Meet the Team

Ken Grissom

Ken Grissom has served multiple roles with the SBDC at JSU, including Government Procurement Advisor, Business Advisor, and since 2014 as the Center Director. Grissom earned his undergraduate and MBA at JSU. Prior to joining the SBDC in 2011, Ken had worked as a businessman, owning and operating restaurants and other commercial projects.

Taylor Findley

Taylor Findley joined the Alabama SBDC at Jacksonville State University in 2021 as a business advisor specializing in providing small businesses with CARES Act assistance.  After leaving in 2022, she returned to the SBDC in 2024 again as a business advisor. She graduated from Jacksonville State University with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biology in 2016 and a Master of Science in Biology in 2019.  She has worked in multiple types of businesses including healthcare, industrial laboratories, higher education, and service industries.

Brandy Turner

Brandy Turner joined the Alabama SBDC at Jacksonville State University in December 2024 as a Business Advisor. Brandy has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in management. She graduated from Jacksonville State University with her master’s degree in integrated studies in December 2023.  She has a background in healthcare and has also served as a coordinator in the healthcare industry and in several service industries.

Anna Fang

Anna has been employed at JSU since 2014. She serves as a Grants Administrator & Financial Analyst in the Small Business Development Center. Prior to her employment with SBDC at JSU, she worked in banking, and local government as a financial officer. She has over 19 years of expertise in the financial services industry. Anna has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration – Computer Information Systems and a Master’s degree in Accounting. Anna is a Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM).

Lindsay Frey

After several years as a Procurement Specialist at the APEX Accelerator of Alabama at JSU, Lindsay was hired as the statewide APEX Program Manager at the University of Alabama.  Lindsay has offices in Birmingham and Jacksonville.  Before joining APEX, she spent two years in the Anniston Army Depot’s Contracting Office, mainly assisting in the Office of Small Business Programs.  Lindsay also offers eleven years of experience in sales, marketing, and community outreach to assist her clients.  She ran her family’s jewelry business for seven years and was a marketing manager/community outreach manager for a large chain of non-profit dental offices in the area for four years.  Lindsay has an undergrad in Marketing and her Masters in Public Administration, both from JSU.  She is a Leadership Calhoun County and Leadership Cleburne County graduate and received the Calhoun County Chamber’s Small Business Advocate of the Year award in 2019.  Lindsay is married to her husband, Tom and has a daughter named Scarlett.

The APEX Accelerator of Alabama (formerly Alabama PTAC) is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the Department of Defense.

Mazah Grimes

Mazah Grimes is a Government Procurement Advisor with the APEX Accelerator of Alabama Program based in Jacksonville State University and co-located in the Small Business Development Center. APEX Accelerators are managed by the Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs and assist clients with grants, certifications, and government contract opportunities. As a 2022 graduate of Auburn University, Ms. Grimes obtained a Master of Public Administration and Master of Community Planning in addition to a Graduate Certificate in Economic Development. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Communication with a concentration in Public Relations in 2020 from Jacksonville State University.

Hilary Claybourne

Michelle Kloske

Michelle Kloske is a senior business advisor and training coordinator at the Alabama SBDC at the University of Alabama Huntsville since 2019. Michelle was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. She has an associate’s degree from the University of Florida and a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Michelle is an enthusiastic and creative business advisor. Through her varied experiences, she is uniquely skilled to assist clients in the retail and service business and assisting food and beverage clients navigate the complex nuances of the industry.

Michelle began her career as an accountant specializing in payroll, taxes, and government reporting, for a defense contractor in the 8A program in Huntsville. She left the traditional workforce upon the birth of her first daughter. During her time as a stay-at-home mom of three girls, she was a top-selling consultant, she worked as a part-time accountant for a nuclear engineering firm, and she founded a small business specializing in custom apparel selling in her online boutique, craft shows, and directly to organizations. Additionally, she spent extensive time volunteering to chair large fundraising galas raising nearly half a million dollars for her children’s schools. In 2014, Michelle returned to the traditional workforce full-time as the accounting manager, events coordinator, and membership director at a country club. She worked with all aspects of the organization to help the formerly bankrupt club become a thriving small business. Michelle truly loves working with SBDC clients. She utilizes her wealth of personal experience and friendly personality to help her clients realize their entrepreneurial dreams.

