Our Staff

Emma is passionate about helping women entrepreneurs cultivate a positive impact in their communities, in their local economies, and in their own lives as well as those of their employees. She works to engage WEV’s community in innovative ways, improving…

Ventura County native Berenize Ayala joined WEV in July of 2019 to support the small businesses she knows and loves. She is fluent in both English and Spanish. Berenize has previous experience working in the nonprofit sector and higher education,…

Marsha Bailey launched Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) in 1991, after three years of planning and fundraising. “The idea that women’s economic status could be improved by helping them start their own businesses was both innovative and unproven,” said Bailey. “But…

Berenice joined WEV in July of 2016. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is fluent in both English and Spanish. Her experience working in various local non-profits instilled in her a…

Marni recently joined WEV as the Director of Lending, however she spent many years on the Board of Directors and is very passionate about WEV’s mission.  Marni has over 24 years’ experience in community banking and lending in Santa Barbara…

Lisa began her affiliation with WEV in 2009 as an instructor for the SET course, and in September of 2011, her role expanded when she became Thrive Program Manager. Lisa’s 15 years of training, coaching and consulting experience include helping…

Meredith joined WEV in June of 2016. She earned her Bachelor’s degree at UC Santa Barbara in English with an emphasis on gender studies. While a student and alumna, she spent many hours volunteering at the on-campus Women’s Center. After…

Haley joined WEV as the Program Coordinator for Santa Barbara County in summer 2019. Her interest in mission-driven work began during her time at UC Merced, where she earned a BA in Public Health. There, Haley responded to the gendered…

Amy helps WEV maximize its credibility and effectiveness by creating and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders, evaluating and communicating program outcomes, and ensuring successful grant development and compliance. She oversees all grant writing and reporting activity, manages WEV’s client…

Taylor joined the WEV team in July 2021 as the Small Business Advisory Program Officer. Her primary role is to provide support to the Advisory Clients, Business Advisors, and Volunteers through relational investment, program development, and impact measurement. Prior to…

Ashley Goldstein joined WEV as the Learning Solutions Manager in January 2021, bringing over 20 years of training design and delivery experience in the government, corporate, education, and non-profit sectors.  Prior to joining WEV, Ashley ran her own training consulting…

As WEV’s grant writer, Devon is responsible for securing new funding and maintaining existing funding through research and proposal development. Devon brings a unique perspective to grant writing with her financial and lending background and 10 years of experience with…

Originally from Mexico City, Irene started her path in the financial industry after pursuing a degree in Finance and Entrepreneurship at the University of Utah.  She is passionate about empowering women to take control of their finances and has spent…

Lauren joined WEV in September of 2021. She has over 15 years of experience working in higher education. Eight of those years, she served as the external relations coordinator for the College of Health and Human Development at California State…

As Director of Development for WEV, Kate’s focus is on building financial support for the economic empowerment women.  A former Santa Barbara-based business owner herself she is thrilled to invest her time and energy with an organization that supports female…

Stephanie was born and raised in Oxnard, CA. She has over 20 years of experience in the administrative field in various settings such as Non-Profit and Mortgage. She has a deep desire to fulfill and exceed her personal and professional…

Evelina Ochoa is a native of Ventura County and the daughter of Mexico immigrants. At a young age, her farm working parents instilled the foundation of always supporting her community. Evelina is an advocate for social change, strives for social…

Kathy Odell became WEV’s CEO on January 1, 2020 upon Marsha Bailey’s retirement. Kathy is a serial entrepreneur with over 30 years of leadership experience. She began her entrepreneurial career in 1985 as co-founder Medical Concepts, Inc., which over a…

Nicki joined WEV in April 2018 to set up the business recovery & resilience program in the aftermath of the Thomas Fire and the Montecito Debris Flow. In January 2020, she transitioned to a new role working closely with the…

Marta joined WEV in January of 2019. She has 20 years of banking experience serving both small community banks and larger financial institutions from Goleta to Oxnard.  She grew up in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley with a deep connection to…

Nicole joined WEV December 2014 and had been working in the non-profit sector for 12 years, specifically with organizations in programs designed to break the cycle of generational poverty. After a trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Nicole became conscious of…

Deborah Rivas joined WEV in November 2009.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics and Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.  Deborah has many years of experience and knowledge and a diverse working history.  She has…

Alisa brings a diverse skill set of event management, public relations, and graphic design to WEV. She has a BA in Journalism from the University of Southern California and worked in sports and entertainment public relations, including several years as…

Lysa has been a WEV volunteer and supporter for several years and is excited to be WEV’s Marketing Manager.  She brings extensive experience developing successful communication strategies for the private, public and non-profit sectors including community engagement, public relations, media…

Vanessa joined WEV as Spanish Program Coordinator in August of 2019. She received her bachelor’s degree in Global Studies from the University of California Santa Barbara in June of 2018. Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico Vanessa immigrated to the United States…

Alyson Warner is an experienced Non-Profit Professional and Volunteerism Specialist located in Ventura, California. Prior to joining WEV in November 2021, Alyson worked as an impact-focused consultant and earned an MBA from Antioch University with an emphasis in Social Entrepreneurship…

Photography courtesy of: Sarita Relis Photography:  www.saritarelis.com Pure Light Photography: www.purelightfoto.com Madeleine’s Photography: www.madphoto.com Theresa Gingras-Barns Photography, SYV Imaging Ashly Othic, Livin’ the Dream Photography Linda Blue Photography: www.labluephotography.com