April 19, 2015

Welcome and thank you for joining us at the Central Valley/Mother Lode Educators
Cultivating Entrepreneurship Summit! We are pleased to provide you with best practice
sharing from your peer experts in nearly every element of a successful and robust
entrepreneur program at an educational institution.
Whether you are interested in developing an entrepreneur club on campus, hosting a
business plan pitch competition, infusing entrepreneurship into CTE, or developing a
Hacker/Maker Lab, your colleagues will discuss how they put these programs into place on
their campus. Also joining us are some third-party presenters who will share products you
can use in your classroom right now and industry and entrepreneur stakeholder partners
who will share how best to collaborate with them to expand entrepreneurship within your
community.
It is our hope that you will take away from this summit valuable information, actionable
items and concrete curriculum resources to help you develop and grow your entrepreneur
program. Equally as important are the connections and relationships you will build over the
next two days. Partner, ask for help, mentoring or more information. We find faculty who
develop strong programs are more than willing to share.
The goal of this summit is to grow a strong entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Central
Valley/Mother Lode Region. We hope you discover seeds of ideas you can plant on your
campus.
Sincerely,
Lorinda Forrest
Small Business Deputy Sector Navigator
Central Valley/Mother Lode Region
lforrest@deltacollege.edu
209-481-9605

Central Valley/Mother Lode Region

Educators Cultivating Entrepreneurship Summit

Sunday
9:00 - 10:00

Registration & Continental Breakfast

Networking and Marketplace

10:00 - 10:15

Welcome & Introductions

10:15 - 11:15

Keynote: Jake Soberal, Bitwise Industries

Growing Entrepreneurship in the Central Valley/Mother Lode

11:15 - 12:00

Breakout Session #1
A Business Plan Workbook, Charlie Monahan
B Delivering Dynamic Entrepreneur CurriculumEric Rajasalu
C Start Making Videos for Your Business Today, Mike Tringe

12:00 - 12:15

BREAK

12:15 - 1:00

Breakout Session #2
A HPLife - Free Online Entrepreneurship Learning Community
B Starting a Micro-business in a Weekend - Andrew Shin

1:00 - 2:30

Location

May 19, 2015

LUNCH
Keynote: Dr. Melissa Moreno, SBCC
The Rapid Start-up: Getting Students to Launch

Garden Ballroom Foyer

Garden Ballroom

Garden Ballroom
Belmont
Golden Gate

Belmont
Golden Gate

Garden Ballroom

2:30 - 3:15

Panel Discussion
Developing a Pitch Competition at Your Campus
Melissa Moreno, Martha Villarreal

3:15 - 3:30

BREAK

3:30 - 5:30

Regional Pitch Competition Final Round and Voting

Introduction to Regional HS/CC Pitch Finalists
HS/CC Pitch Presentations and Coaching
Regional Pitch Competition Awards

Garden Ballroom

5:30 -8:30

No-host bar

Foyer

6:00 - 7:30

Dinner
Guest Speaker: Dr. Timothy Stearns - Lyles Center
Colleges as a Catalyst for Entrepreneurial Ecosystems

Garden Ballroom

No-host Bar / Dessert Buffet/Networking

Foyer

7:30 - 8:30

Garden Ballroom

Central Valley/Mother Lode Region

Educators Cultivating Entrepreneurship Summit

Monday

May 20, 2015

Location

8:00 - 9:00

Breakfast
Panel Discussion
The Impact of Industry Partnerships in Growing
Your Entrepreneur Program
Kurt Clark, Nicola Wissler

Garden Ballroom

9:00 - 9:45

Panel Discussion
The Value of Entrepreneur Clubs on Campus
Martha Villarreal, Andrew Shin, Eric Nasalroad

Garden Ballroom

9:45 - 10:00

BREAK

10:00 - 10:45

Breakout Session #3
A Enterprise Launch: Teaching the 20 Steps, Dr. Melissa Moreno
B Writing mini-grants to grow an e-ship program- Lorinda Forrest

