California Small Business Council
Our California Small Business Council consists of small business owners from various industries across the state. Council members volunteer their time and entrepreneurial expertise at board meetings, public events and in the media to help Small Business Majority identify and address the biggest issues facing small businesses today.
Mar Y Sol Alvarado
Mar Y Sol Alvarado is the proud co-founder and principal owner of ALRO Window Coverings, a thriving family-owned enterprise based in Mountain View, California. Established in 2008, the company has grown under her leadership into a trusted provider of custom window treatment solutions for both residential and commercial clients. ALRO Window Coverings has expanded into government and corporate contract work and has earned key certifications, including Small Business Enterprise (SBE), Women Business Enterprise (WBE), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE).
In addition to her entrepreneurial success, Mar Y Sol is a passionate advocate for Spanish-speaking and minority-owned small businesses. Since 2022, she has worked as an independent Small Business Advisor, supporting entrepreneurs with business structuring, access to funding, regulatory compliance, and workforce development. Her holistic approach blends operational strategy with cultural competence, empowering clients to build sustainable enterprises.
Mar Y Sol brings over a decade of experience in community engagement and education, having previously served as Program Director for the Catholic Charities Youth Club.
She holds a Master of Arts in Sociology from San José State University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Menlo College. A bilingual leader, consultant, and entrepreneur, Mar Y Sol is widely recognized for her commitment to women in business, workforce training, and minority business empowerment.
Hannah Gbeh
Hannah Gbeh is owner of Resolution Environmental, an environmental consulting firm that focuses on CEQA and NEPA compliance for green energy, agriculture and residential development projects. Ms. Gbeh has 24 years of experience teaching and researching environmental science, 15 of which have focused on the preparation of documents for compliance with federal, state and local environmental regulations. She is a graduate from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Environmental Science, a minor in Global Climate Change and a focus on environmental justice. Ms. Gbeh is a County of San Diego Qualified Environmental Impact Report Preparer and a Qualified Riverside County Environmental Consultant. In the past, she has held the following appointments: California Exposition and State Fair; San Diego County Environmental Health and Quality Advisory Board; Jamul-Dulzura Community Planning Group Member; San Diego County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Commissioner; and Riverside County Flood Control District Commissioner.
Monica Hahn
Monica Hahn is a small business owner, brand strategist, and advocate for economic equity and education. After a successful corporate career leading marketing efforts for global brands, Monica embraced entrepreneurship and has spent the past decade as a franchisee with Elements Massage™, one of North America's largest therapeutic massage franchises. She owns and operates a studio in Walnut Creek, California.
Monica’s professional path is grounded in both strategy and service. Before joining the Elements network, she worked as a brand strategy consultant and career coach, helping organizations and individuals clarify their purpose and reach their potential. Her passion for education, leadership development, and social impact extends well beyond her business. She served for 10 years on the board of The Leadership Investment, a Denver-based nonprofit advancing gender-balanced leadership. Since 2012, she has been a board member of the Asante Africa Foundation, which educates and empowers youth in East Africa to become confident, capable changemakers.
Monica holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Michigan Technological University and an MBA in Marketing from Western Michigan University.
She is passionate about food, travel, education, and healthy living—and brings a collaborative, community-minded spirit to everything she does. Monica lives in San Rafael, California, with her husband.
Lisa Kaczmarczyk
Dr. Lisa Kaczmarczyk is the founder and owner of LK Evaluation Consulting, a program evaluation firm that helps researchers identify and address project challenges. LK Evaluation Consulting provides evaluation services to academic institutions, government agencies, and the high-tech industry. Services include the development of comprehensive developmental, formative, and summative evaluation plans, as well as collaboration on grant proposal preparation. Evaluation activities include creating surveys, conducting interviews and focus groups, performing document analysis, and constructing case studies.
A computer scientist and educator, Dr. Kaczmarczyk earned her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, where her interdisciplinary research focused on artificial neural networks in an educational context.
