Title: Executive director
Company: Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, Office for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Hometown: Hardin County, Kentucky
Lives: Louisville
Education: Bachelor of science in political science, University of Louisville; MBA, UofL College of Business
Hobbies: Playing video games
Describe what you do.
Over my career, I have embraced a theme of equitable access; specifically, raising and leveraging resources to empower Kentuckians to live their happiest, healthiest lives.
As the executive director for entrepreneurship and innovation for Team Kentucky, I serve Kentucky’s startup, small business, research and entrepreneurship communities to grow, scale, achieve investment and to access new markets.
Our KY Innovation team of seven manages programs designed in these areas [to] emphasize community connection.
What’s a goal your organization has for 2024?
Our goal is more — and more equitable — access to capital. We achieved a historic [State Small Business Credit Initiative] 2.0 investment in partnership with the U.S. Department of Treasury, and it allows us to continue to prioritize growing investment in every corner of our state.
For marginalized communities, including rural areas, veterans, women business owners and under-resourced groups, we can leverage special federal funding to make a lasting impact on small businesses’ ability to grow and thrive.
Who is an unsung hero in Kentucky’s entrepreneurial ecosystem?
One is Angelique Johnson; she is a founder who has influenced thousands — if not millions — of Black founders throughout Kentucky and the United States.
I admire that, in her immeasurable impact on entrepreneurship in her career, she has led those interactions with the most positive intention, intuition, drive and service. She advises national and international governments regularly, and she has remained the entire time a Kentuckian of honor and faith.