10:45 - 11:30

Keynote:
What is a Hacker-Maker Space and how can I start one?
Carol Pepper-Kittridge, DSN-Rocklin Sierra Community College
Gina Lujan & Eric Ullrich, Rocklin Sierra College Hacker Lab

Belmont
Golden Gate

Garden Ballroom

11:30 - 11:45

BREAK

11:45 - 12:30

Panel Discussion
Establishing E-centers at your Campus
Melissa Moreno, Marianne Dunklin

12:30 - 1:45

LUNCH
Garden Ballroom
Arts Entrepreneurship: Creating Unique Self-Directed Futures in the Arts
Alex Kramer & John Graulty, Cabrillo College

1:45 - 2:10

NACCE Member Resources

Amelia Schultz, NACCE

Garden Ballroom

2:10 - 3:00

Seeds of Entrepreneurship Share-out

Wrap-up/Closing, Lorinda Forrest

Garden Ballroom

Garden Ballroom

Sunday, April 19 11:15 am

The Business Plan Workbook

Breakout Session #1
Charlie Monahan
Napa Valley College

Garden Ballroom

Attendees will receive a copy of the comprehensive Business Plan Workbook, and the instructor will guide you through the
planning process in an easy to understand, step-by-step, fill in the blanks, process.
Delivering Dynamic Entrepreneur Curriculum

Eric Rajasalu
Thinktomi

Belmont

Thinktomi provides experiential business education leveraging the latest Silicon Valley entrepreneurship methodologies. Our
programs are project based, high impact, and experiential. This means that students are most likely to learn and remember the
material, increasing their chances for success. Thinktomi's Dynamic Content Management System (DCMP) eliminates the need
for textbooks. We are constantly updating our curriculum to ensure students are learning the very latest Silicon Valley
methodologies.
Start Making Videos for Your Business Today

Mike Tringe
CreatorUp!

Golden Gate

Have you ever discovered a new business online by watching a video? Or have you ever noticed you spend more time on a
website when theres a video to click? In that amount of time, your customers are getting to know you better, which improves
your credibility, trust, and familiarity. Video helps increase engagement on your website by 5X. So how can you make a plan to
help you start creating your own videos for your business? This simple business video production plan can help grow your
business with a low cost marketing strategy that yields a high and measurable return.
Sunday, April 19 12:15 am
HPLife - Free Online Entrepreneurship Learning Community

Breakout Session #2
Debbie Ledbetter
HP LIFE

Belmont

HP Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs HP LIFE is a global program that helps students, potential entrepreneurs and small
business owners establish and grow their businesses by providing online and face-to-face training in IT and business skills. Learn
how to access the educator portal and how to use in your classroom.
Starting a Micro-business in a Weekend

Andrew Shinn
Reedley College

Golden Gate

We encourage our students to have a bias for action and to experience the entrepreneurial process for themselves. What lessons
can we learn if we strap ourselves into the learner's seat and launch a weekend-long micro business? What are some businesses
that lend themselves well to short startup times and easily-found lessons? What are some of the best ways to capture our
learning and bring it back to the classroom?
Monday, April 20 10:00 am
Enterprise Launch: Teaching the 20 Steps

Breakout Session #1
Dr. Melissa Moreno
Santa Barbara City College

Belmont

Enterprise Launch: Teaching the 20 steps. In this session, you will experience a live demo of the Enterprise Launch course as if
you were a real student. Bring your best product or service ideas and share in a fun and supportive environment! You will
receive an instructors packet including a syllabus and critical forms.
Writing Mini-grants to Grow an E-ship Program

Lorinda Forrest

Golden Gate

Learn what it takes to write a successful mini-grant. Join Deputy Sector Navigator Lorinda Forrest as she walks through the grant
process, what to include, forms to use in writing the grant and reporting on the grant expenditures and activities.
What is a Hacker Lab and How Can I Start One?
Carol Pepper-Kittridge, Gina Lujan and Eric Ullrich Sierra College
At this workshop and virtual tour, learn how Hacker Lab and Sierra College worked together, culminating in the launch of a
second Hacker Lab site near the college campus. See what Sierra College is doing as a full and active partner, and hear Hacker
Labs plans for building community in both urban and suburban social/economic environments. Gain tips for success as your
college thinks about replicating its own public private partnership to build social creativity and entrepreneurship.

