entrepreneurial-minded individual, Nicole brings a vast knowledge of business strategy. She has worked across a range of industries to deliver programs that aligned with the organization’s strategic vision.
Jessie Yankee
Board Member
Missouri Women’s Business Center
Columbia, MO
Jessie Yankee is the Director of the Missouri Women’s Business Center, a program of Central Missouri Community Action. The MoWBC is dedicated to providing small business development assistance to aspiring women, with a focus on low-to-moderate income and minority entrepreneurs. The MoWBC is also a partner on the ASPIRE MO project, an entrepreneurial course offered to incarcerated women. Prior to her role at the MoWBC, Jessie owned and operated a successful and award-winning small business providing commercial IT services, which was sold in 2017. She also previously worked for the Small Business Development Centers as a Research Analyst. Jessie holds an MBA from William Woods University, and received her B.S. in Business Management from the University of Missouri. Jessie is an active member of the Columbia community, serving in various Chamber of Commerce roles and as a member of the Boone County Historical Society Board of Directors. Jessie is a mother of 2 and enjoys many hobbies such as teaching group fitness and biking the local trails.
Roberta McCullough
Vice Chair, Governance Chair
National Institute of Minority Economic Development
Durham, NC
Roberta McCullough serves as Senior Vice President of Operations for Institute Capital, a CDFI program for the National Institute of Minority Economic Development. She leads her team to provide investment capital for affordable housing developers, small businesses, and community-based organizations. Additionally, encouraging HBCU collaboration by training, educating, and funding its future entrepreneurs in their student bodies. McCullough has continually served the economic development industry for over 30 years to alleviate systemic economic injustices. She holds a BS in Mathematics from Shaw University.
Diane Bevan
Vice Chair, Fund Development Chair
Idaho Women’s Business Center
Boise, ID
Diane Bevan serves as the Executive Director of the Idaho Women’s Business Center and CEO of the Idaho Hispanic Foundation. Diane has built her career on making connections and building business. She started her first business in high school designing and sewing prom dresses and has been an ongoing entrepreneur in some capacity. With a Communications / Public Relations background, she has used her combined skills to create multiple businesses in 4 states . As the first CEO of the Idaho Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 2017, her mission was to bridge cultures and communities. In 2018, she founded the Idaho Hispanic Foundation,(501c3) and remains its CEO. In 2019, she was awarded the Women Business Center grant from the SBA and now serves as the Executive Director bringing education, training and business development to women across Idaho. She is Board member for the Idaho Foodbank and Valley Regional Transit. She is a 2019 and 2020 Idaho Business Review top 50 Women of the Year. She is in her 4th year as a Commissioner for Meridian Development Corporation Urban Renewal Agency.
Gwen Pokalo
Vice Chair, Capacity Building Chair
Center for Women & Enterprise
Burlington, VT
Gwen Pokalo joined CWE’s exciting tradition of developing & delivering high quality programming and technical assistance to women in business. She holds an MS in Community Development & Economic Development from the University of Vermont, where she developed a microbusiness incubator to assist emerging Vermont value-added-food and artisan entrepreneurs through a retail store and academic technical assistance model. Most recently, Gwen worked as Director of the Women’s Small Business Program and was awarded Vermont Business Magazine’s Rising Start Award. While there, she further developed the 25-year-old organization to expand offerings in business planning, personal finance, and networking.
She is delighted to have opened and currently direct the Center for Women and Enterprise Vermont.
Anne Flynn Schlicht
Treasurer
Center for Women's Entrepreneurship at Chatham University
Pittsburgh, PA
Anne Flynn Schlicht joined the Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Chatham University (CWE) in 2006. Anne received her Masters of Business Studies in Entrepreneurship from the University of Limerick, Ireland and a Best Practice in Teaching Entrepreneurship Certificate from the University of Cambridge, UK. Anne is a professor of entrepreneurship at the Center for Entrepreneurship Studies at the University of Limerick, Ireland, a certified Kauffman FastTrac Facilitator and as a business consultant, Anne has presented at seminars and conferences internationally. In 2016, Chatham University was awarded a Women Business Center (WBC) grant by the SBA and Anne was appointed as Director of Chatham’s Women Business Center (CWBC). In 2018 CWBC was awarded the National Women’s Business Center of the year.
Klassi Duncan
Secretary
Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
New Orleans, LA
Klassi R. Duncan currently serves as Vice President of the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (CEI) at the Urban League of Louisiana based in New Orleans, LA. CEI operations include: the Women’s Business Resource Center, the Contractor’s Resource Center, and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development DBE Supportive Services Program. The CEI provides small business education, counseling services, and access to resources to women and minority entrepreneurs across Southeast Louisiana. Under her leadership, the Women’s Business Resource Center was awarded the 2019 Region VI Women’s Center of Excellence Award and the 2017 Women’s Business Champion Award by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Louisiana District Office for their work in promoting and developing women-owned businesses across the region. Prior to joining the Urban League of Louisiana, Klassi served as the Director of Business Support & Evaluation for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Delgado Community College, New Orleans, La.
Kristin M. Andreski
Board Member
ADP Retirement Services
USA
Kristin Andreski is Corporate Officer and Senior Vice President of ADP Retirement Services a marketplace leader in designing retirement plan solutions for clients. She began her journey with ADP more than 20 years ago traveling a diverse path spanning multiple roles across the firm. As the head ADP’s retirement business, Kristin has responsibility for more than 90,000 client relationships from small businesses to national-sized employers, and 2.1 million plan participants. In 2012, Kristin brought her passion for people development to the Major Accounts Division and ADP’s core business of Payroll and Human Capital Management services. In 2017, she returned to Retirement Services where she has made significant contributions to grow and transform this strategic business. Kristin is an advocate for helping women and girls develop into strong leaders – from the playground to executive leadership. She served actively on ADP’s board for the Executive Women’s Resource Group, whose mission is to create opportunities, awareness, and exposure for females in senior leadership. She is also on the board of advisors for Catalyst.
Deidre Hillman
Board Member
Women’s Business Center North Dakota
Bismarck, ND
Deidre joined the NDWBC in 2014. She is motivated and inspired when meeting new people. She enjoys conducting training on a variety of business related topics. Her years of experience in Human Resources, Compliance and Safety bring a unique perspective to the team. A devotion to community development is a priority for her. She’s an active volunteer with the Make-A-Wish foundation, a Board member of the Dakota Zoo in Bismarck and a proud founder of the Bismarck Mandan Power of 100. Deidre earned a B.A. in Business Administration and Masters in Business Administration, both from University of Mary. She is a certified Coach and Trainer of the John Maxwell Company.
Rana Shanawani
Board Member
Women’s Center for Entrepreneurship Corp.
Chatham, NJ
Rana Shanawani is the Executive Director for the Women’s Center for Entrepreneurship Corp. in Chatham, NJ (WCEC). Before working at the WCEC, she was a non-profit consultant helping international organizations in strategic management. In 2004, after working as a UN consultant for several years, she served as the CEO of BIDAYA, a chapter of the Prince’s Youth Business International in Syria. BIDAYA’s main objective was to provide under-served entrepreneurs with training, micro-loans, and mentoring. During her tenure there she received the Takreem Achievement Award for Best Young Entrepreneur and was selected to meet with President Barack Obama and Secretary Clinton at the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship. Ms. Shanawani has received her Masters in Public Health from Johns Hopkins, and her Bachelors in biology from Cornell University. “I look at entrepreneurship, and all development work, through a health and human rights lens. When socioeconomic human rights are secured for entrepreneurs, it cascades into public health improvement for all.”