Today, the National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) announced the addition of two Council Members to its representative board of women leaders and business owners. The newest Members are Marsha Bailey, Chair of the Association of Women’s Business Centers and Founder and CEO of the Women’s Economic Ventures and the Small Business Loan Fund of Santa Barbara; and Teresa Nelson, Astia Global Advisory Board Member, Professor at Simmons College School of Management & Director of the Entrepreneurship Program. The NWBC Chair released the following statement:

“I’m thrilled to welcome two new women to the National Women’s Business Council: Marsha Bailey and Teresa Nelson,” said NWBC Chair Carla Harris.

“Marsha and Teresa were chosen for their passion for and commitment to the women entrepreneurship agenda. Marsha’s proven leadership, experience working with the U.S. Small Business Administration, and passion for mentorship will be a great value-add to the NWBC. Teresa brings a wealth of academic insight and expertise to the Council, as well as a global outlook. They are joining a diverse team of influential women leaders and business owners. I look forward to their dynamism and new perspectives and I know that both will contribute greatly to NWBC’s mission of advancing women entrepreneurs.”

“On behalf of the National Women’s Business Council staff and Council Members, I congratulate and give a warm welcome to Marsha Bailey and Teresa Nelson.”

The National Women’s Business Council is a non-partisan federal advisory council created to serve as an independent source of advice and counsel to the President, Congress, and the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues of importance to women business owners. For more information about the Council, visit nwbc.gov. For more information about the new Council Members, brief bios are below and full bios are available online at: http://www.nwbc.gov/about/meet-the-members-of-the-council.

About Marsha Bailey:

Marsha Bailey is the Chair of the Association of Women’s Business Centers. She is also the founder and CEO of Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) and the Small Business Loan Fund of Santa Barbara. Bailey has been developing educational programs and services for women since 1983 and is the primary author of WEV’s self-employment training curriculum, From Vision to Venture. Under Bailey’s leadership, WEV has grown from a small organization with two employees and an annual budget of $75,000 to a nationally recognized women’s business development organization with 14 employees and an annual budget of $1.4 million. She has a Master’s Degree in Communication from UCSB and a B.A. from Michigan State University in Fine Art and Sociology. She is a certified Economic Development Finance Professional. Read more about Marsha Bailey here.

About Teresa Nelson:

Teresa Nelson’s teaching, research, and consulting focus on entrepreneurship and international business, particularly around start-up and growth company strategy, including capital acquisition. She has been engaged for more than a decade with global business issues, including especially China and the European Union. Internationally, she is recognized for her work on creativity and innovation; women entrepreneurs; global expansion; and social issues of entrepreneurship. Nelson has led travel courses for executives and students to many parts of the world, including China, where she has experienced first-hand the emergence of the market economy. Having taught on five continents, Nelson now specializes at Simmons on creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship and strategic management in the MBA program. Her passion is to work with students and practitioners who want to have an impact in their domains. Nelson’s research is related to the start-up and growth of new ventures and the competitive and institutional factors involved. She is an expert in the development of top management teams of growth companies and social impact entrepreneurship. Read more about Teresa Nelson here.

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Krystal Glass
Communications Director
National Women’s Business Council
Krystal.Glass@nwbc.gov
O: 202.205.6829