Dr. Melissa V. Moreno

Dean, Educational Programs at Santa Barbara City College
Founding Director, Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Small Business Development Center, Center for International Trade Development
Melissa Visconti Moreno, J.D., is an entrepreneur, educator, author, consultant and CEO.
Melissa is Dean of Educational Programs for Business at Santa Barbara City College and was the
founding Director of the Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. The Scheinfeld Center became a
national award-winning program and serves as an educational model for other colleges. Under Melissas direction,
the Scheinfeld Center was awarded two regional designations: Small Business Development Center and Center for
International Trade Development.
Melissa exercises her own entrepreneur muscle working on her new independent hotel brand and proprietary
management system for independent hotel owners. For the past 20 years, as owner and CEO, she has run an
independent hotel company in Arizona and Montana. She also consults for small businesses and start-ups.
Melissa completed her undergraduate studies at University of California, Santa Barbara, and her Juris Doctor at Santa
Barbara College of Law. She is admitted to the California State Bar and is a licensed California Real Estate Broker

Jake Soberal
Chief Executive Officer
Bitwise Industries
Jake Soberal is the Chief Executive Officer of Bitwise Industries (Bitwise). Bitwise was founded in
2013 to move the technology industry in the Fresno Region forward. Bitwise is comprised of four
divisions: Geekwise Academy, a training program that teaches computer programming at a superfast pace; Hashtag, a collaborative workspace; Shift3 Technologies, a software development and
online marketing firm; and a building division. Prior to co-founding Bitwise, Jake was an
intellectual property attorney at Walter & Wilhelm Law Group. Jake is a graduate of Clovis High School, rowed for
Varsity Mens Rowing Team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is a nationally recognized oralist,
thinks Fresno will soon be a global technology center, is an avid runner and skier, prefers blue to red under all
circumstances, and lives in Fresno on purpose. Jake is actively involved in a variety of community initiatives, mostly
focused on economic development in the Fresno Region

Dr. Timothy Stearns

Executive Director/Founder, Lyles Center for Entrepreneurship at
California State University, Fresno
Timothy M. Stearns is the holder of the Coleman Foundation Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies and
Executive Director/Founder of the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at California
State University, Fresno www.lylescenter.com. Professor Stearns received his MBA degree in
management and a doctorate in management/sociology from Indiana University. He previously was a member of
the Management faculty at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and Marquette University. He has served on the
editorial board of the Academy of Management Journal, and currently serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of
Business Research and the Journal of Small Business Management. Professor Stearns has co-authored a textbook on
management and is the author of more than 100 research articles and presentations. He has taught and lectured on
entrepreneurship and innovation to students and executives in Thailand, Poland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Macau, India,
Singapore, Germany, Malaysia, France, Belgium, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, and the Peoples Republic of China. He
served as Chair of the Entrepreneurship Division of the Academy of Management www.aomonline.org in 2006 and
2008. In addition, he is on the Board of the Central Valley Business Incubator, a not for profit facility www.cvbi.org.
Professor Stearns is also co-founder of Kids Invent! www.kidsinvent.com a company that sells creative hands on
learning around the world. He is a co-founder of the National Network for Technology Entrepreneurship and
Commercialization www.n2tec.org, a nonprofit located in Rapid City, South Dakota. Most recently he co-founded the
American Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, LLC in partnership with educators in Singapore. In 2007,
Professor Stearns won the prestigious Wang Family Excellence Award given each year to 4 faculty members selected
from the 23 campus wide California State System. In January 2009, Professor Stearns was elected a fellow of the
U.S. Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, one of 51 Fellows who have been inducted since 1986. He
also received the universitys 2009 Presidents Award of Excellence which annually recognizes a faculty member at
California State University, Fresno.

