Decisions about NAWBO San Diego operations are made by our volunteer Board of Directors, which meets monthly. The NAWBO year runs from July to June; members are invited to apply for Board positions in April of each year.

President
Christine McDannell, Social Starfish

Christine McDannell is managing partner at Social Starfish, a full-service Internet marketing firm aimed at assisting small and startup businesses with little or no online presence. She’s also the founder and head coach for The Game of Business, a company that teaches business owners how to stay focused on running a healthy, profitable company. Christine began both those ventures after selling Cleanology, a green cleaning company she founded in 2003. Her passion as an entrepreneur was rewarded when the San Diego Small Business Association selected her as its Small Business Person of the Year for 2009.

Immediate Past President
Adrienne Moch, Adrienne Moch/Writing & Editing

Adrienne Moch is a writer/editor who helps businesses grow by transforming their written communications from competent to compelling. Typical projects for her are websites, marketing collateral, newsletters, articles and press releases. Adrienne has nearly 30 years of experience, and a background that includes serving as a newspaper reporter and editor, corporate communicator, newsletter writer, and PR professional. She's been a sole proprietor since 2004. Learn more at www.adriennemoch.com.

Treasurer
Jere Batten, Batten Accountancy

Jere R. Batten, a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner, is president of Batten Accountancy, Inc. She has more than 19 years of experience in conducting audits; preparing tax returns; and consulting for small businesses, not-for profit organizations, and individuals. Jere received her CFE designation in 2002 and specializes in fraud prevention with her clients, conducting investigations usually pertaining to embezzlement issues and financial statement fraud. She’s a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants, and is president of the San Diego Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Secretary
Jacqueline Sirota, Jacqueline Sirota Learning x Technology, Inc.

Jacqueline Sirota is president/CEO of Jacqueline Sirota Learning x Technology Solutions, Inc. She’s a learning and development professional who can help assess an organization’s learning needs and develop and deliver customized learning programs, including product documentation, so customers and employees can use products and services efficiently and effectively. She also provides project management and support services. Learn more at www.jacquelinesirota.com.

Membership Director
Colleen Connery, CoCo & Associates

Colleen Connery is founder/Creative Director of CoCo & Associates strategic graphic design studio. She’s a 22+ year veteran of creative communications and has worked as a graphic designer, creative director, project manager, and creative consultant and staff recruiter up and down the West Coast. Colleen has worked in the Bay Area with Fortune 1000 companies as well as startups. She created CoCo & Associates to provide strategic graphic design services to business owners looking for a solid marketing team and ROI from marketing projects. She also speaks at various associations and groups on topics ranging from branding to social media. Colleen is the proud recipient of the 2009 NAWBO BRAVO! Signature Award and was a nominee for the  BRAVO! Green Community Award. Learn more at www.cocoassociates.com.

Public Policy Director
Tamara Badkerhanian-Ganev, BSE Engineering

Tamara Badkerhanian-Ganev is the President/CEO of BSE Engineering, a woman-owned engineering firm specializing in energy and sustainable designs, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. Learn more at www.BSEengineering.com.

Retention Director
Kaz Adams, Kaz Adams Creative

Kaz Adams is an award-winning graphic designer and art director who has been striving for design and marketing excellence for more than 20 years. She’s worked in both advertising agencies and the corporate environment, but strongly prefers running her own design studio, which she has done off and on since 1996. Areas of expertise include branding and re-branding, packaging design, and website design. Kaz offers "serious creative results" to companies of all sizes and specialties; examples of her work can be found at http://www.kazadamscreative.com. Kaz is also a USCG Captain who occasionally does worldwide charter sailing and ASA sailing instruction.

Corporate Partner Director
Katy Goshtasbi, Puris Image and Style

Katy Goshtasbi was a practicing securities attorney for 13 years before establishing Puris Image and Style, an image strategy firm that serves large companies, startups, law firms and individuals. She helps clients build successful corporate and individual images that result in motivating and empowering them to increase revenue, productivity and self-esteem. Learn more at www.purisimageandstyle.com.

Ambassador Director
Jenny Lemmons, Better Way to Say It

Jenny Lemmons is co-founder and CEO of Better Way to Say It, experts in building buzz-worthy online platforms for authors and speakers, and creators of the Book Launch Newsroom™. Her professional background includes Google Certified AdWords expertise, Inbound Marketing Professional Certification and a certificate in direct marketing from the DMA. Learn more about Jenny at www.betterwaytosayit.com.

Director-at-Large
Diane Craik, Focus Business Brokers

Diane Craik specializes in selling successful San Diego businesses. She’s founder of Focus Business Brokers, a division of KW Commercial Realty International, where she also serves as Commercial Managing Director for two KW San Diego market centers. This is Diane’s third entrepreneurial venture; she previously owned an executive recruiting company and Advantage Business Brokers, which she sold after 14 years of success.