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Small Business Development Center at Stony Brook University

Our Expert Staff

BernieBernie Ryba, MBA, CPA - Regional Director
MBA - Hofstra University
CPA - New York State
NYS Certified Business Advisor
Has over 30 years of business experience including public accounting, 15 years with Pfizer, Inc., and exposure to the brokerage and high technology industries. His responsibilities have ranged from financial and operational auditing to financial management, commercial development and strategic planning. In 2013, Bernie achieved New York State and national recognition as New York State's SBDC "State Star" financial advisor or the year.
 
Martha M. Stansbury, MBA - Center Administrator
MarthaMBA - Fordham University
BA - Boston College
President; Women Economic Developers of Long Island
Three Village Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees

Martha brings to the SBDC experience in financial and operations management within manufacturing and non-profit sectors. Martha’s responsibilities have ranged from budget preparation and analysis, comprehensive policies and procedures development and implementation to business development, grant writing and project management. Martha provides a wide range of administrative and managerial support for the SBDC’s budget, operations and marketing efforts.  Martha holds an MBA in Finance from Fordham University.  Martha sits on the Board of Directors of  both the Women Economic Developers of Long Island (WEDLI) as well as the Three Village Chamber of Commerce. 
 
Jacqueline R. Franco - NYS Certified Bilingual Business Advisor, Specializing in Marketing Hispanic Market
Architecture & Engineering Drafting and Design - ASAJacqueline
Masters Business Administration - EAFIT
Post-graduate Degree Marketing - EAFIT
Certified Management Consultant - EAFIT
Jacqueline brings to the SBDC over 20 years of remarkable managerial experience in financial institutions, as well as her project development, sales management, marketing, and consulting expertise in private, public, and cooperative organizations. She has a deep understanding and talent for aesthetics and organization through intentional design from her initial career enhanced by her strategic planning, sales and marketing skills in her professional performance in a wide range of industries. This background allows her to provide valuable guidance to business owners in how to improve the effectiveness of their processes; establish and meet their short-and long-term objectives in sales and growth; execute the lead generation marketing campaigns, strengthen the team engagement, and articulate all parts of the organization to ensure that they work together seamlessly.  As a tireless advocate for the Hispanic community, she also develops activities and events designed to contribute to their economic development.
Jacqueline has been honored as a Hispanic Heritage Honoree in 2018 by State Senator Phil Boyle, and in 2019 by State Senator Monica Martinez, for her efforts to facilitate Hispanic entrepreneurship development.
 
Robert B. Harrison, MBA/CPIM - NYS Certified Senior Business Advisor Specializing in Manufacturing Robert
MBA - Stony Brook University
CPIM - APICS Certified Production Inventory Manager
NYS Certified Business Advisor
LeanLaunch Instructor Certified
Stony Brook Liaison to HIA-LI Manufacturing Committee
Has over 30 years of operating experience at four Long Island manufacturing companies including a profitable start-up enterprise. Daily hands-on experience included inventory/production control, production planning, shop floor control/expediting, bills of materials/materials requirements planning, assembly operations, zero defects/Statistical Process Control, Lean Manufacturing, cost reduction methodologies, fixturing, machine shop prototying, product design/development, domestic/international shipping, sales/business development/customer service, and marketing/trade shows. Bob's goals include adding value to existing manufacturers by helping to provide a range of support services to improve their product, process, and profit.  Bob acquired his MBA from Stony Brook University.
 
Gifty Oduro-Ostrander, NYS Certified Business Advisor Gifty Oduro-Ostrander
BA - Chancellor College, University of Malawi
MBA - Dowling College
MHA - Stony Brook University
Grad Cert., Business Analytics (GCBA) - University of Maryland Global Campus
Gifty has twenty years of experience in business development and planning, working in both government and private sectors. Her expertise includes business and financial management, with an emphasis on analyzing market research data, preparing financial statements, financial analysis, strategic planning, and budgeting.  She joined the SBDC in 2013 to manage the coordination of the NY Rising grant. She led a team of professionals to assist small businesses in obtaining disaster grants from the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery. In 2015, Gifty received a Certificate of Appreciation and Commendation from NYS SBDC in recognition of her outstanding dedication and efforts to assist small businesses impacted by Hurricane Sandy. She received recognition for her work with the New York Rising Marina Task Force group. Gifty was selected as one of the top five Business Advisors in New York State in 2016 and 2017 and received Business Advisor of the Year Awards from the NYS SBDC.  She was an award nominee for Business Advisor of the Year in 2019, at the Annual NYS SBDC Conference.  In 2022, Gifty was a recipient of the Director's Award for Excellence in Service to Public Health, Program in Public Health at Stony Brook University.  Gifty is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS).  She is also a member of the Suffolk County Women's Business Enterprise Coalition (SCWBEC) and the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce (LIAACC).
 
