WEV Staff
Marsha Bailey - CEO
Judy Hawkins - Executive Director
Angel Cottrell - Client Services Director
Mary Anne Rooney - Regional Leader
Andria Martinez - Loan Fund Officer
Amy Fletcher - Reports and Measures Coordinator
Leah Gonzales - Program Coordinator
Shana Pearson - Program Assistant (Santa Barbara)
Marsha Bailey
President, CEO and Founder of Women's Economic Ventures and the Small Business Loan Fund Marsha Bailey has been developing educational programs and services for women since 1983 and has published many essays on the changing roles of women in contemporary society.
Read Marsha's Bio Top of Page
Judy Hawkins
Executive Director
Judy Hawkins, Executive Director, Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) graduated from WEV’s Self Employment Training program, served on the Board of Directors (1996-2001), and as Board President (2001), prior to being hired by WEV in October 2001. She is responsible for overseeing WEV’s fundraising events, major donor solicitations, direct mail campaigns, and providing staff support to the Board’s endowment and public relations committees.
Judy was formerly the administrative director of a national association for health professionals, an independent event planner, medical billing consultant and athletic trainer. Judy designed and conducted workshops and focus groups in healthcare sales and marketing, medical billing, practical nutrition and exercise/ fitness. She has served on the board of directors of regional and national professional organizations including regional director of the California Athletic Trainers Association. Judy has also been active in a number of local community organizations including the Fund for Santa Barbara, the Susan Love Breast Cancer Foundation, Body Electric and various athletic events.
She is a graduate of Pomona College and has lived in Santa Barbara for seven
years. Top of Page
Angel Cottrell
Client Services Director
Angel Cottrell, Client Services Director, joined WEV with over 10 years experience in the non-profit field. One of her achievements is the successful opening of the first supported living program in the Santa Barbara area that served developmentally disabled adults previously institutionalized with severe aggressive behavior challenges. Throughout the lifespan of this program, Angel filled the dual roles of operational and clinical director.
Over the past four years, Angel has consulted with local business owners to improve their operational systems, to develop goal-driven sales and marketing plans, and to execute their vision successfully. Angel’s passion lies in managing the daily operational needs of a business while planning innovatively for the long-term Sustainability of the venture through the alignment of its economic, social and environmental aspects.
Angel is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Organizational Management at Antioch University. She holds a Bachelors degree in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She lives with her 14 year old daughter Alex. Top of Page
Mary Anne Rooney
Regional Leader
Mary Anne Rooney, M.A., is the Ventura County Regional Leader for Women’s Economic Ventures. Prior to joining WEV in July, 2007, Ms. Rooney worked as a business development manager and an instructor for English as a Second Language in Oxnard. From 2002-2006, she was elected Trustee of the Ventura County Community College District and served in the capacities of Vice Chair and Chair during her tenure. Additionally, she was elected to the statewide board of California Community College Trustees.
Locally educated, Ms. Rooney holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Azusa Pacific University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an Associate’s Degree from Oxnard College.
Ms. Rooney has served on numerous community boards, including Chair of the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce Education Committee, Board President of Gull Wings Children’s Museum, and the Ventura Music Festival Education Committee. She is married with two sons. Top of Page
Andria Martinez
Loan Fund Officer
Andria joined Women's Economic Ventures (WEV) as Spanish Program Coordinator in January of 2006. She brings to WEV 10 years of small business experience as co-owner and manager of Expert Strokes Swimming, a home-based swim school located in Long Beach, California.Before coming to WEV, Andria was living in Ixtapa, Mexico working for the international resort hotel chain, Club Mediterranean. She has also lived in Brazil, Costa Rica, Spain and Mexico while studying in exchange programs at national universities in each country. At WEV she is responsible for coordinating the development, growth and execution of the Spanish language programs as well as managing the Small Business Loan Fund and its portfolio of open loans. Her passion is to help the underprivileged overcome their circumstances through education, opportunity and financial empowerment. Andria has a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Economics with minors in Spanish and Portuguese from the University of California Los Angeles. She is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and speaks intermediate level conversational French. Top of Page
Amy Fletcher
Reports and Measures Coordinator
Amy joined Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) as Database Coordinator in March of 2007, after relocating to Santa Barbara from Long Beach, California. Amy has a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Interpersonal Communications, and spent the first ten years of her professional career in the Human Resources Field, working extensively with various databases and information systems. Amy’s primary role at WEV is to maintain the client and donor databases as well assist the Program and Development teams with reporting and measures projects. Her unique combination of technical and interpersonal skills allows her to pursue her passion for telling our client stories to those in the greater community with accuracy and creativity. Top of Page
Leah Gonzales
Program Coordinator Leah joined WEV as Program Assistant in June 2006, after graduating from UCSB with a major in Global Studies and a minor in Spanish. She spent 2005 studying at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Santiago, Chile. During her stay abroad, Leah completed an internship at Un Techo Para Chile, a non-governmental organization providing education and construction of housing in low-income sectors of the city. Leah's travels fostered her passion to create a more economically equitable society. Combined with her bilingual abilities and organizational skills, her dedication to WEV's mission drives her work as Program Coordinator for WEV.Top of Page
Shana Pearson
Program Assistant (Santa Barbara) Shana joined Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) as Program Assistant in March of 2007. She received a Bachelor’s Degree from UC Santa Barbara. Her degree focused on global culture and ideology, with a particular emphasis in Spanish language and literature. Before coming to WEV, Shana resided in Madrid, Spain for a one year immersion program at the Universidad Complutense. During 2006, Shana served as an intern for the United States Embassy, Commercial Service Department in Madrid. Shana brings to WEV her experience assisting Trade Specialists in researching and developing Press Releases for U.S.-based international businesses. Shana is enthusiastic and dedicated to WEV’s global mission: to promote the economic empowerment of women across the globe. Her primary role at WEV is to be the first point of contact for clients, and to assess their specific business needs. Shana is fluent in conversational and written Spanish.Top of Page |
