About Us
Staff DirectoryAlphabetical by last name
Allison Carie, Research Analyst, allison[dot]carie[at]wwu[dot]edu, 360-733-4014, ext. 123
Allison earned a B.A. in business economics and minors in marketing and Spanish at South Dakota State University. After her graduation she decided to continue her education at Western Washington University, where she is now in the second year of the master's in business administration program. Extended bio
Tom Dorr, Director, tom[dot]dorr[at]wwu[dot]edu, 360-733-4014, ext. 123
Before coming to Western, Tom owned and managed businesses ranging from start-up to turnarounds. In 2007 he received the prestigious "The Ron Battles Award" from the Washington State Small Business Development Center for his commitment to client service, innovation and continuous improvement. He has been recognized numerous times for his role in bringing in more than $5 million in investments into our local economy and for his involvement with saving or creating 100 or more jobs.
Tom also serves on the St. Lukes Foundation Board and speaks to businesses and community groups throughout the United States annually. Extended bio
Marilyn Grady, Program Assistant, marilyn[dot]grady[at]wwu[dot]edu, 360-733-4014, ext. 100
Marilyn joined the CEV in May 2003 and has served in her position as program assistant throughout the transition from the Small Business Development Center to the Center for Economic Vitality. Marilyn has extensive experience in corporate communications and event planning. After a 20 year career as a professional administrative assistant, Marilyn earned a degree in graphic design and visual arts from the University of Oregon, Portland campus.
When off work, Marilyn enjoys trekking, gardening, and entertaining family and friends.
Meg Greenfield, Assistant Director of Operations, meg[dot]greenfield[at]wwu[dot]edu, 360-733-4014, ext. 124
Meg comes to us with nearly a decade of experience in the telecommunications industry, aiding startups and large organizations in customer service and infrastructure development. Her core competencies include: client interface design, guerilla marketing, lifecycle management, and operations.
Previously Meg co-owned and managed Blue Frog Internet, based in Rochester, New York where she led it to a multimillion dollar company in two years. Prior to Blue Frog, she taught at both the University of Iowa and Syracuse University. Meg received a master's in business administration in finance, at the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester.
In her spare time Meg runs, bikes and raises a son.
Eric Grimstead, Business Strategist, eric[dot]grimstead[at]wwu[dot]edu, 360-733-4014, ext. 132
Eric has over 15 years experience in marketing, business development, accounting, and he has also been a small business owner. He has earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Puget Sound. Extended bio
Jennifer Hill, Senior Research Analyst, jenn[dot]hill[at]wwu[dot]edu, 360-733-4014, ext. 112
Jennifer received her bachelor's of science from Nebraska Wesleyan University in political science. She spent the next seven years working as a small business owner and then manager for a national retail store giving her a background in operations, finance and human resources. In 2004, Jennifer graduated from Tulane University with a master's in public health in international health and development. She has worked as a researcher and analyst in Africa and the U.S. Jennifer joined the CEV in 2007. Extended bio
Debra Lee, Business Strategist, debra[dot]lee[at]wwu[dot]edu, 360-733-4014, ext. 133
Debra joined the group in 2007. Previously Deb served in senior management positions in real estate, oil refining, and hotel management. She has over 18 years of business experience in Honolulu and an equal amount of time in Bellingham. Deb earned her M.B.A.from the University of Hawaii. Extended bio
James McCafferty, Business Strategist, james[dot]mccafferty[at]wwu[dot]edu, 360-733-4014
James is currently a business strategist and brings a unique perspective and time-tested problem solving skills to the Center for Economic Vitality. His professional work experience is bolstered by a diverse educational background. James holds an MBA from Western Washington University and a BS in Journalism with emphasis in public relations from the University of Oregon. Extended bio
Lee McClain, Business Strategist, lee[dot]mcclain[at]wwu[dot]edu, 360-733-4014, ext. 126
Lee McClain has been teaching at Western Washington University and has been an independent business consultant since 1991. He teaches a wide variety of areas including finance, information systems, computer applications, telecommunications, statistics, and international business in the College of Business and Economics.
Also Lee has an MBA in finance from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and worked as a financial analyst for Exxon Corporation and ARCO. He also served as a controller for a Bellingham company for three years. McClain spent eight years as a C-130 navigator in the U.S. Airforce before completing his MBA. Extended bio
Nichole Neumann, Research Analyst, nichole[dot]reeves[at]wwu[dot]edu, 360-733-4014, ext. 104
Nichole received her bachelor's of arts degree from Western Washington University in finance, with a minor in accounting in 2007. Immediately following graduation she return to Western to pursue a master's in business administration, which she completed in 2009. Extended bio
Jenny Spurgin, Senior Research Analyst, jenny[dot]spurgin[at]wwu[dot]edu, 360-733-4014, ext. 105
Jenny received her B.A. from Western Washington University in business administration in 2007. She spent several years in the tourism industry in Juneau, Alaska and has a strong background in project management, business analysis and marketing. She also has experience in IT implementation and enhancements. Extended bio