Ronni Rosen - Senior NYS Certified Business Advisor and Workshop Coordinator
Washington University, St. Louis, MORonni
Parsons School of Design, NYC
SBDC Business Solutions Roundtable
BBAC
Ronni joined the SBDC in 1999 contributing her successful entrepreneurship skills from her experience in the apparel industry as a clothing designer, freelance textile designer and illustrator.  Ronni has honed her specialization in the 'maker' business sector given her strengths in this arena.  With a keen sense of the current economic climate and for the needs of Suffolk County businesses and SBDC clients, Ronni coordinates the Center's programming to align with the goals and objectives of the Center's mission, while ensuring the topics are relevant and current across all industry sectors.  Ronni is an active member of the BBAC (Brookhaven Business Advisory Council), an organization of business owners who serve as small business liaison to the Brookhaven Town Supervisor and Town Board. Ronni also facilitates the SBDC Business Solutions Roundtable, a popular networking and problem-solving group that discusses the wide array of problems faced by business owners and provides tools to resolve them efficiently. Ronni’s education centered on the fine and applied arts at Washington University in St. Louis, MO and then at Parsons School of Design in NYC. Her experience in the arts is extensive and wide-ranging and includes co-directorship of an art school/gallery.
 
Willa Smith - Advanced NYS Certified Senior Business AdvisorWilla Smith
BA - Suny Oswego
MPS Concentration in Human Resource Management - Stony Brook University
Willa re-joined the SBDC team in 2020 after spending the past nine years as a credit-trained commercial lender for Citibank, Chase and Gold Coast Bank, delivering specific expertise in credit underwriting guidelines, risk assessment, and financial analysis..  Deepening her expertise in lending policy and loan originations has afforded her the ability to provide specific guidance to business owners in how to obtain the financing needed to maintain healthy business operations, purchase real estate, equipment and other business assets.  Bridging back to her prior eight years as a NYS Advanced Certified Sr. Business Advisor, she offers clients a well-rounded expertise as a skilled advisor with demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and provide thoughtful planning and tactical leadership within the business community. Willa has been a featured presenter and panelist at many workshops and seminars in the Tri-State area, and delivered the College of Business's capstone "Entrepreneurship" course to upper level undergraduates as an adjunct professor at Stony Brook University.  Willa has a Masters in Professional Studies, with a Concentration in Human Resource Management, from Stony Brook University, along with a Bachelor's degree from SUNY Oswego.  In 2009, Willa was honored with the SBU Dr. Deborah C. Hecht Award for her Masters Thesis entitled, 'Strategies for Ensuring Success in Small Business'.  Willa is a participating member of the Moxxie Network for Professional Women, the Long Island Metro Business Association (LIMBA), and the HIA's Business Development Committee, as well as a Junior Achievement Volunteer for their Financial Literacy Program.
 
Ree Wackett, MPP - NYS Advanced Certified Senior Business Advisor      Ree
BA/MA - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
MPP - Stony Brook University
Certification, Human Rights Advocacy and the Law - Columbia University
Trade Promotion Coordinating Council SBA International Trade
Joined the Stony Brook University SBDC in 2012 after a ten year tenure at the Farmingdale State College SBDC. While at Farmingdale she authored both Business Basics and The Business Plan Guide and was the center’s grant writer. In 2007, she led a study in collaboration with the Child Care Council of Nassau and the Child Care Council of Suffolk, which examined the concept of shared services in the child care industry. After completion of the research she authored Shared Services in the Long Island Child Care Community: an Exploration , a seminal publication. Ree is an advanced certified senior business advisor, and while well versed in all sectors, she specializes in women entrepreneurs, procurement, international trade and child care. As an avid and enthusiastic member of the small business community, she was honored by Long Island Business News  in 2008 as one of the “Top 40 under 40” people in business. She was again honored in 2009 as the Valedictorian of her “40 under 40” class. Ree has been honored by the Small Business Development Center as one of the top five business advisors in New York State over the last decade. 
 
Brenda Zhang, CPA - NYS Certified Business AdvisorBrenda
Master of Accounting/Minor of Finance - University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign
CPA - New York State
Brenda brings to the SBDC online retail marketing expertise and broad knowledge of cost and revenue accounting and financial analysis with her past work at Caterpillar Inc., Motorola Solutions, and Stony Brook University.  In 2014, Brenda started her small business selling mobile accessory products online and expanded her experience to small business management, including online retail marketing, service outsourcing, OEM/ODM manufacturing, international shipping, and accounting service for small business. Brenda holds a Masters degree in accounting from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.
Administration
 Leslie Rurup - Intake Coordinator Leslie Rurup
Leadership and Mentoring Professional Development Program

Leslie's duties as Front Desk Intake Coordinator are assisting individuals seeking business counseling with NYS Certified Advisors and is the primary interface with clients. Leslie handles administrative, logistics and technical AV assistance for workshops and seminars, as well as assists on various special projects.  Leslie interviews, hires and trains front desk student interns; and manages client organization including related record-keeping. At the StonyBrook SBDC since 1996, Leslie brings an extensive administrative background from 19 years at Grumman Aerospace.
COVID-19 Technical Assistance
Cliff Chandler Jr. - Community Relations Assistant, Disaster Technical Relief Assistant
 BS - Stony Brook UniversityCliff
Cliff first joined the Stony Brook SBDC as Social Media intern in 2018, assisting in increasing brand recognition of the SBDC across social media platforms and their website. His duties later included developing social media guidelines for small businesses, including search engine optimization, and successfully developed and led an introductory LinkedIn workshop for clients. After graduating Stony Brook University College of Business with a Marketing degree in 2020, Cliff rejoined the Stony Brook SBDC as a COVID-19 Business Assistant, providing support services to the Center in their disaster recovery efforts.