About Us

We’re here to help you.

The mission of Women’s Business Center of Utah (WBCUtah) is to help Utah women build confidence, create opportunities, and experience success in business ownership.

Where We Are

We have two offices; one in Salt Lake City and the other in Cedar City, and a dozen virtual centers. Chambers of commerce throughout Utah have partnered with us to create a network of Virtual WBCs. On each chamber’s Virtual WBC webpage you will find local resources for their women entrepreneurs and online training powered by WBCUtah. Find your local Virtual WBC:

Tell Me More about virtual WBCs

Meet Your Award Winning WBCUtah Team

We have collectively owned 7 businesses, speak 3 languages and are your champion, advocate and accountability partner to help you get your businesses moving and guide you through your entrepreneurial journey.

Ann Marie Wallace

State Director

Ann Marie grew up on a dairy farm in northern Utah. Her cow milking days ended when she started attending Snow College and later transferred to USU where she graduated in marketing. After working in hotel management she became a WBCUtah Client, launched her own small business, and was later hired to mentor other women. Now she oversees the center which helped her become an entrepreneur.

Debbie Drake

Southern Program Director

Debbie Drake is affectionately known as a ‘squirrel girl’ by her close and crazy friends! She has a lot of interests and always wants to learn new things. Debbie has had careers in banking, construction and higher education and has been a home designer, artist and is passionate about helping women being successful in building their businesses and following their dreams.

Leisa Wallace

Business Advisor

As an experience author, business owner, and business advisor, Leisa Wallace has spent the majority of her life honing her craft as an entrepreneur. She is a DIY (do it yourself) obsessed and loves helping creatives turn their talents into profitable business. Her skills include, but are not limited to... branding, advertising, social media marketing, and website design. Leisa loves being anywhere there is sunshine and water, reading writing, and hanging out with her two cats, two dogs, two goats, two children, and 1 husband.

Sarah Barstow

Southern Business Advisor

Sarah Barstow moved to Moab, Utah in 1997 and quickly joined the ranks of strong female business owners in the desert. She taught herself everything she needed to know to successfully run her clothing & jewelry boutique, The Rave’N Image, and even found some spare time to raise 2 children, hike, make jewelry & write 2 children’s books. She knows how incredible it feels to turn a dream into a reality (& then to grow & pivot), and can’t wait to share her knowledge with you.

Connie Yengich

Northern Business Advisor

Connie is the Lead Business Advisor for the Women's Business Center. She has over 20 years of business experience, and even began her own construction consulting company in 2001. She's financially savvy, with experience working with both Zions Bank and KeyBank. Best of all, Connie has a passion for helping other women be successful, and she is always happy to lend a helping hand.

Lori Haslem

Business Advisor

Lori Haslem has owned and operated her own business for the past 7 yerars while being a wife, and mother of 4 in Vernal, Utah. She discovered her true passion of helping entrepreneurs after becoming an instructor on how to start your own business, then later becoming a start-up specialist at the Vernal Innovation Hub. There is nothing more rewarding than watching an entrepreneur grow and succeed and she is ready to help you do it.

Megan Engstrom

Northern Program Coordinator

Megan Engstrom is originally from a small Swedish town in California. She moved to Utah to attend college, fell in love with the state and has stayed ever since! She is a lover of trying new places to eat, going thrift shopping, and planning killer parties for her family and friends. She is passionate about helping women business owners succeed!

Lisa Jensen

Southern Program Coordinator

Lisa graduated from Southern Utah University with a BA in Psychology. She has worked in nonprofits for 24 years, 21 years as a retail store manager and professional Scouter for the Boy Scouts of America, and 3 years with WBCUtah. Lisa enjoys spending time with family, being outdoors, and loves anything to do with water. She loves working with women and helping them achieve success both in life and in their businesses.

Ashly Kulland

Digital Media Specialist

Ashly Kulland is a born and raised Utahn. She grew up in the small town of Ephraim, and then traveled south to St. George where she met her husband. After getting married, they moved to Roosevelt where they now live with their two children. She loves to travel, play/watch literally all sports, and coach cheerleading. Ashly grew up watching multiple family members start and own their own businesses and learned so much from it. She dreams one day to start a business of her own. Ashly is thrilled to be with the WBCUtah and to help Women-Owned businesses be successful and thrive.

Careers

Our Board of Directors

The Women’s Business Center of Utah is governed by a board of directors and our services are enhanced by two advisory boards, each made up of women who are passionate about improving the lives of Utah women business owners.

WBCUtah Board of Directors

Brittany Westover, Chair
Vice President, Commercial Banker
Chase

Kathy Luke, Vice Chair
Senior Director, Member Services
Ancestry

Jen Parsons-Soran, Secretary & Treasurer
Owner
Nonprofit Development Partners

Heidi Walker
COO
Salt Lake Chamber

Juanita Damon
Global Risk, Banking & Compliance
American Express

Ginger Chinn
Managing Director of Urban & Rural Business Services
Governor’s Office of Economic Development

Janice Boes
Owner
Pierpont Place

Sasha Taylor
Owner
Snap Shop Photo

Chris Bray
Community Investor, Utah and Colorado
Boeing Global Engagement

Tori Williams
Deputy Chief Compliance Officer
Zions Bancorporation

Advisors
Ann Marie Wallace
State Director
Women’s Business Center of Utah

Marla Trollan
Utah District Office Director
U.S. Small Business Administration

Northern Utah Advisory Board

Judy Thimakis
President
National Association of Women Business Owners – Salt Lake Chapter (NAWBO)

Cindy Johnson
Owner
Hair Love Salon & Wigs

Cheryl Mansen
Retired Librarian

Laurie Seron
Utah’s Own Program Director
Utah Department of Agriculture and Food

Sasha Polak Taylor
Owner/Photographer
Snap Shop Photo

Nicole Walters
Sr. Marketing Specialist
CBIZ & Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C.

Melinda Workman, SBA DOTR Women’s Business Ownership Rep./DOTR
District International Trade Officer
U.S. Small Business Administration

Yvonne Tran-Estrada
Director
Utah Asian Chamber of Commerce

Michelle Whitley (Box Elder County)
Owner
Monarch Tea House

Roxana King (Cache Valley)
Founder
321 Forms & Professional Women’s Roundtable

Maggie Mondragon (Tooele County)
Owner
Deviant Tattoos

Sonja Norton (Uintah Basin)
Owner
Ashley Valley Realty

Onita Fangu (Davis County)
Owner
Passion Home Care & Hospice, PLLC

Southern Utah Advisory Board

Kathy Luke
Senior Director, Member Services
Ancestry
WBCUtah Board of Directors

Melinda Workman
Women’s Business Ownership Rep.
SBA

Colette Cox
Acting President
Kanab Chamber of Commerce

Kelly Bueno
Director
Blanding SBDC and BRC

Jamie Riley
Advisor
SUU Entrepreneurship Center, School of Business

Cindy Clemens
Owner
Cindy Clemens Coaching
Board Member
St. George Women of Influence

Tessa Douglas
Board Member and Fundraising Chair
Canyon Creek Women’s Crisis Center

Annual Reports

Salt Lake Chamber and SBA

Women’s Business Center of Utah was established in November 1997 as a partnership between the Salt Lake Chamber and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Our team is lucky to be employed by the Chamber yet focused on a separate but complimentary mission; to assist women business owners statewide. With our federal funding and backing, your tax dollars are coming back around to help you, your sister, friend and daughter.