Carol Pepper-Kittridge
Deputy Sector Navigator, Advanced Manufacturing
Director, Center for Applied Competitive Technologies (CACT)
Sierra College
Carol Pepper-Kittredge is the Director of the Sierra College Center for Applied Competitive
Technologies (CACT). The CACT mission is to provide technical assistance and training for small
and medium manufacturers and technology companies in the Sacramento Region. From 20072014, Carol also managed the Sierra STEM Collaborative, a project that partnered with eight regional high schools
to develop strong manufacturing and engineering pathways and connect students to Sierra Colleges Mechatronics,
Welding, Engineering, Drafting & Engineering Support, and Construction & Energy Technology programs of
study. Prior to joining Sierra College, she managed, evaluated, conducted research, and provided training for a
variety of community colleges and educational institutions as an independent consultant. Carol has a Masters
Degree in Human Resources & Organizational Development from the University of San Francisco, and a Bachelors
Degree in Environmental Planning & Management from the University of California, Davis.
Carol has been a hobby woodworker for a long time and, along with her husband, has built paneled doors, furniturestyle cabinets, molding, and lots of other stuff for several new and old houses. She also sews, paints, wallpapers,
and owns and fosters rescue border collies. Her goal is to learn and become more proficient in creating wearable
electronics

Alex Kramer
Deputy Sector Navigator, Small Business
Cabrillo College
Alex Kramer is the Deputy Sector Navigator (DSN) representing Small Business in the Southwest
Bay Area, serving 14 community colleges across 6 counties. He holds a degree from Humboldt
State University in Marketing & Public Relations and is an active entrepreneur today. While at
HSU, he co-founded and served as vice president to the HSU Entrepreneurs Club and acted as
representative for the Professional Studies Council through the Associated Students of HSU. During his education, he
trekked to many parts of the world including Spain, Switzerland and Italy, where he received his certification in
International Business and Intercultural Communication.
Prior to his role as Small Business DSN, Alex served as director of the Business & Entrepreneurship Center (BEC) at
Cabrillo College, and coordinated the Youth Entrepreneurship Program (YEP), a regional initiative in partnership with
the Northern California SBDC network which has helped young Bay Area entrepreneurs generate over $1m in sales
and investment.

John Gaulty
Dean, Visual and Performing Arts
Cabrillo College
John Graulty, Dean of Visual and Performing Arts at Cabrillo College is passionate about the key
role the arts play in improving the human condition and stimulating creative and critical thought.
As a former chair of the College Music Society's Academic Citizenship Committee and member of
its Committee on Administration and Academic Leadership, John has presented at national conferences on topics
including entrepreneurial arts advocacy and engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strategic planning. As a
former US Air Force conductor who has worked in mediums ranging from jazz to opera, John has conducted at the
Leipzig Gewandhaus, Royal Albert Hall in London, and the Red Army Theater in Moscow.
John holds a Ed. D. from Columbia University Teachers College, a Master of Music degree from New England
Conservatory and his Bachelor of Music degree from Peabody Conservatory. Today John serves on the Boards of
Directors of the Tannery Arts Center, the Arts Council of Santa Cruz County, the Santa Cruz County Alliance for Arts
Education, and the Santa Cruz County Symphony Artistic Advisory Committee. Past academic and leadership
appointments include Dean of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Merced College (CA), Music Department
Chair at Delaware State University and Goshen College (IN), and faculty posts at Butler University and the
University of Indianapolis.

