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Staff
The Edge Connection Staff
Patricia Harris
Executive
Director/CEO
Patricia_Harris@kennesaw.edu
Ms.
Harris is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer
of The Edge Connection and has over 25 years of experience
as an entrepreneur, organizational development consultant,
and human resources director in the airline industry. Under
her leadership, The Edge Connection was awarded by the U.S.
Small Business Administration, a “Women’s Business Center,”
which is one of 90 centers in the country. To date, the
organization has reached over 1,000 entrepreneurs, boasts
economic impact of over $20 million in revenues for the
clients served, and assisted in leveraging over $4 million
in access to capital and loans to grow business ventures.
She is nationally recognized for her efforts in economic
development and has numerous awards and merits to her
credit. She has received significant recognition by United
Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, Leaders Publishing Business to
Business Magazine, YWCA of Northwest Georgia, National
Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), U.S. Small
Business Administration, and Georgia Micro Enterprise
Network Founder’s Award, 2006.
Ms. Harris is a philanthropist with board and community
involvement in such groups as the Professional Women’s
Network (ProWIN), Getting Ahead Association Credit Union,
DeKalb Enterprise Business Corporation (DEBCO), Cobb Works!
Workforce Investment Board, and the National Association of
Enterprise Opportunities (AEO) in Washington, D.C.
Ms. Harris holds degrees in organizational development and
business management from Augsburg College of Minneapolis,
MN, and a music degree from the Chicago Conservatory of
Music, and the recipient of an organizational development
fellowship whereby she studied in Europe at the Landmark
Center – “The Forum.” She and her husband, Cozell Harris,
reside in Kennesaw, GA.
Leslie
Sperry
Executive Assistant to Patricia Harris
Leslie_Sperry@kennesaw.edu
Leslie
Sperry is an entrepreneur and alumni of The Edge Connection.
She is co-owner of LL Beads, a handmade beaded jewelry
company, which she started with her sister in 1997. Her
former experience was in retail management for various
clothing, gift, and museum shops and as a service liaison
for PROMINA Health Systems. She holds a B.A. in
Communication from The Ohio State University.
Rachel Davis
VP of Operations
Rachel_Davis@kennesaw.edu
Ms. Davis began work in the
field of microenterprise development in 1996 when she served
as Program Manager for the Dow-Jones
Spelman College Entrepreneurial Center. She was
instrumental in creating an entrepreneurial training program
that served the West End community of
Atlanta, Georgia. She joined BusinessNOW of Goodwill
Industries of North Georgia as the Training and Graduate
Support Services Coordinator, where she worked on
implementing initiatives for BusinessNOW graduates.
She serves as a Board Member of the Georgia Micro Enterprise
Network (GMEN) and as a member of the Women Business
Enterprise (WBE) certification board. She holds an M.B.A. in
Finance from Clark Atlanta University.
Janine Anthony
V.P. of
Business Services/WBC Director
Janine_Anthony@kennesaw.edu
Ms. Anthony is
responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the
Women’s Business Center including the coordination and
implementation of all program activities and services and
for managing the reporting and outcomes. She is the direct
supervisor of all program and administrative staff and
consultants. She is also responsible for managing the
Enterprise Center tenants and service offerings. Ms. Anthony
is the immediate past president of the Georgia Women’s
Business Council where her focus was expanding and enhancing
women-owned business enterprises through certification (WBENC),
education, and access to corporate partnership
opportunities. She was a certified Senior Project Manager
who worked in the field of Information Technology for more
than ten years, starting her career as an Electrical
Engineer in the Locomotive Division of CSX Transportation
prior to moving to IBM Corporation. Ms. Anthony holds an
M.S. in Applied Mathematics from Clark Atlanta University
along with a B.S. in Mathematics from Spelman College and a
B.E.E. in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute
of Technology.
Steven Yates
Program Manager
Steven_Yates@kennesaw.edu
Steven
Yates's expertise lies in both business-to-consumer and
business-to-business arenas with more than ten years of
marketing experience for the US military, Universities, and
the private sector. He is an entrepreneur and motivational
speaker who has also consulted as a regional director with
North America's largest M&A advisory firm, assisting
companies seeking guidance in financial and marketing
initiatives. Recently joining a Family Edutaintment Center
Franchise, Kangaroo Bob's LLC., (www.kangaroobobs.org),
as President/Managing Partner, Mr. Yates enjoys helping
small and medium sized businesses market their products and
services domestically and abroad. His particular areas of
expertise include import/export, travel, healthcare, and
professional services arena. As a Board of Directors member
for the Cobb Community Collaborative, he chairs the Planning
and Evaluation Committee which oversees Cobb County's grant
review process. He is VP of Cobb Community Faith Partnership
and the Committee Chair of the Georgia chapter of the
Society of Human Resources Managers Consultants PEG
(Professional Emphasis Group).
Steven is a veteran of Desert Shield/Desert Storm and
life-time member of the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration
Squadron Thunderbirds. Steven has two young daughters, JaNia
and Brooklynn with his spouse, Nicol of 16 years. He holds
an MBA in Human Resource Management and a BS in Business
Administration from the University of Phoenix.
Shundra
Owens
Program Support
Shundra_London-Owens@kennesaw.edu
Shundra Owens is an entrepreneur and
alumni of The Edge Connection. She is the President of S. L.
Designs & Mfg., Inc. a sewing and embroidery company located
in Douglasville, GA and has more than 25 years of experience
as a business owner in the fashion industry. She holds an
A.A.
degree Fashion Design from The International Academy of
Merchandising and Design in Chicago, IL.
