2022 MED Week Planning Committee

Jerry Coleman, director of CFCC’s Small Business Center, has decades of experience in business and consulting, having owned his own consumer products manufacturing company in Wilmington NC. Jerry is committed to helping other small business owners succeed. “Starting, managing and growing a small business can be a daunting task. At CFCC’s Small Business Center, we help entrepreneurs plan and navigate the startup process; getting off to a good, solid start is essential. We really do become a partner and are always available to act as a coach and cheerleader for our clients. We will work with them as long as necessary to keep them going and help them achieve their goals and be successful in the long run.” Jerry earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from East Carolina University, and Master of Business Administration at UNCW. He earned his certificate in Project Management from UNCW and has secured multiple patents.

Heather is passionate about empowering individuals and communities to succeed through entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability. She is the Regional Center Director of the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC), which serves a large multi-county region in southeast NC with free and confidential assistance to help businesses start, grow, and prosper. She is also the Interim Director of the UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which connects, leverages, and ignites regional strengths and university expertise to create innovative and entrepreneurial solutions to global challenges.

Gustavo Rodea has lived in Wilmington since 2008. He is married to Lupe Duran. Together
they have two boys, Anthony, age 13 and Leonardo, age 3. 
Gustavo Rodea is an entrepreneur who has 18 years of experience in the retail business world. Having
moved to the United States from the largest city in the world, Mexico City, Rodea began his career at
the tender age of 22 and became a successful entrepreneur. He attributes his success to the seminars,
books and continuing education that he pursued along the way, as well as his self-taught abilities
through trial and error. During the national economic recession of 2008, Rodea’s dream of becoming a
business owner were put on hold as he was forced to sell his company as part of a wise business
strategy to stay ahead.

April Scott is originally from Bristol, Pennsylvania; having relocated to Wilmington, NC in 1993. After graduating high school in Pennsylvania, she decided to relocate to North Carolina, home of her parents. She currently holds the position of Director of the Small Business Center at Brunswick Community College. She enjoys trying new recipes, traveling, dancing, gardening, volunteering with the youth, and family time. She’s currently on the board of Going Beyond The Pink, State Employees Credit Union, North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce and a member of WIN. One of her many favorite quotes is “Success isn’t about how much money you make it’s about the difference you make in in people’s lives”. Michelle Obama

Tracey Newkirk, is a Certified Personal Resilience Coach and the Founder of UNEXO, a boutique consultancy helping leaders build high-performance teams. She and her husband Girard Newkirk co-founded Genesis Block, a coworking space in downtown Wilmington providing business development services, workspaces and building entrepreneurial communities. Genesis Block was created with the idea that each community needs a place to collaborate, create, discuss ideas and gather. Building the small business ecosystem and supporting community collaboration is our goal in each neighborhood.

Travis Corpening is a Raleigh, NC native, a graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington and an author, speaker and consultant. Corpening considers it a blessing to have spent over 20 years improving personal development, equity, and student outcomes. In 2010 he created a company to train agencies to work with diverse groups of young people. Eventually he saw the need to expand the program and created a non-profit called the Young Mogul Development Group, teaching young men entrepreneurship and self-branding. In 2014 Travis was selected by StarNews of Wilmington as one of the 12 to Watch in the Cape Fear Region. Through his continued work, he has been recognized with numerous awards like the NAACP Youth Award and UNCW’s 2016 Young Alumn of the Year. In 2016, he achieved Best Paper at the Clute International Conference for writing and presenting on barriers for ex-offenders in higher education.

Chakema Clinton-Quintana is vice president of Inclusive Small Business at Live Oak Bank, where she leads the inclusive small business center. She focuses on strengthening and supporting inclusive small business growth in our communities and verticals through research, job creation programs, capital allocation, mentorship, and programming. Chakema has 19 years of banking experience and has a degree in business management from Strayer University in Herndon, Virginia. Her background includes foreclosure, real estate short sales, loss mitigation, relationship management, and compliance. Chakema currently serves on the board of directors for three non-profit organizations, including treasurer of Voyage Wilmington, treasurer of Red, Black, & Love, Inc., and board chair for The OOPS Foundation.

I currently serve as the Head of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Community for nCino.  In my role, I am in charge of our corporate DEI strategy & implementation, as well as all community service and philanthropy.  

We are Freshco Marketing Agency, a Latina-Owned Business established in Wilmington, NC by Jennifer Galeano. 

Our team of 10+ professionals, including Graphic Designers, Videographers, Writers, and social media experts, with 25+ years of combined experience, helps organizations and companies create and realize their goals through effective marketing and brand recognition. 

We were inspired to start in 2014, by business owners’ need for professional marketing solutions. 

Our founder, Jennifer Galeano, has a background in radio announcing, journalism, and social communication, and saw an opportunity to provide bilingual marketing services in the United States after moving from Bogota, Colombia. 

We thrive on developing fresh brands, producing effective marketing strategies, and serving our community with our creative expertise.

Paula Vargas is a realtor and broker serving the greater Wilmington, NC area. She is a top-rated real estate broker who has been featured in WILMA Magazine, named 40 Under 40 in 2023, and awarded the Icon Agent status at eXp Realty for being a high producer. She is dedicated to helping her clients with all kinds of real estate transactions such as home buying, selling, and has a special interest in luxury real estate. Contact her today or visit her website to learn more!