Our Consultants

Eunice Choi, Regional Director
Eunice.Choi@ucf.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: Financing, Loan Preparation, Business Valuation/Acquisition, Accounting, Taxes, SBIR/STTR Grants, Business Planning, Financial Analysis, Cost Control, Inventory Control, Export Financing
  • Education: MA, French, University of Michigan; MS, Accounting, University of Texas at Dallas

Jairo Batista, Consultant
Jairo.Batista@ucf.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: Digital Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Market Research, Marketing, Technology
  • Education: MBA, University of Central Florida; BSBA, Marketing Concentration, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University
  • Certifications: Google Analytics; HubSpot Inbound Marketing; Cornell University, Marketing Strategy; Cornell University, Data Driven Marketing

John Finnegan, Consultant
John.Finnegan@ucf.edu

  • Areas of Consulting:  Business Start-up, Business Planning, Financial Management, Sales Management and Business Development, Strategic Planning.
  • Education:  MBA, University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh, BBA, University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh.

Jill Kaufman, Assistant Director, Program Manager-Advisory Board Council
Jill.Kaufman@ucf.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: Marketing, Public Relations, Communications, Advertising, Sales, Market Research & Development, Business Development, Human Resources, Customer Service, Organizational Development
  • Education: MBA, Raj Soin College of Business, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio; BA, Anthropology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut

Jill McLaughlin, Consultant, Program Manager-Export Marketing Plan Services, CGBP
Jill.Mclaughlin@ucf.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: Financial Analysis, Business Valuations and Acquisitions, Financing, Business Planning, Cash Flow Analysis and Projections, Accounting, International Trade
  • Education: MBA, Finance and Economics, University of Chicago, Booth School of Business; BBA, Accounting, University of Michigan, Ross School of Business
  • Certifications: Certified Business Consultant, Certified Global Business Professional
  • Appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to serve on the Central-North Florida District Export Council

Michael Oppenheim, Consultant
Michael.Oppenheim@ucf.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: Financing, Loan Preparation, Business Valuation/Acquisition, Business Planning, Financial Analysis, Cost Control, Inventory Control, Process Management, Sales Leadership
  • Education: MBA, Business Administration, University of Tampa; BS, Business Management, University of Tampa

Sharon Smith, Consultant
Sharon.Smith2@ucf.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: Sales, Marketing, Operations, Market Research & Development, Strategy & Business Planning, Branding, Public Relations, Marketing Communications and Organizational Development
  • Education: BA, Marketing and Management, Florida State University

Steve South, PTAC Manager
Steve.South@ucf.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: Government Contracting, Procurement, Marketing to the Government, Strategic Planning, Supply Chain/Logistics, Human Resources
  • Education: BSBA (marketing), Duquesne University; MBA (finance), University of Pittsburgh
  • Certifications: Certified Business Coach (PBCA), Certified CVE Counselor (Veteran’s Administration)

Hal Thayer, Assistant Director, Program Manager-CEO XChange
Hal.Thayer@ucf.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: Marketing, Branding, Communications, Public Relations, Market Research, Business Strategy and Planning, Franchising
  • Education: MBA, Marketing and Finance, Columbia Business School, Columbia University; BA, English, Amherst College
  • Certifications: Certified Career Coach, Six Sigma Green Belt

Kara Vernon, PTAC Procurement Consultant
Kara.Vernon@ucf.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: Government Contracting, Procurement, Marketing to the Government, Strategic Planning, Supply Chain/Logistics
  • Education: BS (accounting), Rollins College; MS (Contracts & Acquisition Management), FloridaTech
  • Certifications: Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM), Certified CVE Counselor (Veteran’s Administration), NCMA Fellow

Chuck Wheeler, Consultant
Charles.Wheeler@ucf.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: New Business Startup, Business Planning, Financial Analysis, Cash Flow Analysis, Marketing, Marketing Communications, Advertising, Media Strategies
  • Education: MBA, University of Central Florida; MA-Marketing, Webster University; BBA-Finance, Florida International University

Satellite Service Centers

Robin Braswell, Director- Eastern Florida State College
braswellr@easternflorida.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: Business Start-up, Business Planning, Sales & Marketing, Strategic Planning, Business Development, Recruiting/ Hiring, Human Resources
  • Education: BA, Business Administration, ISA Accredited Personal Property Appraiser
  • Certifications: NCMA Fellow

John Doramus, Consultant – Lake County
John.Doramus@ucf.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: Financial Analysis, Cash Flow, corporate & personal taxes, Profit Maximization, Accounting, Quick Books, Asset planning, Contracts Management, Pro Forma preparations and review. Products & Services pricing.  Break Even analysis, Specialized Financing Alternatives, Cost analysis, Gross Margin Reviews.
  • Education: BBA Idaho State University,
  • Certifications: CPA, Certified Quick Books ProAdvisor.

Jamie Mead, Area Manager and Consultant – Sumter County
Jamie.Mead@ucf.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: New Business Start-up and Growth Stage Development, Business Plan Development, Loan Preparation, Market Research, Customer Service, Operations, and Leadership Development.
  • Education: BA, Business Administration and Management, Summa Cum Laude, University of Central Florida.

Elly Membreno, Consultant – Kissimmee, SHRM-CP
Elly.Membreno@ucf.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: New Business Start-Up, Business Plan Development, Market Research, Customer Service, Human Resources
  • Education: Attorney at Law with area of expertise in Business Law and Labor Law, National University of Honduras; Criminal Law, University of Salamanca, Spain
  • Certifications: Certified Professional in Human Resources

Jose Molfino, Area Manager and Consultant – Lake County
Jose.Molfino@ucf.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: Business Strategy, Financial Analysis, Business Valuations and Acquisitions, Financing, Business Planning, Cash Flow Analysis and Projections, Accounting, Cost Control, Manufacturing Operations and Cost Accounting, Process Improvement
  • Education: MBA, Pamplin College of Business, Virginia Tech; BSE Industrial Engineering, University of Lima.
  • Certifications: Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

Rafael E. M. Pratts, Area Manager – Kissimmee, CeM, CGBP
rpratts@ucf.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: Digital Marketing, International Business, Business Development, Business Plan Strategy and Development, Business Start-Up, and Multimedia Design
  • Education: MBA, Marketing, Regent University; BBA, International Business, Florida International University
  • Certifications: Certified e-Marketer, Certified Global Business Professional

Monica Williams, Area Manager – Seminole County
willamsmm@seminolestate.edu

  • Areas of Consulting: Human Resources, Marketing, Strategic Planning, Start-Up Assistance
  • Education: BA, Psychology, University of Tennessee