Sonya Smith Appointed as State Director of the New York Small Business Development Centers by SUNY

State University of New York Interim Chancellor Deborah F. Stanley announced today the appointment of Sonya Smith as the SUNY State Director of the New York Small Business Development Centers (SBDC). Smith is known for bringing together public/private partnerships and creating innovative programs to assist small businesses served by SBDC. She has risen in the ranks through SBDC, and is the first woman and first African American appointed to lead New York’s vast SBDC network in its nearly 40-year history. Smith previously served as the Pennsylvania SBDC’s associate state director of programs and policy.

“Sonya Smith brings that wealth of experience to New York’s SBDCs at a critical time for small businesses as the economy rebounds,” said Interim Chancellor Stanley. “In the last 21 months, New York’s 22 SBDCs helped small businesses reimagine the services they provide, reopen, and thrive over a tumultuous and unprecedented period. Sonya’s tenure with the Pennsylvania SBDC was marked by her collaborative style of leadership, focus on results, and innovative approach to engaging with communities who most need the services provided by SBDCs. We are pleased Sonya has taken the helm to help New York’s entrepreneurs make their business dreams a reality.”