Executive Director
mgray2@mdc.edu | 305-237-7824

Maurice Gray serves as the Executive Director for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) program at Miami Dade College. Maurice has a passion for helping business owners to build the business of their dreams. Before his current role, Maurice served as the program’s primary liaison to external business support resources, responsible for participant recruitment, and local partnerships. Maurice started as a Business Advisor with 10KSB, working directly with program participants to create growth strategies. His reason for joining the department stems from his career as a commercial banker, “I was looking forward to helping businesses through education and best-practices versus solely being able to provide them with capital.” He also believes that the program’s success is tied to the unique growth strategies developed by each participant, where there is no "one size fits all.” When asked about entrepreneurship and leadership, he says, “for me, entrepreneurship is the act of turning ideas into actionable objectives to create revenue; while Leadership is getting others to see themselves in your vision, so they embrace the daily mission.”

Maurice received his B.A. in Sociology from Davidson and an M.B.A. from Case Western Reserve University.

Alejandra Ospina

Alumni Manager
aospinac@mdc.edu | 305-237-3854

Alejandra Ospina is the Alumni Manager for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Miami Dade College, where she leverages over 7 years of experience in program management to empower the entrepreneurial community. In this role, Alejandra is instrumental in shaping the alumni experience by designing and executing a robust program that serves over 800 members, fostering continuous learning and meaningful connections.

Alejandra is known for her strategic leadership in coordinating and managing a wide array of events—ranging from biannual conferences to monthly virtual meetups. With a Master of Science in Business Management from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Alejandra combines her academic background with hands-on experience to drive impactful programs.

Carlos Llarena, DBA

Business Advising Director
cllarena@mdc.edu | 305-237-7816

Carlos is an accomplished business professional with a strong background in entrepreneurship, business advising, and leadership. He currently serves as Business Advisor Director for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Miami Dade College, where he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his role. Carlos has a comprehensive approach to business advising, which involves gaining a deep understanding of the participant’s business model, industry, and market trends. This approach allows him to provide effective support to business owners, helping them achieve their organizational targets and develop strategies for growth.

Carlos is a fervent advocate of entrepreneurship and firmly believes that the path to success lies in taking calculated risks and seizing opportunities in untapped and underserved marketplaces. He embraces the notion of ' taking a leap of fate', where business owners take on the mindset of thinking big and venture into delivering innovative products or services and monetize their ideas.

In addition to his entrepreneurial spirit, Carlos embodies the qualities of leadership by defining it as an art that encompasses leading by example, effective communication, mentoring, fostering motivation within the team, while maintaining a keen focus on performance and results. He is committed to sharing knowledge and providing training opportunities that contribute to the professional development of the team. Carlos encourages collaboration, and feverishly embraces a culture aligned with the organization's mission and core values.

Carlos’s academic achievements further exemplify his dedication to excellence. He holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from SDA Bocconi School of Management, accompanied by an MBA and a Master of Science in Management from the University of Miami. He also possesses a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, double majoring in International Business and Marketing. Additionally, Carlos is certified as a Lean/Design Six Sigma Green Belt professional.

Leyanis Diaz

Business Advisor
ldiazgil@mdc.edu | 305-237-7815

Leyanis Diaz is a distinguished Bilingual Business Expert and Consultant, as well as a seasoned Entrepreneur with over seven years of entrepreneurial experience and more than a decade of consulting for both for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations.

She holds a BS in Communication from Florida International University in Miami, Florida, an MSc in Entrepreneurship from University College London in London, UK, and a Management Consulting Graduate Certificate from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. These credentials provide her with a robust academic foundation that complements her extensive professional background.

In 2017, Leyanis founded MAJOR, an innovative online one-stop shop for diverse businesses, dedicated to preparing and connecting underrepresented entrepreneurs with the opportunities, resources, and services they need to start and grow their businesses. MAJOR also collaborates with business support and community and economic development organizations, helping them effectively communicate with and create opportunities for diverse communities.

As a Business Advisor for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Miami Dade College, Leyanis leverages her deep understanding of entrepreneurship, economic development, and community relations to guide program participants through their journey. She takes a comprehensive approach to business advising, working closely with participants to understand their unique business models, industries, and market dynamics. This personalized guidance empowers business owners to achieve their goals and develop strategic growth plans.

Leyanis’ career has spanned the globe, where she has worked with a wide array of businesses, non-profits, and organizations, including CNN en Español, Univision, Ford, and KIND Snacks. Her expertise in bridging language and cultural gaps has made her a sought-after advisor and mentor, particularly in underserved and diverse communities.

A fervent advocate for inclusive entrepreneurship, Leyanis is committed to fostering a business environment where every entrepreneur, regardless of background, has the opportunity to succeed. Her work continues to inspire and support the next generation of business leaders, helping them to think big, take calculated risks, and turn innovative ideas into thriving businesses.

