Our Board
Get to Know Our Board
Our board is comprised of accomplished, experienced professionals & entrepreneurs- dedicated to helping.
Robin Tabakin
President
“The WCEC has been instrumental in helping many women build their businesses from the ground up. I’ve seen numerous startups advance to the next level with the help of devoted counselors and trainers as well as programming that is designed specifically to meet the needs of women business owners. Everyone at the WCEC is dedicated to the success of their clients!”
Weld Royal
Vice President
“Two conflicting ideas inspired me to serve the WCEC. I know that “women hold up half the sky” and they don’t receive what’s needed to sustain and grow that heavy lift. Women entrepreneurs symbolize this challenge. They scale their businesses slower than men. Why? They may lack funds, the right connections or training. If women could build their companies at the same rate as male-founded businesses, they would contribute about $12 trillion dollars to the world economy. The WCEC is helping to close that gap and I’m dedicated to serving its mission.”
Siobhain Towell
Secretary
“I joined the WCEC because I’m passionate about women supporting other women. Whether they are trying to start or grow their own business or making a difference in the corporate world, women need access to the resources and network to help them be successful. I’m thrilled to be part of the difference the WCEC can make for women entrepreneurs in helping them achieve this success.”
Forough Ghahramani
Board Member
“When I had started my business earlier in my career, gaining nonprofit development experience, growing my knowledge and expertise, and gaining the awareness about resources available to small business owners through organizations such as WCEC was instrumental to me and had a major impact on my success as an entrepreneur. As a member of the WCEC Board, I hope to pay it forward to the next generation of women leaders by engaging entrepreneurs to learn and grow through WCEC programs and resources. Women entrepreneurs are important for a number of reasons from creation of job opportunities, to promoting social change, and ultimately being catalysts for innovation and economic development. Supporting women in innovation and entrepreneurship has been my passion, and an area of research interest.”
Tomas Porturas
Board Member
“Banks have an important role in supporting economic opportunity that helps diverse and underserved communities achieve their business goals. The WCEC is all about helping and strengthening businesses in diverse and historically marginalized communities in New Jersey and I am honored to join its board and support its mission.”
Judith Sheft
Board Member
“My experience is that if women owned businesses receive support and resources to start, grow and sustain their businesses they can be as successful as their male counterparts. The WCEC helps NJ’s women entrepreneurs get access to this needed training, guidance , mentoring and peer support. I am proud to be affiliated with an organization that helps grow NJ’s economy by helping the small business sector thrive.”
