StartUp Center team
Wake Tech’s Startup Center is home to the Wake Tech Small Business Center and Entrepreneurship Initiatives. Whether you have an idea or are in business, we offer free tools to help you succeed. Learn more about how businesses usually work with us by visiting the How we Work page.
Katie Berg
Small Business Counselor
~ Contact Info ~
[email protected]
Western Wake Campus
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Katie Berg specializes in helping clients integrate digital marketing, content marketing and brand strategy and storytelling into their businesses. An e-commerce business owner herself, she is also well-versed in the challenges and strategic planning needs of product-based businesses.
In addition to her experience as a small business owner, Katie has over 15 years of combined agency and corporate marketing experience with a focus on technology and digital products. She holds a B.B.A in General Business from Southern Methodist University and an M.B.A. from the University of South Florida.
Dana Cassell
Small Business Counselor
~ Contact Info ~
[email protected]
Western Wake Campus
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Dana Cassell specializes in helping clients with strategic planning and digital marketing. Dana also helps people in the beginning startup phases of establishing their business.
The majority of her work focuses on defining brand strategies and strengthening her client’s businesses by better leveraging their brand and reaching their target markets. Dana also excels at helping clients integrate digital marketing into existing business plans, and frequently spends time educating on effective digital marketing management.
Alisa Johnson
Small Business Counselor
~ Contact Info ~
[email protected]
Western Wake Campus
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Alisa Johnson has over 17 years of experience in Human Resources. One of her primary responsibilities has been in developing and training the management of employees. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work and a Master of Science degree in Human Resources Training and Development. Ms. Johnson earned her Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification in 2007 and the Society for Human Resource Management-Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) certification in 2015. She has extensive experience in coaching and has successfully assisted her clients with planning. Ms. Johnson’s clients credit her with helping them develop leadership skills.
Ms. Johnson has a genuine and enthusiastic interest in assisting small business owners. She is committed to helping small business owners develop their business sense and “know-how”, which will facilitate successful navigation within the community and positively add to the economy.
Tony Jones
Small Business Counselor
~ Contact Info ~
[email protected]
Western Wake Campus
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Tony Jones is a marketing and business development specialist uniquely qualified with thirty years of marketing and sales experience: special emphasis on developing marketing and sales campaigns, merchandising and advertising techniques, public relations exposure strategies, staging sales momentum, television, radio, and video production. In addition, Tony has experience in electronic marketing and database development and management.
Tony was an owner of a HUB Certified painting company with more than 60 employees and $4m in revenue before selling the company
Karriem Kanston
Small Business Counselor
~ Contact Info ~
[email protected]
Western Wake Campus
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Karriem Kanston is currently the Lead Faculty for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program.
As the founder and president of Kanston Development, a small business development and leadership group he has led for 17 years. Karriem holds an MAT in Entrepreneurship and Business from Johnson and Wales University and has extensive experience teaching college students and business owners courses related to entrepreneurship, business, leadership, and finance.
Ben Kittner
Small Business Counselor
~ Contact Info ~
[email protected]
Western Wake Campus
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Ben Kittner has been an entrepreneur, communicator, marketer, funder and educator in the Research Triangle region for nearly three decades. Leveraging his business experience, communications and marketing skills, personal contacts, and community resources, Kittner helps entrepreneurs identify and validate assumptions, conduct market research, identify target customers, focus their business plans, tell their stories and market their services and products.
During his career, Ben worked in communications and marketing for PBS television, the National Education Association and College Foundation of North Carolina, helped create a public affairs TV network for the State of North Carolina, started, grew and managed a public relations firm that specialized in technology and healthcare clients for 15 years, taught public relations and marketing courses at NCSU, and has counseled and advised hundreds of students, nonprofit leaders, investors, corporate executives and entrepreneurs.
Specialties: Focusing business concepts, market research, and validation; public relations; marketing and communications.
Laura Rodgers
Business Development Professional/ Cybersecurity Compliance
~ Contact Info ~
[email protected]
RTP Campus
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919-314-7317 (office)
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Laura Rodgers
Business Development Professional/ Cybersecurity Compliance
~ Campus Info ~
[email protected]
RTP Campus
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919-314-7317 (office)
North Carolina Military Business Center
Chris Roix
Operations Assistant
~ Contact Info ~
[email protected]
Western Wake Campus
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919-335-1019 (office)
View Full Bio
Chris Roix
Operations Assistant
~ Campus Info ~
[email protected]
Western Wake Campus
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919-335-1019 (office)
Chris supports the operations and logistics of the Small Business Center. She’s been with the SBC for 15 years and is passionate about helping small business owners develop and grow.
Chris Weeks
Director of Entrepreneurship & Entrepreneurship Initiatives
~ Contact Info ~
[email protected]
Western Wake Campus
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919-335-1004 (office)
View Full Bio
Chris Weeks
Director of Entrepreneurship & Entrepreneurship Initiatives
~ Campus Info ~
[email protected]
Western Wake Campus
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919-335-1004 (office)
Chris had his first taste of entrepreneurship at the age of 10, when he began delivering New York Newsday. He's opened a dozen businesses and helped other people start dozens more. Even as an active-duty 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper, he created a production company during his downtime.
Over the past two decades, Chris focused on working with national recording artists in developing their own record labels and has worked with members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Chris likes to ride his Harley Davidson, follow New York Yankees baseball and spend time with his family. He's a proud combat veteran and remains focused on working with historically underserved communities.
Chris will be working on the Launch Wake County programs, serving students internally with entrepreneurship programs and more.
Western Wake Campus library
Katy Hoffler, MLIS
Campus Librarian
~ Contact Info ~
[email protected]
Western Wake Campus
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919-335-1401 (office)
View Full Bio
Katy Hoffler, MLIS
Campus Librarian
~ Campus Info ~
[email protected]
Western Wake Campus
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919-335-1401 (office)
Library phone: 919-866-5721
Jackie Kilberg, MLS
Library Technical Assistant
~ Contact Info ~
[email protected]
Western Wake Campus
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919-335-1053 (office)
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