Michael Kraft
Executive Director

Michael Kraft serves as Executive Director of the North Coast Small Business Development Center.  He leads a team who work to help entrepreneurs succeed and provide a positive economic impact in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties.  In his individual work, he is involved with industry cluster projects, microenterprise, rural broadband internet deployment, child care industry research, and promoting private, government and nonprofit collaboration.  His past work is in a mix of higher education, Fortune 500 government contracting and small business.  Michael has an MBA from the Claremont Graduate University's Drucker School and a BA from the University of California at Riverside.

Colleen Trask
Staff Accountant and Business Advisor

Colleen Trask specializes in accounting and bookkeeping help for small businesses, including troubleshooting accounting and bookkeeping problems, and setting up bookkeeping systems for new ventures (QuickBooks, too!)

Janet Depace
Lead Business Advisor/Director of Del Norte Operations

Janet DePace is a long time resident and entrepreneur of Humboldt County, one of the original founders of Yakima Products Inc., and has served her community as president of Arcata Economic Development Corp., and Chair of the Humboldt County Workforce Investment Board. Prior to coming to the NCSBDC she maintained her own consulting practice with an emphasis on artists and manufacturers.

Sandy Neal
BizNet Program Coordinator

Sandy Neal has more than 25 years of experience in management, operations, engineering, and project management.  He has served as Director for a $75 million operation and as a Project Manager for projects ranging from $25,000 to $10 million.

One of Sandy's critical roles was leading business improvement projects that required change management strategies, detailed process improvement methodologies, and instituting business management systems.  Currently, he serves as an SBDC business advisor, the BizNet Program Manager, and the Rapid Response Coordinator for Humboldt County.

Sandy holds a BS degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and a Six Sigma Black Belt Certificate from Villanova University.  He has had a California Professional Engineers License for over 25 years.

Barbara Burke
Business Advisor, Del Norte

Jeanette Barry
Client Services Coordinator



Teri Bortz
Client Services and Administrative Assistant  
  
 

Tazsa Hartwell
Grants, Contracts, and Microenterprise Programs Analyst 

Tazsa Hartwell is the Grants, Contracts, and Microenterprise Programs Analyst for the North Coast SBDC.  Tazsa has been working in the non-profit sector for more than five years and has taken a special interest in contract and program administration of the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) micro-enterprise funding allocation that supports services for underserved individuals with low to moderate income in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties.  She manages the organization's Small Business Administration (SBA), Workforce Investment Board (WIB), and Headwaters Fund contracts in addition to several others.  Tazsa also maintains contracts and agreements with the North Coast SBDC's sub-contractor pool comprised of many talented, local business consultants.  Tazsa majors in International Studies with an emphasis in Mandarin and Chinese Studies.

Kathrine Bridgwater
Assistant Director of Communications, Grants, and Flights 

Kathrine manages all marketing and outreach including social media, organizes internal communications, prepares and submits grant applications, oversees microenteprise programs, coordinates the Green Business Program, and is the supervisor for the Grants, Contracts and Microenteprise Programs Analyst position.  Kathrine came to the North Coast SBDC after several years in the for-profit business world in Humboldt County.  She graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in Peace and Conflict Studies with honors.


Tony West
AmeriCorps VISTA

Tony was brought into the organization to play a linchpin role in vetting, researching, designing and implementing youth entrepreneurship programs in Humboldt County.  Since arriving he has worked on such projects as the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour, Things That Bug Me Video Contest and Crazy Idea Day. After the success of the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour, Tony has changed gears is now working to develop the 2012 Humboldt Made Fair. Tony has also been working towards creating a professional member association for local business owners as well as a rural innovation research project. Before arriving in Humboldt County, Tony spent the last 4 years working intermittently throughout Southeast Asia.  Most recently, he was living in Jakarta, Indonesia working on highly specialized technical assistance projects for Osana International Inc. Tony has worked on various assignments in Thailand, Indonesia and the United States. Tony graduated from the University of Oregon where he earned a BA in International Studies and a BA in Southeast Asian Studies.