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Santa Cruz County
2025 Small Business Summit
May 9th, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Cabrillo College’s Samper Recital Hall
Experience the pulse of Santa Cruz County’s Small Business Community!
Experience the pulse of Santa Cruz County’s vibrant entrepreneurial scene at the highly anticipated Annual Small Business Summit on Friday, May 9 2025. Presented by the Santa Cruz County Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Cabrillo College, this exhilarating day-long conference unites over 200 local small business owners with the region’s most accomplished business professionals, innovative entrepreneurs, and industry trailblazers. This year’s summit featuring keynote speaker Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley alongside 15 captivating educational sessions, equips attendees with invaluable tools and resources, while nurturing networking opportunities among driven, like-minded individuals. Happening from 8 am to 4 pm, this year's summit will be held at Cabrillo College’s Samper Recital Hall, with breakout sessions hosted across multiple campus locations.
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Start the day by checking in early, grabbing a nourishing breakfast, and engaging in meaningful conversations with fellow attendees. This time provides a perfect opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and set the tone for an inspiring day ahead.
Join us for a brief event kickoff and welcome from SBDC director Alexander Pedersen and Workforce Santa Cruz County representative Nathan Kieu
The Economic and Fiscal Condition of Our Community
In this timely keynote, Mayor Fred Keeley dives into the current state of our local economy and the fiscal health of the Santa Cruz community. He’ll explore how recent changes in the power dynamic between the State of California and local governments are impacting city budgets, community services, and future planning. This is a must-hear presentation for anyone interested in how policy and politics directly shape our small business ecosystem.
Fred Keeley is the first directly-elected four-year Mayor of the City of Santa Cruz. Fred comes to this position with 24 years of elected office experience. Fred was a Santa Cruz County Supervisor, and the elected County Treasurer. For several years, Fred represented our area in the California Assembly, where he served as Speaker pro Tem under three Speakers of the Assembly. Fred taught at his alma mater, San Jose State University, where he specialized in the budget agency budgeting in the University’s Masters in Public Administration program.Hear from SBDC Director Alexander Pedersen as he outlines the services offered by the SBDC and provides an overview of the event logistics.
1A: Unlocking Regional Potential: Insights & Opportunities for Economic Collaboration in Monterey Bay
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Location: Samper Recital Hall
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Host: Tahra M. Goraya, President & CEO of Monterey Bay Economic Partnership
1B: Sustaining Success: The Keys to Longevity in Manufacturing
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Location: Room 5141
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Host: Dan McCabe, President of Design Octaves
1C: Business Support for Central Coast Technologies and Technology-Based Companies
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Location: VAPA 1001
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Host: Benjamin Legum - Director, New Venture Development at UC Santa Cruz
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2A: The Workforce Wake-Up Call: Strategies to Recruit, Retain, and Grow in a Shifting Labor Market
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Location: Samper Recital Hall
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Hosts: Nathan Kieu, Business Services Manager at Workforce Santa Cruz County
2B: Choose Santa Cruz
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Location: VAPA 1001
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Host: Rebecca Unit, Economic Development Manager for the City of Santa Cruz
2C: Zoë G. Carter
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Location: VAPA 5141
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Host: Zoë G. Carter, Executive Director, Santa Cruz County Business Council
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2D: Rooted in Community: How Engagement Drives Small Business Success
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Location: VAPA 5156
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Host: Tyler Davin-Moore, Business Owner at Redwood Records
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Take a break to enjoy a delicious lunch while networking with fellow attendees, sharing insights, and making valuable connections!
Join us for a brief award ceremony where we will honor outstanding SBDC clients for their achievements and contributions to the business community.
Location: Samper Recital Hall
Host: Alexander Pedersen
Description: Sponsored by Grow America, this session features a panel of esteemed local and national lenders sharing their valuable insights on accessing capital.
Panelists:
Chris Horton, District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration
Jon P. Sisk, EVP Chief Banking Officer, Santa Cruz County Bank
Rose Palaciio-Johnson, Commercial Lending Manager, Santa Cruz Community Credit Union
Jeff Heitmann, Lead Business Relationship Manager, Bay Federal Credit Union
Juan Melgar, Director of Lending, El Pájaro Community Development Corporation
Alicia Kretsch, Vice President, California Coastal Rural Development Corporation-CDC
David Lompa, Small Business Specialist, US bank
3A: Thriving Through Change: Smart Strategies for Small Business Success
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Location: VAPA 1001
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Host: Nada Miljkovic, CIED Project Manager, UC Santa Cruz - Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development (CIED)
3B: Culture by Design: Building a Thriving Workplace from the Inside Out
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Location: Samper Recital Hall
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Host: Kristen Brown, Executive Director, Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce
3C: Santa Cruz Ventures: Region's 1st Grass Roots Venture Capital Fund
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Location: Room 5141
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Host: Alexi Sevastopoulos, Partner at Santa Cruz Venture
3D: Values into Action: Co-Developing Rural Cooperatives and Transforming Industries
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Location: Room 5141
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Host: Maria Cadenas, MBA, Executive Director at Ventures
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4A: El Pajaro Community Development Corporation
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Location: Samper Recital Hall
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Host: Cesario Ruiz, Kitchen Incubator Program Manager, El Pájaro Community Development Corporation
4B:
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Location: Room 5141
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Host: Chris Miller, CEO of Cloud Brigade
4C:
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Location: VAPA 1001
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Host: Benjamin Slade, Human Resources expert
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As our scheduled sessions come to an end, we will not be reconvening formally. However, we encourage all guests to continue networking and to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the Cabrillo campus. This is an excellent opportunity to build lasting connections and reflect on the day’s insights and experiences
LEARN FROM OVER 25 BUSINESS EXPERTS!