Ronica Ondocsin, PE

Ronica has worked for more than 25 years in the fields of engineering, project management and business development with the US Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense, Alabama Department of Transportation and University of Alabama Huntsville.  She has a BS in Civil Engineering from UAH and is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Alabama with experience in site development, roadway design, and master planning and facility requirements development for large military and commercial/municipal projects.  Her service to the local community also includes six years as a member of the Madison City Council, which gives her a unique perspective on how new businesses are licensed, launched, and succeed in their communities.

Kris McBride

Ms. Kris McBride has an extensive background serving our community and in the Defense Industry. Kris retired as a V.P. of SAIC where she served as Deputy Program Manager (DPM) for $1B Systems Engineering Services contracts with over a hundred project teams and more than 2000 fulltime equivalent personnel from SAIC and 150+ funded subcontracted companies delivering systems, software, hardware, network, and test engineering, transition support, fielding and user support, training support, configuration management, quality engineering, senior level program support. Kris has extensive experience in the software industry serving as an Executive Manager for Intergraph, as President of Sigmatech, a Small Disadvanted Business. While at Intergraph, Kris managed several international projects and sales with the United Kingdom, Sweden, Singapore, Japan and Saudi Arabia.

Kris has a BA in Computer Science and Mathematics (double major) from The University of Tennessee, and a MS Computer Science, The University of Alabama in Huntsville. Kris has served in several leadership positions including Board of Directors Chair for the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Immediate Past President (Region) of the Association of the United States Army’s (AUSA), President-Nominee of the Rotary Club of Madison, Alabama, and member of the Huntsville Committee of 100. Kris is committed to providing assistance and serving as a bridge between our small business community, prime contractors and government agencies.

Marc Jacobson

Mr. Marc Jacobson has an extensive background serving our community and in the Defense Industry. He recently retired from serving as the City Administrator with the city of Madison, AL, has served in leadership roles with the Chambers of Commerce and several community and non-profit boards of directors. Marc retired as a V.P. of SAIC managing over 900 employees, subcontractors and small businesses, providing engineering support for Army systems at Redstone Arsenal, with a portfolio valued at $165M in revenue. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel having served for 25 years in the Active and Army Reserves. Marc is Chapter Executive Vice President – Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA), member/Past President – Rotary Club of Madison, board member/Past President – Better Business Bureau (BBB) of North Alabama and is a member of Committee 100. He has over 33 years working in government contracting.

Marc has a BS in Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, a Master of Administrative Science (MAS) from Johns Hopkins University. He is a graduate of both Leadership Greater Huntsville and Leadership Alabama. Marc’s extensive experience managing programs from local, city and federal contracting. He is passionate about providing opportunities for growth in government contracting for our local small businesses and economy.

Dr. Earl C. Johnson

Dr. Earl Johnson has an extensive background in Government Contracting.  Dr. Johnson retired from the Army Contracting Command as a Government Contracting Officer with over 30 years of contracting experience.  A government contracting portfolio that consists of multimillion dollar contracts for major weapon systems, as well as installation support services contracts.  After retirement Dr. Johnson worked with a defense contractor, supporting the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) as an Advanced Acquisition Analyst and Supervisor, responsible for reviewing contractual actions for compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), and MDA’s policies and procedures.  Dr. Johnson’s extensive contracting experience includes a brief role as the Senior Contracts Manager for BCF Solutions, Inc., a major government program management and technical services contractor.

