Barbara Foster, Acting Executive Director | Office of Community and Economic Development
559.278.4336 | bfoster@csufresno.edu

Barbara A. Foster, with a B.A. in Social Welfare and an M.S.W. from California State University,
Fresno, has over four decades of experience in social work and academia. She directed the
Central California Adult Services Training Academy and held significant roles at the Central
California and Bay Area Training Academies. A professor at CSU Fresno for 31 years, she led
various foster parent training projects and has presented extensively on child welfare issues.
She currently serves as the Acting Executive Director for the Office of Community and
Economic Development, where she oversees its various grants and its range of community-
oriented programs.

Ana Alfaro, Director | Central Valley Women's Entrepreneur Center | Office of Community and Economic Development
559.278.0709 | anaa@csufresno.edu

Ana Alfaro leads and manages all aspects of the Central Valley Women’s Entrepreneur Center’s
operations, programs, and services. This role involves strategic planning, program
development, staff management, and community outreach to support women entrepreneurs and
small business owners across the Central Valley. Responsibilities also include grant proposal
writing to secure funding, financial management of budgets, and producing regular reports for
stakeholders and funders. She oversees the delivery of business training, counseling, and
mentorship programs, ensuring they meet the needs of the local business community. Key
responsibilities further include securing funding, managing budgets, building partnerships with
local businesses and organizations, and advocating for women's economic empowerment.

 

Lizette Diaz, Project Coordinator | Office of Community and Economic Development
559.278.5454 | lizdiaz@csufresno.edu

Lizette Diaz, a Fresno State alumna with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, serves as a Project
Coordinator at the Office of Community and Economic Development. She plays a pivotal role in
coordinating community and economic development projects and fostering partnerships with
community organizations, businesses, and government agencies to ensure project success.
Lizette organizes and facilitates community workshops, events, and meetings to engage
stakeholders and gather valuable input. She currently manages the Fresno County Rural Local
Table for the Sierra San Joaquin Jobs state initiative and provides support to the California
Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley.

Miguel Preciado, Lead Business Development Specialist | Central Valley Women's Entrepreneur Center | Office of Community and Economic Development
559.278.5461 | miguelpreciado@csufresno.edu

Miguel Preciado is the Lead Business Development Specialist at the Women’s Entrepreneur
Center and is spearheading its in-person expansion into the Northern Valley. Based in the
Modesto Satellite Office, Miguel assists clients with applying for licenses, permits, and
government contract procurement sites in English or Spanish. As a business development
specialist, he is able to connect aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners to other resources
available to them to help finance and manage their business. Behind the scenes, Miguel
manages the logistics of the center and hosts the Small Business Development course, outside
his regular sessions. Passionate about empowering others, Miguel is committed to helping
entrepreneurs turn their visions into thriving realities.

Ignacio Nery, Digital Marketing and Design Specialist | Central Valley Women's Entrepreneur Center | Office of Community and Economic Development
559.278.0718 | ignacionery08@mail.fresnostate.edu

Ignacio Nery manages the Central Valley Women’s Entrepreneur Center’s digital marketing,
design, and client support operations. This includes strategic social media management,
website oversight, and creating marketing materials such as flyers and newsletters.
Responsibilities also involve designing logos and websites for clients, producing a biweekly
newsletter, and providing client assistance. Key tasks include monitoring metrics, analyzing
performance, building partnerships, and advocating for women's economic empowerment
through effective digital presence and creative services.

Benito Tellez, Business Specialist | Central Valley Women's Entrepreneur Center | Office of Community and Economic Development
(559)278-0542 benitot@mail.fresnostate.edu

Benito began his role as a Business Specialist at the Women’s Entrepreneur Center with a
strong eagerness to help both existing and new businesses in achieving success. He assists
clients in managing their finances and aims to provide counseling sessions in obtaining licenses
and permits. He also plans to host financial management workshops for the Spanish-speaking
community in the future. As a Business Specialist, he helps aspiring entrepreneurs and
business owners understand finance and manage their businesses effectively. He believes that
the business environment is changing rapidly due to technological advancements, and that
proper guidance will help both existing and new businesses navigate these changes effectively.

Claudia Sanchez Business Specialist | Central Valley Women's Entrepreneur Center | Office of Community and Economic Development
559.278.0346 | Claudiasan@csufresno.edu

Claudia Sanchez joined Fresno State OCED in October of 2018 as a program assistant with the
program Connect Initiative. In March 2023 she started a new position with the Central Valley
Women’s Entrepreneur Center as a business specialist. She offers technical assistance in
English and Spanish to entrepreneurs, start-ups or established businesses with a wide range of
resources and information. She provides counseling sessions with Licenses, permits and
requirements to operate in a legal way in California. She is very excited about the opportunity to
serve the community in her new role.

 

Aida Lizette Gutierrez, Business Specialist | Central Valley Women's Entrepreneur Center | Office of Community and Economic Development
559.278.0703 | aida@csufresno.edu

Aida works as a Business Specialist at the Central Valley Women's Entrepreneur Center,
delivering expert guidance and support to both new and established businesses, with a
particular focus on assisting Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs. She provides personalized
assistance with permits, registrations, licenses, and legal entity formation advice. For
established businesses, Aida connects clients with specialists in marketing development,
financial management, and government contracting, ensuring comprehensive support for
business growth and success. Additionally, she represents the center at professional events,
networking with prospective clients and enhancing community engagement and resource
accessibility.

 

Mauricio Lamas, Program Assistant | Office of Community and Economic Development
559.278.0719 | mauriciolc@mail.fresnostate.edu

Mauricio serves as a Program Assistant for Parent University. His role supports communication
between the partners and participants who are involved in the Parent University program. He's
passionate about supporting both the organization and the community through his role at the
Office of Community and Economic Development. Mauricio has the interest of the administrative
role, and holds experience in Human resources. Developing his career choice, he set out to
achieve a Bachelor in Business Administration at Fresno State.

Eric Vargas, Fiscal Analyst | Office of Community and Economic Development 
559.278.5490 | ericvargas@mail.fresnostate.edu

My name is Eric Vargas from Fresno, CA.  I am currently a Fiscal Analyst (Consultant) from
Robert Half International with over 28 years of Accounting and Financial experience, assigned
to Fresno State’s Office of Community & Economic Development. Attended Hartnell City
College and UCSD from ‘85-’88. Received Award from Vibra Healthcare (previous employer) in
2016 for exceptional accounting performance after 1st  of 6 promotions.

Elizabeth Orozco, Call Center Representative | Fresno State Connect
559.278.0706 | elizabetho@mail.fresnostate.edu

Elizabeth Orozco is a Call Center Representative working within the Office of
Community and Economic Development. She brings 4 years of excellent customer
service skills and is very passionate about helping low-income families find the proper
resources to get low-cost internet offers. She enjoys helping and advocating for these
families in communities that lack these types of resources. Elizabeth’s positive attitude
and willingness to help these communities are essential to this call center.