Joseph Jackson is a strategic business consultant with extensive experience in marketing, strategic planning, sales and business development. His background includes experience in the corporate, nonprofit, and federal sectors. As an entrepreneur, Joseph has run small businesses and worked as the lead consultant responsible for developing marketing strategies and business development plans for startup companies. Joseph holds a BA from Yale University.

Over the last twenty years, Charlie Lowe has acted as a business consultant to the Small Business Development Centers and Centers for International Trade Development for El Camino Community College, Long Beach City College, and for Loyola Marymount University. He has 30 years’ experience in small business and international trade, having done business in 45 countries throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America.

Charlie is bilingual in English and Spanish. He holds bachelors’ degrees in Latin American Studies and Economics and an MBA in International Management.

Ed Von Leffern has been with the SBDC since 2008. His numerous business qualifications include serving in the following positions:

• Director Emeritus and Audit Committee Chair of US Metro Bank
• Director of a small business with sales to Amazon, Target, Staples, and Bye-Bye-Baby
• Eight years as a chief credit officer/loan administrator of banks or regions.
• Twice approved by Federal and State Regulators as CCO
• Twelve years as a team leader of $75-500 million portfolios – always with direct account management and sale of diversified bank financial products
• President of the LA Chapter of the bank credit association in 1996-97 (awarded superior unit) and in 2000-01

Ed holds an undergraduate degree from American University, Wash D.C. as well as a Master’s Degree in Asian Studies/ International Business. He is Professor Emeritus in the Business School at California State Universities at Pomona and Long Beach.

Max Ordonez specializes in providing funding advice and direction for startups and established businesses, as well as specializing in management, strategic planning and business planning. Max has 20+ years’ experience as an entrepreneur and executive in an array of industries such as construction, re-development, manufacturing and distribution. In addition, Max’s expertise includes public-private partnerships. Max is the owner of his own strategic growth and program management consultancy in Los Angeles. He is a native Angelino and resides with his family in Whittier, California.

Lori Williams is a business consultant, speaker, and writer. She has over 30 years of experience in strategic planning, finance, marketing, and operations. Functioning as the chief strategist for her consulting agency, she has worked with middle market companies to build long-term sustainable growth. Her eBooks are distributed through Amazon, iTunes and Barnes & Noble.

Lori holds an MBA from Pepperdine University, a BS in Business and Management, an AA in Medical Science and a Practitioner’s license in Neurolinguistic Programming.

Mike Huntley has over 30 years of sales and marketing experience in a variety of industries, including aerospace, automotive, healthcare, oil and gas, and electronics. He has worked with companies throughout the world, including Latin America, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Mike holds a B.A. Psychology from California State University Long Beach and an MBA from California State Dominquez Hills. Mike also has an executive management certificate from the University of California at Los Angeles Anderson School of Management.
Business expertise: Sales and Marketing, Executive management

Karie Armstrong has over 20 years’ experience helping retailers, service providers, restaurants and entrepreneurs successfully launch and grow their businesses in a wide variety of retail environments and markets. Her extensive background stems from shopping center management, marketing and development, as well as retail operations and manufacturing.

Since she began working with the SBDC, she has helped thousands of small businesses. Her consulting expertise includes the development of overall strategic business and marketing plans, financial and sales projections, as well as site selection, tenant improvement issues and demystifying lease language.

Steve Richardson joined the Long Beach SBDC as an advisor in 2019. He has extensive experience leading both nonprofit and for-profit organizations, as well as acting as a professional turnaround management consultant. At the SBDC, his initial focus was on helping clients with leadership, people management and transformational change. However, it became apparent that his experience as a business owner would benefit many of our clients with other needs. Steve has advised entrepreneurs starting out in retail, personal service, construction, and other sectors. He has also helped SBDC clients with mature businesses become more efficient and profitable.

Steve enjoys working with all types of clients, especially helping existing businesses make sense of their financial situation and organizational structure.

Steve is the author of the book Become a Better Leader in 30 Days.  

Greg Horos is the owner and co-founder of LOCALI, a deli/market hybrid quick service restaurant concept with a keen focus on healthier versions of conventional convenience fare and has served as the Chief Operations Officer since 2008. Greg’s areas of expertise include budgeting, cost controls, labor, purchasing, vendor relations, supply chain management for startups. He also is well-versed in lease/financial negotiations, legal strategies, cost-benefit analysis, inventory control systems and risk management planning.

In addition to his consulting work with SBDC, Greg is also a personal training/fitness coach, and spends the rest of his free time training for his next Spartan Race.

Deborah Deras has a master’s degree in education and a bachelor’s degree in marketing. She has been a business owner since 2002, providing Fortune 100 companies with peak performance corporate training, and is also an international speaker and author. She has served as a marketing consultant to various Small Business Development Centers with her expertise in digital marketing. Her specialties include content creation, social media strategy, YouTube, SEO, Facebook, live streaming, podcasting, Instagram Sales, and how to speak with confidence on camera. She speaks English and Spanish and has been a sought-after professional speaker for over 20 years.

Herb Thompson is a process improvement expert who advises on Lean/Six Sigma Enterprise, project management, ERP System Optimization, safety, quality, environmental and energy audits, effective management, corporate structuring, and strategic planning. Herb has multiple years of hands-on experience in a number of industries applying Total Quality Management (TQM) and the Toyota Production System (TPS) style of manufacturing, now often referred to as Lean Manufacturing.

Herb was an Instructor/Writer at the United States Army Non-Commissioned Officers Academy. Since that time, he has worked with companies in a number of manufacturing and service industries, both as a consultant and a senior leader, to implement these techniques. His experience also includes teaching undergrad and graduate business courses at Stanton University.

Mike DeDonato is a seasoned corporate finance executive and business advisor, with a demonstrated history of working in the manufacturing, healthcare, consumer goods, construction and aerospace/defense industries. Mike’s functional expertise is in accounting and financial management.

He has been relied upon by clients for his competencies in financial management, M&A due diligence and acquisition integration. “I am dedicated to the success of every client and very much look forward to the actualization of client aspirations and visions.”

Jocelyn Graf is a serial entrepreneur, educator, and author. As an SBDC advisor, Jocelyn helps clients answer these questions: Will my business idea work? What would my customers really pay for? How do I get started? Where can I access funding and other resources? How do I sort out my finances and do required paperwork? Who do I need on my team? How can I grow my business, and where do I want to end up? She also provides specialty advising for tech startups and for social and professional services businesses. Jocelyn is familiar with healthcare & biotech, clean energy, hardware, cybersecurity, blockchain, and data science. 

David Mitroff is a business consultant, marketing expert, keynote speaker and author. He brings to the SBDC his experiences as the founder and chief consultant of Piedmont Avenue Consulting, Inc. He provides business consulting and marketing services to create brand awareness, strengthen customer loyalty and generate new opportunities for new and established companies, restaurants, franchises, law firms, high-growth start-ups, retail specialty stores, professional services firms, individual entrepreneurs and other diverse organizations.

David is a sought-after speaker on a wide range of topics, including: Business & Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Branding, and Innovation, and through his consulting, lectures, training, and keynotes.