LaWanda Roche
Administration Support Assistant (Job Share position)
lroche1@kennesaw.edu
LaWanda Roche is an alumni of The Edge Connection and Owner
Operator of Love that Look Beautique, LLC since 2001. She
gained her Esthetics Certifications and Licensing at The
International School of Skin and Nails. As a sole
proprietor, she has over 20 years of experience working in
the cosmetic industry. LaWanda, who is a Graduate of
Auston's Professional Modeling School in Detroit, Michigan
began teaching skin care to ambitious models. She
subsequently took her skills to the local community center
where she was a mentor and taught teens and other youths
about proper skincare, beauty care, cosmetics, and fashion.
Lynn
Brock
Administration Support Assistant (Job Share position)
Lynn Brock is a proud native of Kennesaw and an
entrepreneur of VLB Wedding Directing since 1998. She
came to us with much excitement about the new Enterprise
Center being built in her home town. She is looking
forward to adding her 23 years experience in real estate
management and administrative skills to our team.
Consultants
and Trainers
Kerry L.
Bass
Consultant
Kerry L. Bass, is an accomplished executive, entrepreneur
and an ordained Christian Minister. He has over 25 years of
public and private sector professional and 18 years of
ministry experience. His expertise is in organizational and
individual transformation and leveraging practical
technology systems in business and other enterprises. He is
Co-founder and General Manager of the Worship Anytime
Network, LLC., which helps the faith community use
technology, and he is the Co-founder and Managing Principal
of the Education Transformation Group, LLC., an education
and technology consulting practice. Mr. Bass earned a
Masters of Business Administration from Emory University and
has several professional certifications in information and
communications technology, consulting and quality
management.
Farid Ghalili
Consultant
Farid Ghalili is the founder and CEO of Unicus Solutions,
Inc. dba ActionCOACH. He is an accomplished business owner,
self-motivated and creative industry leader with over 27
years of experience in entrepreneurial roles such as CIO,
CTO and COO. As a business owner and a coach Farid's
experiences and success combined with Action Internationals’
proven strategies and world wide support team allows him to
help local business owners and their team achieve their
dreams. His role in each organization has been to re-create,
rebuild and expand as well as operational competencies in
alignment with business goals. However, more important Farid
has contributed to vision, strategy and long-range
development of organizations that have supported rapid
changes in operations and business demands. As the world of
business moves faster and becomes more competitive, having a
Business Coach is no longer a luxury; it has become a
necessity.
Jeffory
Packer
Business Consultant/Trainer
Jeffory
Packer is the President & CEO of J. Packer Systems, a
multinational web development and software company. He is
the author of “How to make your Website Sizzle” and is a
sought after speaker and instructor on the lecturer circuit.
For more than ten years he has produced web and multimedia
systems for a variety of industries.
Carlotta
Roberts
Business Consultant/Trainer
Carlotta_Roberts@kennesaw.edu
Carlotta Roberts has been a
consultant to small business owners since 1981. She served
as the Area Director of the Kennesaw
State University Small Business Development Center
from 1986 to 2002 where she oversaw the provision of
consulting services to over 5800 small business owners. She
has created programs that have won local and regional
acclaim including The Franchise Institute, which assisted
potential and existing franchisees, The Investor’s Forum,
which brought businesses seeking equity capital together
with small angel investors, and a series co-sponsored with
the local SBA district office which specifically targeted
women business owners and women who were potential owners.
Working with the National Association of Women Business
Owners, Ms. Roberts has assisted in the certification
process for women business owners, enabling them to do
business with governmental agencies and private industry. A
regular presenter at local, state, and national professional
conferences, she was chosen to serve as a resource expert at
the White House Conference on Small Business. She holds a
J.D. degree from Atlanta Law School.
Shawn O.
Sessoms
Consultant
Shawn Sessoms began work in the accounting and financial
consulting industry in 2003 when he served as Staff
Accountant & Auditor for Tabb & Tabb CPA in Atlanta, Ga. His
work there included advising and managing clients on
financial forecasting/budgeting, payroll, policy and
procedures manuals, audit preparation, and the importance of
having sound financial books and records. He served in this
capacity until he earned the responsibility and position as
Operations Manager and Lead Financial Consultant for the
subsidiary company, Team Systems Integrated. There he
continued many of the same accounting along with additional
responsibilities in sales and marketing. In January 2008,
Mr. Sessoms joined the City of Atlanta, Ga. finance division
in the capacity of Policy Manager, Sr. within the Programs &
Grants Revenue Department to assist the COA in making a
smooth transition into their new multi-million dollar
financial accounting system.
Steven
Standeven
Technology Specialist
Steven_Standeven@kennesaw.edu
Steven Standeven has worked in
the IT field for a variety of leasing companies for more
than 20 years, most recently as systems administrator. He is
a former teacher, having taught Web design at the junior
college level for two years. He is also an entrepreneur.
Last year he started his own real estate investment business
and he is in the process of developing an economic literacy
program for adults. He is a pilot who recently joined Angel
Flight and a former chapter president of a
Parents-without-Partners. Mr. Standeven holds a BA in
Psychology and a Masters Degree in Guidance & Counseling.
Davette Harvey
Consultant
Davette Harvey is the President and CEO of Amenique
Community Relations. Amenique Community Relations is a
training and community development company that specializes
in quality on-site training and resources to assist schools,
non-profits, youth organizations, small businesses and
faith-based institutions with comprehensive and practical
entrepreneurial, financial literacy and leadership
instructional trainings, workshops and curriculums. Davette
earned a B.S. and M.A. Degree in Advertising and is
currently working on her Doctorate Degree in Higher
Education Educational Leadership with an emphasis in
Curriculum and Instruction Design and Implementation. She
has been trained though Coachville Graduate School of
Coaching and has been certified as an NxLevel Training
Instructor and Georgia Real School Based Enterprise Program
Developer.
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