Our People

Dr. Iris Ann Cooper’s career includes leadership positions in financial services, economic development, community service, communication, government, entrepreneurship, and education. She is the owner of “JustAskIris!” an entrepreneurial coaching firm, specializing in food enterprises and products. Iris is a founder of Glory Foods, Inc., a multi-million-dollar food marketing company and has launched several successful enterprises during her career. She is recognized nationally as a business strategy and branding expert, having coached many startups to sustainability. Iris is the former Director of the Ohio Division of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, where Iris led the state from 29th worst place for small businesses in 2007 to the ninth best in the nation, and 1st in the Midwest in four years. She currently works with nonprofits and for- profit organizations desiring market research, strategy development, and other professional services. Iris recently received the Amos Lynch Legacy Award from Champions of Diversity and the Sharon Burkes Soar Award from Franklin County Children’s Services for her advocacy work in Central Ohio.

Cairn Cross is a co-founder of FreshTracks Capital and serves as a Managing Director of the Fund. Cairn presently serves on the boards of FreshTracks portfolio companies Vermont Teddy Bear, NativeEnergy, Faraday, Budnitz Bicycles and Mamava and is an observer to the SunCommon and Caledonia Spirits boards. Cairn is a lecturer at the UVM Grossman School of Business where he teaches Financing Sustainable Innovation for the Sustainable Innovation MBA program. Cairn is also an advisor to the board of Colchester, Vermont based C2 an IT services and management company. Prior to starting FreshTracks Cairn was a strategic and financial adviser to Vermont banks and growth businesses, the Assistant General Manager of Green Mountain Capital, L.P. from 1996 to 1998 and spent a decade from 1986 to 1996 working as a commercial banker. In 2014 he created Road Pitch a four day motorcycle tour around Vermont bringing investors and entrepreneurs to 7 towns to listen to entrepreneurs pitch their ideas. In 2011, the United States Small Business Administration named Cairn its Vermont, New England and National, Financial Services Champion.

As a scholar-practitioner, Dr. Terry Cyfers has devoted his professional life to the combination and noble pursuit of leadership, strategy, and innovation. It has taken him down many roads to include roles as an Army Officer, entrepreneur, consultant and professor. These roles, along with his devotion to a deep commitment to spiritual understanding have instilled in him a passion for moving things forward for others. Dr. Cyfers always welcomes the next chapter and works towards growth for not only himself but others he has the great fortune of meeting along the way.

Sherif A. Ebrahim is President & CEO of Strategic Management Group and Managing Partner of SMG Capital, both nationally recognized Private Equity and Health Care Firms based in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is a board certified health care executive, a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, an NAPH Managed Care Public Policy & Finance Fellow from New York University and a Health Systems Management Fellow from Tulane University and the State of Louisiana. He is considered an expert in Corporate Strategy, Strategic Innovation and Multi-Organizational Integration. He currently serves on the committees of several investment funds, serves as Director, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Education and is a professor of Strategy & Innovation at Tulane University, serves on the faculty of The Catholic University of America, and has served on the faculties of other universities, governance and executive development programs.

Charisma and passion are hallmarks of Orlando Espinosa's approach to sharing the benefits for entrepreneurs, startups and established business to understand the importance of being educated and informed business owners. Orlando was the first National Spokesperson for The Sallie Mae Fund's "On the road: Paying for College Bus Tour". The coast to coast tour gained national recognition for financial aid workshops in 70 cities. He was also a key member of creating and branding 2futuro, a bilingual loan and outreach program by Sallie Mae and USA Funds. As a leadership advisor for ASPIRA of Florida, Inc., a youth based organization, he empowered students through education and leadership workshops. His passion for education has afforded him opportunities to counsel countless individuals and groups on higher education, presented to public and private business organizations, and has traveled nationally to conduct workshops on financial literacy, leadership, entrepreneurship, branding and marketing. He Co-Founded MICROscholarships Inc. a 501c3 dedicated to providing opportunities to student entrepreneurs thru equal access to scholarship funds and entrepreneurship training programs. Once accepted into the program, student entrepreneurs receive tailored mentoring, small business development support, and financial assistance (via need-based qualifications) – all geared toward graduating from college and getting their business off the ground.

A jack of all trades, strategist and expert problem solver. Danielle has owned several businesses, served on the executive team of a multi-national corporation and headed a non-profit. She is able to work at both a macro and micro level to quickly gain clarity of an organization’s opportunities and accurately identify potential obstacles. Danielle spent the early part of her career focused on business-to-business marketing and public relations. After working for several companies, she founded an award-winning strategic communications consulting firm. Her insatiable curiosity coupled with a dislike of routine resulted in her working with clients ranging from startups to the federal government. In 2008 she agreed to lead the technology marketing team for Teleflora, a former consulting client. Danielle was quickly promoted at the online flower retailer and in 2011 was named Vice President of Administration. A member of the executive team, she led the company’s human resources functions, technology marketing and key enterprise-wide operations projects.

Carla Fallone, MBA, CEO of Fallone Business Resources and a fourth generation entrepreneur has been designing/launching companies for 26 years. She has launched and successfully grown her own retail & service based business, and is currently designing and developing an online Enterprise Crowdfunding site for Students. Carla is an adjunct professor at The College of New Jersey, School of Business, where she teaches Entrepreneurship. Carla develops strategic business models/plans, designed to “envision/teach/succeed” entrepreneurship. She consults finance/business development/financial software to private clients. Carla also consults for Small Business Development Centers and the SBA, and authors business theory for Fortune 100 companies.

Fay Fleming, MA is the founder of the Business Performance Company (BPC), a consulting firm started in 1994. With more than 20 years of senior-level expertise, her career includes work in training, strategy, research and marketing. Fay’s current focus is providing strategy, research and speaking services to a wide range of businesses and professionals. Ms. Fleming has worked with more than 75 organizations including start-ups, small and mid-cap businesses, nonprofits and Fortune corporations. Services span industries ranging from technology and financial services to travel and human services. She has also been an adjunct instructor for several universities including Washington University.