Ben Tedore
Web Communications Specialist
Web Communications Specialist
Web Communications Specialist, has been with the Nevada SBDC since 2005. He works in Reno at the University of Nevada, Reno location. Mr. Tedore has specific experience with digital marketing, web development, social media, IT and graphic design. He previously
Kelli Kelly
Business Development Advisor
Business Development Advisor
Kelli Kelly has lived nine lives–she dabbled in higher education, ran away on a tallship, cooked on dive boats in the Bahamas, and ultimately earned a degree in the Culinary Arts. After moving to Fallon, Nevada, Kelli found her calling
Jamie Schwartz
UNLV Blackfire Innovation, Director of Industry and Business Engagement
UNLV Blackfire Innovation, Director of Industry and Business Engagement
Lead Business Advisor for the SBDC and Las Vegas native, Jamie Schwartz, works at our BlackFire Innovation location in Las Vegas. With a background in business consulting, valuation analysis, financial analysis, banking, commercial real estate and business sales and acquisitions
Sam Males
State Director
State Director
Director of the Nevada Small Business Development center, manages 14 statewide offices that provide a wide array of technical assistance to Nevada’s businesses. In 1985, Males wrote the original Nevada SBDC proposal to create the program within the College of
Brian Bonnenfant
Project Manger Center for Regional Studies
Project Manger Center for Regional Studies
Brian is the Project Manager for the Center for Regional Studies where he has conducted a wide variety of mapping and analyses at the University of Nevada, Reno since 1994. Brian specializes in spatial analyses including site selection, market area,
Chris Lynch
Director BEP
Director BEP
Chris, Director of the Nevada Business Environmental Program (BEP), has been with the Nevada SBDC since 2010. Mr. Lynch and his consulting team provide assistance to hundreds of business owners and entrepreneurs annually on a broad range of issues including
Jake Carrico
Business Development Advisor
Business Development Advisor
Jake, Business Development Advisor, has been with the Nevada SBDC since 2013. He works in the Reno office. Jake has experience in preparing financial projections and valuations for small businesses, conducting financial analyses, drafting and reviewing business plans, creating marketing
Karen Coe
Operations Coordinator
Operations Coordinator
Karen Coe, is the Operations Manager for the Nevada Small Business Development Center, and the Project Manager for Made in Nevada. She has been with the Nevada SBDC since 2014 and works in Reno at the University of Nevada,
Kayla Banda
Business Development Advisor
Business Development Advisor
Kayla Banda joined the Nevada SBDC as a Marketing Intern in the Spring of 2017. After graduating with a BS in Marketing and Entrepreneurship and an MBA, Kayla now works as a Business Development Advisor. She has specific experience with
Kathy Halbardier
Rural Business Advisor
Rural Business Advisor
Kathy Halbardier has over 25 years of experience in small business development as a highly successful entrepreneur as well as a sought-after advisor and trainer by those in all stages of business ownership. Her areas of expertise include business plan
Sara Beebe
Business Development Specialist
Business Development Specialist
Sara, Administrative Assistant for the Churchill Economic Development Authority has been with the SBDC since 2016 as an advisor in Fallon, NV. Sara has worked in retail/customer service, and marketing with social media platforms as well as other online services.
Winnie Dowling
Deputy State Director
Deputy State Director
Winnie, Deputy Director, has been with the Nevada SBDC since 1991. She works in Reno at the University of Nevada, Reno location. Ms. Dowling has an MBA and an undergraduate degree in Computer Information Systems. Ms. Dowling has specific experience
Sandra Rentas
Business Development Advisor
Business Development Advisor
Bio coming soon…
Rod Jorgensen
Senior Business Development Advisor
Senior Business Development Advisor
Rod is the Senior Business Development Advisor for the Nevada Small Business Development Center (Nevada SBDC), located in the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno. Rod has been the Senior Business Development Advisor since he arrived to
Caroline McIntosh
Rural Business Development Advisor
Rural Business Development Advisor
Caroline is a White Pine County native and retired Nevada educator. Throughout her career in K-12 education, Caroline held positions including teacher, principal at Mt. High School at Ely State Prison, Nevada’s only maximum-security institution, Assistant Superintendent of White Pine
Eric Florio
Air Quality Specialist
Air Quality Specialist
Eric Florio joined the BEP in January as our new Air Quality Specialist Business Advisor. Eric will work out
of BEP’s office in Reno and will provide air quality assistance statewide under our new contract with the
Nevada Division of
George Kleeb
Business Development Advisor
Business Development Advisor
Throughout my 28 year career in commercial banking, at the Nevada Small Business Development Center, and now teaching at Great Basin College, I love listening to business ideas. Business ideas need to be nurtured…so they can develop to their full
Carlos Mejia Castillo
Business Development Advisor
Business Development Advisor
Carlos Mejia is a new Business Development Advisor in the Las Vegas office. He has been with the SBDC for over a year first, as an intern and has now transitioned into a full time position. Carlos recently graduated from
Brad Scribner
Made in Nevada Associate Project Coordinator
Made in Nevada Associate Project Coordinator
Born and raised in Nevada, Brad graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno, in 2015 with a degree in Journalism. He is passionate about his work with small businesses, and loves nothing more than connecting, promoting, and supporting the entrepreneurs
Holland Wood
Business Development Advisor
Business Development Advisor
Holland Wood is a Small Business Advisor with the Nevada SBDC since 2020. His office is in the Blackfire Innovation Center, the first flagship tech hub in the 122-acre UNLV Harry Reid Research and Technology Park. During his 20+ year
Duke Nishimura
Business Development Advisor
Business Development Advisor
Duke joined the Nevada SBDC in 2020 as a Consulting Director for the Black Rock Incubator and then as a Business Advisor in the University of Nevada, Reno office. Duke’s experience includes business management, entrepreneurship, international business, and business consulting.
Lisa Tolliver
Training Coordinator
Training Coordinator
Lisa Tolliver grew up in Las Vegas, earned her B.S. in Business Management from the University of Nevada, and completed her M.Ed in Higher Education from UNLV in 2019. Prior to joining us, she has served as a Recruiter and
Albert Delgado
Business Development Advisor
Business Development Advisor
Albert Delgado is a Business Development Advisor at the BlackFire Innovation location in Las Vegas. He has been involved with many facets of consumer and business lending and provides a background in banking, credit, financial literacy, cash flow, financial reports,
Anabel Navarro
Business Development Advisor
Business Development Advisor
Small Business Advisor, has been with the Nevada SBDC since 2014. Her office locations are at the Las Vegas Urban Chamber of Commerce and at the Henderson Chamber of Commerce. Mrs. Navarro speaks Spanish-English and has expertise in Small Business