Dr. Johnson has a BA in Telecommunication, with a minor in Business Management from Alabama A&M University, BA in Religion from American Baptist College, a Master of Divinity from Samford University (Beeson Divinity School) and Doctor of Ministry from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.  Dr. Johnson has served as past chair of the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).  A former board member of the United Way of Madison County.  Dr. Johnson has served as pastor of several churches in both Tennessee and Alabama for over 30 years and is currently the Founding Pastor of Christ Community Church of Huntsville.  For the past 22 years Dr. Johnson has served as an adjunct professor at Huntsville Bible College.  Dr. Johnson is enthusiastic about working with small businesses and supplying information that could potentially benefit or enhance government contracting relationships.

Daniel Farmer

Daniel (Dan) R. Farmer has a career that spans over 42 years of service to both the U.S. Army and the Defense Industry. For 16 years, he served as President/COO for Technology Management and Training Group Inc. (TMT Group) and led corporate operations and supervised management staff and program directors for all technical and programmatic efforts for the Department of Defense, partnerships with academic institutions, and industry partners. Formerly, Dan has served with Intuitive Research Technology Corporation (INTUITIVE), an Inc. 500 Company, and System Dynamic International Incorporated (SDI) with responsibilities ranging from the Director of Program Management-Support Programs to Senior Program Analyst. Dan led the development of an emerging Program Support Directorate supporting the U.S. Army Aviation Missile Research Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC), Program Executive Office (PEO) Aviation, and the Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) program office in the Missile Defense Agency (MDA).

Prior to entering industry, Dan spent 20 years in the U.S. Army as an Army Officer serving in both command and staff positions. Dan has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from the University of Maryland and is also a Graduate of Leadership Huntsville/Madison County, Masters Leadership Class.

Donald Mills

Donald brings more than 30 years of small business development and management/marketing experience to his current position. He has served as Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at UWA since September of 2007. He worked with the Small Business Development Center at Alabama State University as Procurement Specialist from 1987 to 1995. Donald was appointed Chairman of the Alabama Black Belt Commission’s Small Business Committee by Governor Bob Riley in 2009 and continued to serve in that position after being reconfirmed by Governor Robert Bentley until 2017.

Education & Certifications:

• Pursuing an MBA at the University of West Alabama
• BS Degree Business Management, Alabama State University
• Associates Degree Bishop State Community College
• Economic Development Certification, The University of Oklahoma
• Delta Regional Authority’s Leadership Institute Leadership program
• Authentic Leadership Delta Regional Authority
• Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government Executive Education Program

Sarah Rose Cooper

Sarah Rose Cooper is a Business Advisor with the Alabama SBDC at UWA. She was first introduced to the SBDC as a graduate assistant through the UWA College of Business. Following her time as a graduate assistant, there was an opportunity available and she joined the Alabama SBDC full-time. Sarah has a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and a Master’s in Business Administration with an emphasis on Human Resource Management from the University of West Alabama.

Sheena Turner

Andrea Rogers Mosley

Andrea Rogers Mosley serves as center director for the Alabama SBDC at Alabama State University and has been with the network since 2010.  In 2021, she was recognized with the “State Star” award. This national award from America’s SBDC recognizes those who demonstrate exemplary performance, make significant contributions to their networks, and are deeply committed to the success of America’s small businesses. Andrea is passionate about helping small businesses survive and thrive.

She previously owned a solopreneur virtual assistance and web design company for seven years before working with the SBDC. Andrea is active in the community and currently serves as an advisory council member of the Lowndes County Area Chamber of Commerce and an appointed commissioner with the Montgomery Housing Authority. She has served as a Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce board member and Roundtable facilitator for the Women in Business Conversations.

Andrea honorably served as an active duty service member in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1989 to 1993 and is a Desert Shield and Desert Storm Veteran. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Resource Management from Troy University and a Master of Arts Degree in Human Services: Counseling Business from Liberty University. She loves traveling with her husband and spending quality time with their children and family.

Cordero Young

Cordero Young is a Procurement Advisor with the APEX Accelerator of Alabama at ASU.  Before joining the APEX team, he worked in procurement at the State and City levels helping small businesses secure contract opportunities.  Young is currently pursuing a Bachelors in Business Management at ASU.

