Director, Entrepreneurial Business Program and Services, Division II
Director, Illinois SBDC at WBDC (South Suburbs)

Schedule an Appointment

Felicitas Cortez is Director of Entrepreneurial Business Program and Services, Division II, and Director of Illinois SBDC at WBDC (South Suburbs), located in Richton Park. Felicitas provides business development services, one-on-one and group advising, and business resources to nascent, emerging, and established business owners.

Most recently, Felicitas was executive director of a south suburban chamber of commerce.

Felicitas holds a B.A. in English from Loyola University Chicago.

International Trade Director

Schedule an Appointment

Soraya Hernandez is the WBDC International Trade Director. In her role, Soraya offers business clients direct technical assistance through one-on-one advising and workshops on leveraging international trade for business growth and market expansion.

Soraya comes to the WBDC with a wealth of experience in advising clients on how to “go global.” She has deep cross-industry, multinational/multi-cultural, operational, consumer market intelligence, strategic business consulting, and business/client development experience, running the gamut from helping tenured Fortune 500, middle market, and family-owned businesses to early-stage/emerging startup B2B and B2C enterprises.

Soraya received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and Business from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA in International Business and Operations Management from Loyola University Chicago Quinlan School of Business.

Managing Director, Entrepreneurial Business Program and Services, Division II

Schedule an Appointment

Maura Mitchell is Managing Director of Entrepreneurial Business Program and Services, Division II, at the Women’s Business Development Center and Director of Illinois SBDC at WBDC. Maura partners with entrepreneurs to develop their business plans and raise capital in order to profitably grow their companies.

With a long history of helping small businesses and nonprofits with strategy, legal, and financial issues, Maura provides insights on what it takes for small businesses to thrive in today’s evolving environment.

Maura holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Saint Mary’s College, an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law.

International Trade Director

Schedule an Appointment

Soraya Hernandez is the WBDC International Trade Director. In her role, Soraya offers business clients direct technical assistance through one-on-one advising and workshops on leveraging international trade for business growth and market expansion.

Soraya comes to the WBDC with a wealth of experience in advising clients on how to “go global.” She has deep cross-industry, multinational/multi-cultural, operational, consumer market intelligence, strategic business consulting, and business/client development experience, running the gamut from helping tenured Fortune 500, middle market, and family-owned businesses to early-stage/emerging startup B2B and B2C enterprises.

Soraya received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and Business from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA in International Business and Operations Management from Loyola University Chicago Quinlan School of Business.

Director of Government Contracting Programs and Services

Donna Beasley is Director of Government Contracting Program and Services at the Women’s Business Development Center, advising clients on how to do business with government at the city, county, state, and federal levels. She is also Director of the Illinois Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) at the WBDC, which provides hands-on technical assistance to small businesses that either want to become government contractors or are government contractors in need of technical assistance.

Immediately prior to joining WBDC, Donna was a self-employed government contracting business advisor. She has been a serial entrepreneur in the areas of project management and digital publishing.

Donna has an MFA degree from Vermont College of Norwich University and an undergraduate degree from Columbia College.

Managing Director, Government Contracting Program and Services

Schedule an Appointment

Maura Downs is Managing Director of Government Contracting Program and Services at the Women’s Business Development Center. Maura oversees the Illinois Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) at the WBDC, which provides hands-on technical assistance to small businesses that either want to become government contractors or are government contractors in need of technical assistance.

Maura has over a decade of experience counseling small businesses on obtaining business certifications, leveraging certification for government contracts, and all aspects of government contracting.

Maura holds a B.A. in English Language and Literature from the University of Illinois Chicago.