Charlie Monahan
Deputy Sector Navigator, Small Business
Napa College
Charlie is a former restaurant owner, corporate trainer and operations manager with over 25 years
in the food service industry. He has enjoyed a variety of roles within restaurant operations including
new product development, new store openings (40+), management training and employee training
programs.
He has been a business coach and advisor since 2000, holding a variety of positions including Program Coordinator
of the Napa Valley College Hospitality Institute, Interim Director of the Napa Valley College Small Business
Development Center, Program Coordinator of the Business and Entrepreneurship Center and is currently the Deputy
Sector Navigator for Small Business hosted by Napa Valley College.
Charlie Monahan
2277 Napa-Vallejo Highway
Napa, CA 94558
cmonahan@napavalley.edu
(707) 256-7255

Gina Lujan
Rocklin Sierra College Hacker Lab
Gina Lujan is the Founder/Director/CEO of Hacker Lab. Gina loves people, making things and
entrepreneurship. And she is the catalyst that inspires people to create, connect and construct new
products and companies. Gina has 20 years of entrepreneurial experience and 14 years in
Technology. Ginas main job functions at Hacker Lab are community building, business relations,
facility operations, and event planning.
http://hackerlab.org/2014/12/03/story-rocklin-sierra-college-hacker-lab-shop-bot/

Andrew Shin
Business & Entrepreneur Faculty
Fresno City College
Andrew Shinn started his first business, a paper route, at the age of 10. His next business, at age
16, was a wholesale/retail firewood operation. Since then, he has worked in fast food, as a maid,
as a forklift driver, as a journeyman crane rigger, as a handyman, as a military media relations
specialist, as a photographer, as a business consultant and coach, as a photography teacher, and
as an art dealer. Andrews passions include history, international relations, and technology. His
Masters Degree is in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from California State
University, Fresno. He currently teaches entrepreneurship at Reedley College, where he helps students discover
their passions and turn them into working businesses. He stresses to his students the role of hands-on and
experiential learning, quick iteration, and market-based feasibility testing.

Amy Schulz
Vice President, Membership
National Association of Community College Entrepreneurs (NACCE)
Amy Schulz serves as the Vice President of Membership for the National Association for Community
College Entrepreneurship (NACCE). Before working with NACCE, Amy was instrumental in launching
entrepreneurship programming at Feather River College, including starting a multi-high school
entrepreneurship pathway in five counties in Northeastern California, developing cross-curricular CTE and
entrepreneurship certificates, integrating an entrepreneurial culture in rural economic development through unique
partnerships, starting a business succession planning pilot with Work-Based Learning partners, and working closely
with Far North DSN Darren Gurney to empower the colleges and K12 partners of the Far North Region to expand
entrepreneurial education efforts. Amy also served as Enactus faculty advisor and inspired students to get involved
in grassroots entrepreneurial projects both locally and in Africa.

Eric Ullrich
Rocklin Sierra College Hacker Lab
Eric Ullrich is the Co-Founder/COO of Hacker Lab. Eric focuses on team building, partnerships,
education, and startup support, and has a passion for building community around technology
entrepreneurship to implement world-changing ideas. Eric began his journey as an
entrepreneur and social economist in college, and has worked in the startup and workforce
development community for more than a decade.
http://hackerlab.org/2014/12/03/story-rocklin-sierra-college-hacker-lab-shop-bot/

Andrew Shin
Business & Entrepreneur Faculty
Fresno City College
Andrew Shinn started his first business, a paper route, at the age of 10. His next business, at
age 16, was a wholesale/retail firewood operation. Since then, he has worked in fast food, as a
maid, as a forklift driver, as a journeyman crane rigger, as a handyman, as a military media
relations specialist, as a photographer, as a business consultant and coach, as a photography
teacher, and as an art dealer. Andrews passions include history, international relations, and technology. His
Masters Degree is in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from California State
University, Fresno. He currently teaches entrepreneurship at Reedley College, where he helps students discover
their passions and turn them into working businesses. He stresses to his students the role of hands-on and
experiential learning, quick iteration, and market-based feasibility testing.