Scott Byrd

Director, Outreach and Entrepreneur Recruitment
gbyrd@mdc.edu | 305-237-7817

Scott Byrd is the Director, Outreach and Entrepreneur Recruitment for Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) education program at Miami Dade College. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing participant recruitment, local partnerships, and connecting participants to local business services. He ensures that program participants receive the necessary support and resources to succeed. He also serves as a Business Advisor, working directly with program participants to create growth strategies.

Before his current role, Scott was the Alumni Manager, he provided alumni with continuous learning and networking opportunities. Before joining 10KSB, Scott spent 20 years in commercial banking, gaining extensive experience, including commercial, industrial, securities, SBA, and investment real estate lending. Besides his finance career, he comes with supervisory logistics experience from United Parcel Service and experience in electronics from serving in the United States Navy. Scott was inspired to join the program because of the opportunity to use his skills as a commercial banker to help owners learn the nuts and bolts of business regardless of their industry. In his role, he works diligently to help participants succeed by challenging them and their assumptions, simplifying abstract topics, and translating financial statements into an understandable and helpful language.

Scott believes that entrepreneurship involves solving customers' problems through observation, innovation, planning, persistence, and hard work. He views leadership as a service-oriented role, emphasizing the importance of caring for and developing those working under his supervision. He believes that leading by example, making difficult decisions, and setting a positive tone for the organization are essential aspects of effective leadership.

Outside of his professional endeavors, Scott has been actively involved in various civic engagements. He served as the chair of the Academy of Finance at Miami Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) and as the program chair of Leadership Miami. Additionally, he volunteered with the Junior Achievement program, contributing to the education and development of young entrepreneurs.

Scott completed his education at Miami Dade College and Florida International University, earning a dual Bachelor's degree in Finance and International Business. He has also pursued further learning opportunities, including completing several courses including Design Thinking from MIT and acquiring skills in web development, digital marketing, and Google Analytics at MDC's Idea Center. Currently, Scott is pursuing a Masters of Financial Management to further enhance his expertise in the field.

Tarsha Adams Felton

Program Manager
tadamsfe@mdc.edu | 305-237-7809

Tarsha Adams Felton is the Program Manager for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Miami Dade College. Previously she had dedicated a decade of her professional journey as the Event Coordinator for The Idea Center, the vibrant entrepreneurial hub at the Wolfson Campus. In this role, Tarsha played a pivotal part in fostering innovation and supporting aspiring entrepreneurs.

In addition to her impactful work at Miami Dade College, Tarsha is a passionate entrepreneur and the founder of TAF Ministries, a dynamic for-profit organization. Through TAF Ministries, Tarsha embodies her commitment to community service with the guiding principle: "We all should be doing something for someone at some time." Her dedication to entrepreneurship extends beyond business; she is deeply motivated by the opportunity to help others transform their ideas into impactful solutions that drive positive change and generate economic growth.

Tarsha holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management with a focus on Business Arbitration from Miami Dade College and a Master’s degree in Hospitality Management and Tourism. Her academic and professional experiences reflect her commitment to both excellence and service, driving her to inspire and support the next generation of innovators and leaders.

Joy Schaaffe

Lead Faculty
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Joy Schaaffe is a highly motivated Business Educator, Coach and Curriculum Designer, committed to working with small business owners to achieve business growth and success as they define it. With over twenty-five years of senior corporate experience, mainly in the airline and travel industry, Joy specializes in small business education, curriculum evaluation and effectiveness, strategic assessment of business issues, and marketing strategy and tactics.

Joy is the Lead Faculty for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program at Miami Dade College and Babson College; Lead Instructor for the Scale Up Miami program at the Idea Center at MDC; 2019 Curriculum Designer and Instructor at Babson WINLab Miami; 2016 Chair and continuing Member of the Greater Kendall Business Association; and Board Member and Marketing Committee Chair of The Business District.

Joy has a B.Sc. in Management Studies (Hons.) from the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica and graduated Class Valedictorian in the Executive MBA program at the University of Miami in Florida.

Chris Collie

Faculty
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Managing Partner Engaged Talent Solutions. An industry leader in training and leadership development Former Assistant Vice President of Leadership, Education, and Development at Marriott Vacations Worldwide. The company includes more than 100 resorts and nearly 650,000 Owners and Members in a diverse portfolio that includes seven vacation ownership brands. It also includes exchange networks and membership programs comprised of nearly 3,200 resorts in over 80 nations and approximately two million members, as well as management of more than 200 other resorts and lodging properties. Chris's wealth of experience in the fields of management, training and development, including design and development of eLearning programs. Prior to joining Interval International, Collie conducted training and consulting services in the United States and the Caribbean for companies such as Sandals and Beaches Resorts, Verizon, VistaPrint and AT&T.

Marcio Moerbeck

Faculty

Marcio Moerbeck is a marketing expert with over 20 years of experience leading global marketing teams. Today, he is the Senior Vice President of Growth Marketing at DoorLoop, one of the fastest growing tech startups in South Florida. Throughout his career he led marketing teams at companies like Citrix, VMware, and Microsoft. In addition to leading growth at DoorLoop, he is an adjunct professor of marketing at Miami Dade College. Marcio is a lifelong learner with deep expertise in demand generation and digital marketing.