Joe Mata
Joe A. Mata III is an accomplished CRM & Operations consultant who brings a wealth of knowledge and problem-solving capabilities to his work. After earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Legal Studies with a minor in Public Policy from UC Berkeley, Joe founded Mata Consulting LLC in 2022. As a first-generation Latino entrepreneur, Joe actively supports causes aligned with his values to promote community well-being. As a trusted advisor and partner, Joe guides organizations towards sustainable growth and prosperity by drawing upon his expertise in government, nonprofits and startups.
Mary Sue Milliken
Mary Sue Milliken is a James Beard and Julia Child Award–winning chef, cookbook author, food system activist, media personality, and co-owner of Mundo Hospitality Group—home to Border Grill, BBQ Mexicana, Pacha Mamas, SOCALO, and Alice B.—with her business partner, Susan Feniger. She has co-authored five cookbooks, co-starred on Food Network’s Too Hot Tamales, and successfully competed on Bravo's Top Chef Masters.
Milliken is passionate about food policy and collaborates with nonprofits around the world to help shape sustainable food systems. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for the James Beard Foundation, is a member of the U.S. State Department’s American Chef Corps, and is a founding member of Regarding Her.
Catherean Mitchell
Catherean Mitchell is a prominent business and community leader known for her unwavering commitment to mission-driven endeavors. As the founder of Mitchells Logistics LLC, Catherean has ventured into freight arrangements, bridging shippers with dependable carriers. Her emphasis on compliance, training, and skill development within her team ensures the delivery of top-notch services. Additionally, her passion project involves streamlining the startup process for aspiring trucking and logistics entrepreneurs, contributing significantly to industry innovation. Catherean takes pride in identifying and researching opportunities across diverse markets, implementing infrastructure systems, and overseeing the complete sales lifecycle.
At Catherean Mitchell Consulting, Catherean passionately mentors entrepreneurs and startups. Her unique approach offers fresh insights and innovative strategies for various business processes. As a marketing consultant, She organizes and assigns business projects, conducts assessments for business advancement, and develops comprehensive business plans to attract venture capitalists. Catherean's expertise extends to devising and executing promotional campaigns, thereby making significant contributions to the growth of small businesses. Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Catherean is an active and influential community member. Her involvement in multiple chambers of commerce and her role on regulatory boards underscore her dedication to shaping fair regulations directly impacting small business owners within the transportation sector. Her commitment to community growth is further exemplified through her involvement as a coach and coordinator for youth cheer sports with the Richmond Steelers.
James O'Donnell
James O’Donnell is the co-owner of Kocky’s Bar and Grill in Fresno. Formerly club promoters in college, James and his business partner Mike Smith decided to put their marketing degrees to good use when they lanched Kocky’s Bar and Grill.
James comes from a large family and is the oldest of 14 children. In his spare time, James enjoys time with his son and family. He also loves to read business books. He says he learns a few very important business lessons from each book.
Windell Pascascio
At 26, Windell Pascascio achieved his lifelong dream of establishing an electrical contractor firm after starting out of his garage. He’s received multiple certifications that has allowed Imperial Electric Service to become experts in electrical and civil engineering, utility infrastructure, electric vehicle charging stations, energy storage and photovoltaic systems. Imperial Electric Services has two facilities in the Central Valley and is an established electric vehicle charging expert in California and Washington. While Wendell’s entrepreneurial journey is impressive, he is equally dedicated to bettering his community by creating jobs, youth training and conducting community outreach. He’s received multiple awards recognizing his contributions to his community and building a better world for his wife, children and all Californians.
Princess Sims
The Final Sauce is a specialty condiment company founded in 2012 by sisters Princess and Brownie Sims. Their signature barbecue sauce was developed from a recipe their aunt used when she worked for a famous local barbecue restaurant many years ago. Brownie was able to replicate the sauce to create a version that incorporates their history, mission and family nostalgia. The Final Sauces has a total of 30 products to include barbecue sauces, spice rubs, marinades and vinaigrettes. Princess is committed to encouraging entrepreneurship and creating jobs in her community.
