Mentors will meet with you virtually to help you define and analyze your needs and challenges and work with you to develop solutions.
Below is an evolving and growing list of our BEA Mentors. Please read below for more information and contact bea@blackconnect.org with questions. If you would like to volunteer as a mentor, please complete the enrollment form. If you need legal advice or legal assistance please visit our Small Business Legal Services Program.
Note: The BEA Program is open to Entrepreneur, Small Business, or College Student members of Black Connect. If you are not a member, you may join at blackconnect.org/join
Meet Our Mentors!
The BEA is fueled by a team of entrepreneurs, business owners, professionals and executives from around the world with rich and wide ranging business backgrounds and areas of expertise. Our mentors volunteer their time to share their knowledge and experiences with the aim of helping Black Connect members minimize risks, avoid mistakes, and build sustainable businesses.
Elleni is a former business owner with over 15 years of marketing and strategy experience with expertise that spans several industries for both large global companies and start-up entrepreneurial ventures. Ellani holds a MBA from Bentley University.
Leonides is a Product Development and Design Leader with global ecommerce and retail experience with a proven track record in the fashion business. Accomplished brand builder with speed-to-market expertise, capable of analyzing runway, market trends, customer research data and competition in order to deliver a customercentric approach to fashion design.
Karan has 10+ years of experience in Enterprise Technology Sales, Strategy, and Marketing and would love to help Tech or Non-Tech startups.
Kelly has a bachelor’s degree in math and computer science and he has 30+ years experience in information technology. He enjoys sharing his experiences to empower small businesses.
Darren is a software engineer with 14 years of professional experience. He is available to provide technical assistance to internet businesses
Alan Gehami has over 30 years of sales and business development experience working with both early-stage startups and established market leaders. Alan specializes in helping entrepreneurs strategically analyze their market dynamics, how well their solution fits the market, and how to differentiate themselves against competitors for sustainable profitable outcomes.
Delvin has two decades of experience working in sales and marketing, and helping re-structure businesses for profitability through partnering organizations with resources to take the next step in their evolutionary process.
Nicole has a MBA and she is an innovative, collaborative and process driven Senior Program Manager. She has expertise in business operations and project/program management, organizational change management, IT management, and business process improvement. Nicole also has consulting experience and she welcomes the opportunity to support Black Connect members with:
• developing a strategy or plan to accomplish a business goal
• streamlining your operation, to help you scale
• optimizing your operational processes
• mobilizing your team around a goal via organizational change management best practice
Krysteena is a Human Resources Professional with a passion and commitment to engaging employees to accomplish organizational strategic goals. My areas of expertise and experience include Employee Relations, Recruitment and Stang, Training and Development, Compliance, and Benet Administration. Krysteena has a bachelor’s degree in business management with a concentration in human resources and she is SHRM-CP certified.
Kiritu is the owner of retail-luxury nail salons and he has a master’s degree in education.
AVAILABLE TO HELP LAUNCH OR GROW A BUSINESS
Renato is both an attorney and an entrepreneur. He is a partner at Barclay Damon LLP, where he practices in the IP and corporate areas of the law, assisting clients with contracts, licensing, complex business transactions, IP strategies, patent and copyright applications, and dispute resolution. As a registered patent attorney with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering, Renato has represented innovators in the areas of software, hardware and electronics in a wide array of industries. Renato has a passion for helping in the launch of startups and new technologies. In addition, Renato is a serial entrepreneur and inventor named on multiple patents.
Scott has over 30 years of experience in Enterprise Software Sales and Leadership. He joined ServiceNow in 2009 and initiated the Sales Development Department. In his current role, Scott is responsible for Operations and Enablement for the Global Demand Center. Before joining ServiceNow, Scott was the Vice President of Sales at Active Network, a Sports Technology software company. He has also held Sales Leadership positions with Kronos, Profit 21 Systems, Hyperion Solutions (Oracle) and GERS Retails Systems. Scott earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Kim is a results-driven tech marketing and operational leader with demonstrated success and a solid reputation for driving actionable, measurable programs that grow customers and revenue. Kim has domestic and international experience in strategy, planning, general management and all areas of marketing.
Peter is a highly motivated business and strategic planner with a proven track record of quantifiable results in the field of sales, marketing, merchandising, on premise promotions, and global account development. Peter has a dual MBA in Marketing and International Business for Marketing with over twenty five years’ experience in strategic marketing, sales development, sales training, logistic training, event planning, procurement development, implementation management and entrepreneurial business development to increase revenue and profitability.
Philiph has owned and operated and operated 3 companies, two of which are currently in operation MVP Services and M. Godoi Official. He has extensive experience in building and managing teams, operations and strategic growth. Philip has more than 12 years of experience with leading and building business strategy for his own businesses, and 3 years working at booking.com helping to develop regional strategy.
Andrew has a Bachelor’s of Science Degree from Boston College and works as a Software Engineer at Adobe. He has experience with helping start-ups expand their technological capabilities.
Jason currently is an assurance manager at Ernst & Young in the LA office. He's had experience working in various industries including technology, entertainment, airlines, and CPG. He also previously worked at a start-up in the LA area and has experience growing a business from the financial side. Jason graduated from the University of Notre Dame with an accounting degree.
Amanda manages a group of technical procedure writers at one of the top 5 banks in the United States. She can mentor in English or writing, training, procedures, process improvement, problem solving, and networking.
Shannon has a MBA with a focus in Product Management and Entrepreneurship from Boston University. She is a start-up founder and a mentor for MIT’s global entrepreneurship program where executive leaders come from all around the world for one week to build startups.
With 30 years managing proposals, Sherry is a CF-APMP certified, Federal Capture and Proposal Manager with 15 years proven track record of winning quarter billion-sized Federal Government awards. She is the owner of Zaguirre Gov, a management consulting firm. Sherry’s most successful venture was as founder and CEO of STI from 2004 to 2011, in which she received a nomination as one the "Top 100 Most Influential People in Defense" in San Diego, California.