Stephen Langford

Stephen Langford is a Business Advisor with the Alabama SBDC in Montgomery, Alabama, at Alabama State University. Stephen has leveraged his expertise in education and state government for the past 25 years with the Alabama Department of Human Services, Georgia Department of Human Services, Troy University, and Montgomery Public Schools.  He has been a small business owner since 2000 and an alumnus of Alabama State University with a bachelor’s degree in education.

Valencia Hall

Bio Coming Soon!

Kimberly Hughston

Born and raised in the Shoals, Kimberly joined the Alabama SBDC at UNA as its first full-time Director. Her previous career path has always been in small business settings. She has varied knowledge that ranges from the pre-venture phase to becoming an established business. She specializes in marketing and enjoys helping small businesses get connected in the community. Kimberly has Bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and a MBA from the University of North Alabama, with a focus on Marketing.

Michael Butz

Michael Butz is the Associate Center Director for Alabama SBDC at the University of North Alabama. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from University of North Alabama and was a 3 year letterman with Lion Athletics. Since 2008, he has worked in the start-up business sector with a few different entities, where his responsibilities were primarily focused on the accounting and human resource management of the companies. From 2019 to 2021, he oversaw the financial reporting of 14 small businesses in the Shoals community. The 9 years prior to that, he was an integral part of a small team that expanded a clothing brand from 3 stores to 13 stores including a wholesale and e-commerce division. Additionally, as foster parents with the Alabama Dept of Human Resources, he and his family love to bring joy and spiritual blessings to children in the Shoals community.

Phillip Marks

Phillip Marks is a Procurement Advisor for the APEX Accelerator of Alabama in Florence, AL. His responsibilities include working with small businesses in the nine-county service area to assist with government contracting, assisting businesses in determining government contracting opportunities and helping them to do business with the federal agencies, prime contractors and state agencies. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and a Master’s in Business Administration from UNA. Phillip is a certified Associate Contracting Assistance Specialist with the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers. Phillip has past experience in advertising sales with Comcast and retail store management in the grocery industry.

Susan Adams

Susan has worked in a multitude of industries in HR, Marketing, Management, and Sales, including Pharmaceuticals, as well as having teaching and administrative experience in both High School and University arenas.

Susan has undergraduate degrees from the University of North Alabama in Biology, Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, with teaching certifications in Elementary and Secondary. Her MBA is from the University of Memphis in the specializations of Marketing and Management. Susan did post-graduate work at Vanderbilt in the areas of Human Resources and Training.

Coming from a family of small business owners, and having been a former business owner herself, Susan knows the needs of the small business community and has been able to use her education and experience to help entrepreneurs and small business owners prepare for government contracting. As a life-long learner, consummate fundraiser, and volunteer, she is always taking opportunities to learn and connect with others.

Susan has recently been selected as President of the University of North Alabama Alumni Association and holds leadership roles with Rotary and serves on the Professional Staff Assembly at the University of Alabama.

Juliana Bolivar

Juliana Bolivar is no stranger to business and entrepreneurship. Having been raised by small business owners, she had a front-row seat to the successes and failures inherent to running a business, and started her own business at the age of 16. She currently serves as the center director of the Alabama Small Business Development Center Network at Troy University, bringing to her role ten years as a small business consultant. She has become sought-after for her ability to come alongside business owners as they work to design and implement innovative solutions to drive start-up success and revenue growth. Her brand development strategies have gotten results for business owners in various industries from hospitality, restaurants, travel, athletics, to daycares, beauty, and personal branding.
In addition to her proven skills as a business leader, Juliana serves as a member of the board of directors of Turning Point, a non-profit working to end domestic violence. In this role, Juliana has driven organizational decision-making as well as doubled donations, and secured new local business partners. Juliana is fluent in Spanish.

Autumn Janus

Autumn Janus is the Program Assistant at the Alabama SBDC at Troy University, where she supports entrepreneurs and small business owners through coordination, outreach, and client services. Originally from Tallahassee, Florida, Autumn began her studies at Florida State University and later graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Public Health and a minor in Business Administration.

