West Center Team

Sandra Beaton

Sandra is a visionary, bilingual (Spanish-English) leader with deep roots in entrepreneurship and small business. She founded Beaton Global Connections, a values-based consulting firm, and grew up working in her family’s business near Chicago, now thriving for 47 years. Sandra excels across industries, bringing innovative approaches to growth. Her expertise spans marketing, business development, strategic partnerships, sustainability, and capital advising—including funding strategy and access to capital. “On the Beaton Path,” she walks beside clients with passion and purpose to achieve their goals.

Paul Bozzo

Rachel Clark

Rachel Clark is a business advisor and founder of Synergy Business Coaching. For more than two decades, she has helped entrepreneurs transform vision into a durable operating rhythm—clarifying strategy, installing systems, and developing leadership so businesses can scale without burning out their people. In addition to 1:1 advising, Rachel serves as a lead trainer, delivering webinars on various business topics. Rachel’s north star is: build a business that serves the life you want, and make sure your numbers, systems, and culture support that future.

Al Gohary

Al brings 16 years of SBDC experience to his new position with the Norcal SBDC Network. Prior to starting with the SBDC system, Al started his career in the Hospitality Industry and in few years became an assistant manager for a Marriott Hotel. Al then was a part of starting and growing two Inland Empire small business companies; one of which went public in 2000.

Al Joined the OC/IE SBDC Network as a Business Advisor in 2003, spent over 16 years guiding businesses to success. Al achieved yearly awards for helping his clients with business starts, capital injection, jobs created & retained, along with the ASBDC State Star Award in 2016. He is an expert in Entrepreneurship, Business Administration, Starting and Growing a business, Hotels & Motels Management, Residential Real Estate Investing, Financing, QuickBooks, and Accounting.

As a Real Estate and Small Business entrepreneur, AI understands the business owners’ day-in and day-out challenges.

Al is passionate about working with teams to help and support the small business community and providing valuable resources & guidance to help businesses start, grow, and stay in business.

Clarissa Hernlund

With 15 years of experience supporting entrepreneurs and business leaders, Clarissa specializes in helping organizations strengthen their people operations and build effective, high-performing teams. She focuses on practical HR strategies—such as talent development, organizational structure, and workplace culture—that enable businesses to grow sustainably and adapt with confidence. Beyond HR, she also advise on strategy, operations, and overall business development to ensure clients receive comprehensive, well-rounded support.

Baqi Kopelman

Baqi Kopelman began his career in Hollywood as a Director of Photography for commercials and films. He went on to become a Creative Director and Producer, before turning his attention to helping brands and businesses market their services and products. He has worked with thousands of clients, from major brands to small businesses and individuals, creating content, marketing and communication strategies to boost their businesses and raise capital.

Tito Leal

Tito Leal is the founder of LB&A, Inc., an accounting and advisory firm serving entrepreneurs and small businesses across the Bay Area and beyond. He studied public accounting and spent 20 years working as an external auditor in one of the Big 4 Accounting firms in the world, gaining extensive experience in financial reporting, internal controls, compliance, and business operations.

Tito now focuses on helping entrepreneurs launch, organize, and grow their businesses through practical guidance in accounting systems, tax compliance, payroll, and strategic planning. As a bilingual instructor, he regularly teaches workshops on financial literacy, QuickBooks, Xero, and small-business management in partnership with recognized entrepreneurship organizations.

Marinela Miclea

Marinela Miclea, owner / founder of Mendo Digital, assists businesses and start-ups with websites, search engine optimization (SEO), eCommerce, content writing, and social media marketing. Certified in digital marketing, social marketing, and SEO, she has 20+ years of experience in high tech and marketing. Marinela earned a Marketing Strategy certificate from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, a Fiction Writing certificate from UCLA, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from UCLA.

Anni Minuzzo

As a dedicated food industry specialist, Anni has worked with multiple Northern CaliforniaSBDCs since 2005 during which time she has assisted hundreds of food and beverage entrepreneurs, taught insightful workshops, and created dozens of success stories.

After spending two years in Italy studying cultural cuisine, Anni worked with Williams-Sonoma to launch Il Fornaio, designed commercial kitchens, managed catered events, and was on the launch team of a unique food emporium in San Francisco before starting her own wholesale baking company which grew to an international business. During this time she developed a broad network of professional associations and a wide lens on the pulse of the industry’s constantly evolving trends.

Anni is devoted to assisting SBDC clients with the fundamentals of getting started in thespecialty food business, helping them expand, and fulfilling their business dreams.

Martha Molina-Saucedo

Elizabeth Pena

Julia Siderakis

Julia Siderakis is an experienced entrepreneur, former business owner of 27 years, Director of Marketing and Business Development, and community college business instructor with a strong background in hospitality and food & beverage leadership. She brings a comprehensive understanding of business development, strategic growth, and operational management to her advising work. Julia partners with entrepreneurs across diverse industries to build solid foundations, create sustainable growth plans, and implement long-term business strategies. Her collaborative, hands-on approach focuses on aligning each client’s goals with community and industry opportunities to strengthen small business success and long-term resilience.

Richard Strezo

For 20 years, Richard has participated in every function of SBA lending from origination to underwriting and analysis, processing, approving, and even launching SBA divisions for 3 separate banks. He is a firm believer in the virtues of the SBA product and fully committed to helping small and medium business owners realize their dreams.

Richard received his Bachelor’s Degree from University of Colorado and his M.B.A. from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management in Chicago.

Richard has always had a passion for entrepreneurship because he grew up in a self-employed family; both his mother and sister are small business owners.

Daniela Tallman

I’m Daniela S. Tallman, the founder of Creativo Studio, a boutique digital marketing agency based in Mendocino, California. I specialize in helping small businesses and entrepreneurs strengthen their brand presence through intentional strategy, creative content, and authentic storytelling. With a bilingual approach and deep roots in rural community development, I love turning bold ideas into impactful results.

George Verástegui

Born and raised in Perú, with a Master Executive in Consulting and Advising Enterprises, finished in Madrid Spain. Owner of a consulting firm in Lima, Perú providing consulting services on quality improvements and health services plans and access to care. George works with West Business Development Center providing business advising to entrepreneurs who want to start or grow their business.

Kira Wojack

PR and brand strategist Kira Wojack grew up on the Mendocino Coast. She has worked with clients from Los Angeles to London, ranging from tech startups to filmmakers to lifestyle brands. Her clients have been featured in top media outlets, including Motherboard, SC Media, VentureBeat, and USA Today. At the West Business Development Center, she helps local businesses develop their messaging, brand identities, and marketing strategies. She previously served as the Communications Director at the Mendocino Film Festival. She graduated with a BA in history from Yale University, where she wrote her thesis on dissident communication.