Find out the latest trends and learn insights from the best of Santa Cruz
Hear from Keynote speaker Fred Keeley!
The Economic and Fiscal Condition of Our Community
In this timely keynote, Mayor Fred Keeley dives into the current state of our local economy and the fiscal health of the Santa Cruz community. He’ll explore how recent changes in the power dynamic between the State of California and local governments are impacting city budgets, community services, and future planning. This is a must-hear presentation for anyone interested in how policy and politics directly shape our small business ecosystem.
Fred Keeley is the first directly-elected four-year Mayor of the City of Santa Cruz. Fred comes to this position with 24 years of elected office experience. Fred was a Santa Cruz County Supervisor, and the elected County Treasurer. For several years, Fred represented our area in the California Assembly, where he served as Speaker pro Tem under three Speakers of the Assembly. Fred taught at his alma mater, San Jose State University, where he specialized in the budget agency budgeting in the University’s Masters in Public Administration program.
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Free Event Parking in Lot L!
The Summit will commence at Samper Recital Hall and continue with breakout sessions in VAPA 1001, VAPA 5141, and Samper Hall. All venues are within walking distance of each other. Parking is complimentary in Lot L. Should Lot L reach capacity, additional parking is available in other Cabrillo lots for a fee. Please ensure to pay for day parking if utilizing these overflow lots.
Alexander Pedersen
Santa Cruz SBDC Director
Fred Keeley
Mayor of Santa Cruz, CA
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Nathan Kieu
Business Services Manager at Workforce Santa Cruz County
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Tahra Goraya
President & CEO of Monterey Bay Economic Partnership
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Benjamin Legum
Director, New Venture Development at UC Santa Cruz
Molly O'Kane
SBDC Small business coach and digital marketing expert.
Rebecca Unitt
Economic Development Manager for the City of Santa Cruz
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Alexi Sevastopoulos
Partner at Santa Cruz Ventures
Chris Horton
SBA San Francisco District Director
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Rose Palacio-Johnson
Commercial Lending Manager at Santa Cruz Community Credit Union
Juan Melgar
El Pájaro Community Development Corporation's Director of Lending
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David Lompa
Small Business Specialist at US bank
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Kristen Brown
Executive Director, Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce
Nada Miljkovic
Project Manager for UCSC’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurial Development
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Zoë G. Carter
Executive Director, Santa Cruz County Business Council
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Cesario Ruiz
Kitchen Incubator Program Manager, El Pájaro Community Development Corporation
Our Sponsors are Rad!
2025 Title Sponsor:
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This year's summit wouldn't be possible without our incredible sponsors! Their commitment and enthusiasm embody the spirit of collaboration and community in Santa Cruz. We are immensely grateful to each of our sponsors for playing a pivotal role in bringing this dynamic gathering of business minds to life. A heartfelt thank you to all our sponsors!
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Event Sponsors:
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Maria Cadenas, MBA
Executive Director, Ventures
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Dan McCabe
President
Design Octaves, Inc.
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Julia (Jules) Greenspan
MBA Consultant, Executive Coach, Co-Founder at Ignite Nexus
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Omid Aminifard
Vice President/General Manager at Santa Cruz Seaside Company
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Chris Murphy
SVP of Franchise Development, Golden State Warriors/ President, Santa Cruz Warriors
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Kamala Green
Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer, University of California, Santa Cruz
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Coming Soon
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Coming Soon
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Benjamin Slade
Benjamin Slade is a seasoned HR executive with a proven track record in human resources management, organizational development, and strategic leadership.
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Chris Miller
Cloud Brigade CEO
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Jon Sisk
EVP Chief Banking Officer at Santa Cruz County Bank
Jeff Heitmann
Business Relationship Manager at Bay Federal Credit Union
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“SBDC, the best support system from start to finish in the building and fruition of your dreams.”
—Bronwyn Parsons Owner of Willow and Wolf Salon
LET'S WORK
TOGETHER
Santa Cruz SBDC is a Partnership Program with the SBA, administered by the State University of California. Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. All SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. The Norcal Small Business Development Center (SBDC) welcomes all entrepreneurs and business owners. Our events and services are open to anyone interested in small business development.
Reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact the SBDC at (831) 479-6136 or sbdc@cabrillo.edu