Lindsay Bridges

Lindsay Bridges has worked as a business advisor since 2009. Prior to joining the Alabama SBDC, she started a consulting business specializing in research and writing services. Lindsay has a Bachelor’s degree in History from Samford University, a Master’s degree in History from Auburn University, and a JD from Cumberland School of Law. She loves her job with the Alabama SBDC because she is continually learning. Lindsay enjoys researching various topics for clients and advises on a variety of subjects, including startup, financing, and feasibility.

Larkin A. Jones

Larkin Jones is a Business Advisor for the Alabama SBDC at Auburn University, in Auburn, Alabama.

Previously, Larkin worked as a Consultant for Accenture working with numerous Fortune 500 companies across the United States, Europe and Asia. She draws from her diverse experience and knowledge bringing creative perspectives in developing effective business processes and tools for her EVERY client to succeed. In every industry. Together with her husband, she is currently involved in numerous entrepreneurial ventures in Alabama and Florida.

Mel Washington

Mel is the Regional Manager of the Alabama SBDC in South Alabama, where he provides one on one confidential counseling to aspiring and existing small business owners in six counties in South Alabama. He is also the former Executive Director & CEO of Project Enterprise, a micro-lending organization supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses in under-resourced communities in New York City.

Mr. Washington holds an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Howard University, a Master’s in Business Administration from New York University and completed the Administration Executive Education Program at Wharton School of Business. He has held executive level positions in Finance, Operations, and Strategy and Planning in the financial services and telecommunications sectors. His career includes successful stints at top tier firms including AT&T, Salomon Brothers, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Chase, and Citibank.

Mr. Washington has demonstrated a strong commitment to community and economic development throughout his career, and has served on the Boards of several organizations in Mobile and the New York City Area. He is the former Chairman and current member of the Board of Directors for Prichard Preparatory School; member of the Community Development Advisory Council for Hancock Whitney Bank; member of the Board of Directors for Innovation Portal; member of the Advisory Board for the Melton Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at USA; member of the Board of Directors for The Mobile Ballet; former member of the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of South Alabama; former Vice President of the Board of Mobile Baykeeper; and formerly on the Boards of LiftFund in Austin Texas, and the History Museum of Mobile.

Mr. Washington is also active in several entrepreneur programs at the University of South Alabama: Teaching Team Member for the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps (I-Corps); Minority Business Accelerator Program; and Minority Business Development Program. In addition, he is an Expert in Residence at Innovation Portal, a non-profit incubator and innovation hub accelerating startup growth in Southwest Alabama and the central Gulf Coast.

Yolanda ‘Yo’ Johnson

Yolanda “Yo” Johnson, Business Advisor, started with the Alabama SBDC program in 1989 as the first procurement specialist in West Alabama then had a couple year stint as Director of the center located at the University of West Alabama. She returned to the network as a Business Advisor in 2014 after gaining extensive experience in non-profit management, business development and leadership in the architectural, engineering and construction industries, and after starting her own leadership consulting company. Yo holds undergraduate degree in Business Management from Auburn University, master’s degree in Business Education from University of West Alabama and extensive post graduate work in Economic Development from Auburn University, University of Oklahoma and University of Missouri-Kansas City. She is a 6th generation native to Coastal Alabama and is passionate about her community.

Gerald Dunlop

Gerald Dunlop is the Procurement Advisor for an eight-county area in southwest Alabama. He assists businesses with registering in the System for Award Management (SAM) and applying for the 8(a) Business Development Program, HUBZone certification, Woman-Owned Small Business certification, as well as other certifications. He also assists clients with locating bid opportunities and preparing bid proposals. He is a Certified Procurement Professional and a Level III Certified Contracting Assistance Specialist with the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, the professional organization of procurement technical assistance programs. He is also a VA Certification Counselor and a Certified Business Advisor with ASBDC. He has been with the Network since 1999. Prior to that, he was a journalist for many years. He has an MBA in management and a BA in journalism.