Mike Tringe
CreatorUp
Mike Tringe is the co-founder of CreatorUp, a creative skills academy, where anyone can
learn from industry pros - anytime, anywhere, and affordably. Mike earned his BA from Harvard
in History and Science, and went on to teach high school English and filmmaking at the
American School in Tangier Morocco. He earned his MFA in Film Production from USC and won a
Student Academy Award for the short film "A Day's Work" which he produced. He has worked in
the Film Finance/Sales Dept. at CAA, in Creative Development at Michael Eisner's multi-platform studio Vuguru,
and in Content Partnerships at Blip Networks.
https://creatorup.com/

Debbie Ledbetter
HP LIFE
As the Global partner manager for HP LIFE, Debbie works with organizations such as NACCE and
SkillsUSA to use HP LIFE in community colleges, high schools and small business training
organizations.
http://www.life-global.org/en

Eric Rajasalu
Thinktomi
As a Silicon Valley native, entrepreneurship is in Erics DNA. He grew up during the adolescence of
innovation that has since become the entrepreneurial standard-bearer for the world. Eric capitalizes
on 25 years of sales, marketing, and education leadership as Thinktomis Co-founder and Chief
Customer Officer. Thinktomi delivers accelerated, high-impact, relevant business and
entrepreneurship curriculum in high schools, community colleges, and universities both in the United
States and in South Korea. Prior to co-founding Thinktomi, Eric served as the Senior Vice President of Marketing and
Admissions for Heald College. He spent nearly a decade on the senior leadership team holding various roles at the
regionally accredited, 150 year old, twelve-campus college system. In 2010, Corinthian Colleges, Inc. acquired Heald
for $395M. Previously, Eric was the Vice President of Strategic Accounts and Director of Sales for the Northern
California Division of Corporate Express, a multi-national, multi-billion dollar distributor of office products, furniture,
and promotional products. Eric served four years on the board, two years as president, of Each One Reach One, a
California nonprofit that works to divert incarcerated youth from a life in prison to become productive community
members through mentor-based performing arts and academic tutoring programs. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in
International Business with a Latin America focus and a Master of Arts in Education with a multicultural counseling
focus, both from San Diego State University.
http://www.thinktomi.com/

Kurtis Clark
Chief Innovation Officer and SBDC Director
Stanislaus Business Alliance
Modesto, CA
Kurtis grew up on his familys ranch in Central California and learned entrepreneurism at an early
age. He has started and operated two small businesses in his life. Starting right after High School
he spent 26 years in a retail grocery career, 20 of those years in management. During the last 8
years Kurtis returned to college and earned a B.A. in Business Management from St. Marys College and a Master of
Public Administration degree from CA State University, Stanislaus.
In 2000, he became an adjunct faculty member at three Central Valley Community colleges teaching over a two
dozen business courses and also joined the local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) as a part-time
business consultant. In 2003, he was hired as the Director of the Alliance SBDC as position he continues to hold
today. In the past 12 years, Kurtis has personally counseled over 1,000 entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Today, the Alliance SBDC is recognized as one of the premier SBDCs in CA with over 30 professional business
consultants under contract providing free business consulting and low-cost training to over 1,500 individuals a
year. In 2011, the Alliance SBDC was awarded the US Small Business Administrations Innovation and Excellence
award for Central California.

Nicola Wissler
Visalia Unified School District Linked Learning Liason
Visalia Chamber of Commerce
Nicola Wissler grew up in Visalia CA. and graduated from Golden West High School. After finishing
college at Northern Arizona University with a degree in Political Science, she moved to Northern
Californias East Bay Region. Nicola began her career with the Junior Statesmen of America, a large
national non-profit organization with a focus on helping high school students understand and get
involved in the political process. After four years she transitioned to Association Management Solutions and honed
her skills in non-profit management, with an emphasis on events and meeting management. After a decade in the
Bay Area Nicola and her family moved back to Visalia. Nicola joined the Visalia Chamber of Commerce in January
2013 as the Communications and Special Projects Coordinator. Currently Nicola manages the Young Entrepreneurs
Academy, a program that teaches middle and high school students how to start and run their own real businesses.
This program is finishing its second year in Visalia and has enabled the Chamber to get local business owners and
leaders involved in entrepreneurship education locally. She also manages the Visalia Young Professionals Network
and is the liaison for the Visalia Chamber of Commerce with Visalia Unified School District working on the Linked
Learning initiatives.
Nicola and her husband Daniel have two sons, Noah (7) and Gavin (5).

Summit Seed Notes