Monique Renee

Faculty
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Monique Renee is committed to bringing the fullness of life back to leaders. Founder and creator of the The Fire and Flow Circle™ for Women Leaders, Entrepreneurs & Creators, and the R.I.S.E. SystemTM, Monique strives to raise the vibration of leaders in their work and daily life. As a Coach & Consultant with ProAdvisorCoach, she aspires to bring relief and eliminate suffering in the workplace.

Monique helps leaders wake up fully to their lives through holistic, ancient and innovative modalities. She believes that it is only through understanding one’s own nature that true potential can be met and whole life success achieved. Through Monique’s programs leaders come into knowing themselves more deeply while raising productivity, profitability and overall happiness and well-being. In short, Monique is a visionary that helps others see. She believes that when leaders are in alignment with their own unique nature, they become masterful leaders both in the workplace and at home. Her work is tailored for the individual leaders that want to go deeper, getting a life and leadership transformation that creates highly- conscious teams that thrive. Monique’s mission is to create conscious leaders, workplaces and families.

Her work has appeared in various media outlets over her career. In 2019 FORD and PopSugar featured Monique’s work in an exclusive commercial. She also has been highlighted in Brickell Magazine as a Featured Entrepreneur, as well as in Mujer Ejecutiva Magazine as a Ford Mujer Legendaria. She is a professional speaker and can be found regularly at corporate and professional events and conferences. Many of the companies that have trusted her work include Microsoft, MasterCard, Marriott International, ConAgra Foods, 

Rahnuma Ahsan, Ph.D.

Faculty
rahsan@mdc.edu

Dr. Rahnuma (Rah) Ahsan is a faculty member at Miami Dade College. She is the recipient of several awards including Business Educator of the Year Award by Greater Kendall Business Association, Impact Award for Excellence in Teaching Entrepreneurship from National Association of Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) and MDC President’s Innovation Award. Dr. Ahsan is passionate about social entrepreneurship. Many of her students have participated in and won awards in local, state and national business pitch competitions. She is also a founding partner of Social VentureMiami, a venture philanthropy network. Dr. Ahsan was the founding Lead Faculty for the 10KSB Miami program.

Dr. Richard Sarabia

Faculty
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Our Global Supply Chain is amazing, products and services move virtually non-stop from one side of the planet to the other. Purchasing, transport, warehousing, manufacturing, delivery, etc. are all choreographed in a harmonized system to serve customers just when they need it. My interest in the Supply Chain Management discipline exists because the system is less than perfect. Analyzing and solving problems for complex global supply systems fascinates me. My unique outlook is to create solutions using a practical sustainable business approach. It is also important for me to pursue my other passion which is to share and exchange information. I have been doing this through my teaching opportunities. My goal is two parts; impart enough information to my students so that they have valuable unique skills and insight that employers see as vital for solving their supply chain problems. The second is to help students see the discipline as I do, a complex symphony with many movements occurring at once and the beauty that surrounds it.

Summary of Academic and Professional Qualifications:
I have been working at Miami Dade College as Assistant Professor since August 2015. I am lead faculty for the Bachelor of Supply Chain Management Program. I also have been working continuously as an Adjunct Instructor with American Public University System, teaching Reverse Logistics, since 2013. My professional experience exceeds 16 years in automotive and food retail, distribution/logistics and training. This includes twelve years’ experience managing reverse logistics centers. In three of these twelve years, I supervised 40 team members in a warehouse environment. Additionally, I held the positions of corporate operations manager for regional special-order distribution centers, and training content designer developing and facilitating store training programs.

Stanley Jay Mandel

Faculty
smandel@mdc.edu

Stanley Jay Mandel has been involved in public accounting for more than 30 years. Prior to joining the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses team as an expert faculty member, Mr. Mandel served as the President of Miami-based Stanley Jay Mandel CPA., PA for the past 20 years. The firm recently joined the New York based PPMT Strategic Group LLC, a company that provides professional services and business solutions to small, medium and large business enterprises. The accounting firm served clients across a wide range of industries including, aviation, advertising, professional services, insurance, real estate and specialty subcontracting.

Mr. Mandel has also provided estate and trust planning, tax advice and investment services for individuals, retirement plans, and businesses. Before he established his own accounting firm, Mr. Mandel served as a senior manager and partner in several small to medium-sized CPA firms in both New York and Florida. Mr. Mandel holds a Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) from Hofstra University, and a Masters in Taxation (MST) from Florida International University. He is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Florida and New York and he holds a Series 6 Securities License and a Florida Life and Health Insurance License. Mr. Mandel is a member of the Board of Directors of several religious and not-for-profit organizations in the Miami area. He is also a long-time Adjunct Professor of Accounting at Miami Dade College.