Registration now closed

Small Business Funding Panel Discussion

with Local Funding Organizations

Join local funding organizations for a discussion on options for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Panelists will include:

Moderator - Philip Adams, Executive Director of Forge Community Loan Fund

Philip Adams has served as the Executive Director of FORGE since March 2020 after having joined the staff in 2019 as the Northwest Arkansas Regional Director. Previously, he served as the Director of Arkansas PROMISE, a five-year, $35 million federal grant to the University of Arkansas and the Arkansas Department of Education. Services provided through PROMISE included paid work experiences, intensive case management, employment training and support for youth and families, benefits counseling, and health and wellness education. Families also participated in financial literacy workshops that focus on asset building, financial planning and financial management. In 2018, Adams was honored by the Association on Higher Education and Disability for his work to promote social justice for people with disabilities in their communities. Adams formerly worked as an organic farmer in Nashville, TN, and as special assistant for agency and legislative affairs in Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe’s office.

Panelist - Kevin Tillman, Communities Unlimited, Inc.

Kevin Tillman is a Small Business Lender for Communities Unlimited, Inc. Communities Unlimited, Inc. is a Community Development Financial Institution that provides economic opportunities to entrepreneurs and rural communities through capital financing and technical assistance. Kevin has two years of lending experience with Communities Unlimited and their mission of serving underserved communities perfectly aligns with Kevin’s philanthropic spirit. Kevin attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Financial Management and Investments and minor in Business Management in May 2015.

Panelist - Martha Londagin, Kiva Loans 

Martha Londagin is an Executive Consultant with the Startup Junkie Foundation (startupjunkie.org) in Fayetteville, AR. She consults with small business owners and entrepreneurs in the region regarding all aspects of starting a business or growing their current business and maintaining economic viability. She is currently also the Capital Access Manager for the NWA Kiva Hub (kiva-nwa.org) providing guidance for economically-disadvantaged entrepreneurs to help them gain access to crowd-funded, 0% interest, no fee microloans of $1,000-$15,000 each via the kiva.org platform. The local NWA Kiva program is supported by the Walton Family Foundation and includes a matching-loan fund provided to Kiva for Benton and Washington County AR approved borrowers.  Martha has worked in Northeast Oklahoma and NWA as a business banker, business attorney, Walton College small business center consultant, and as a public-school educator. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Arkansas and her J.D. from the University of Arkansas School of Law. She is a licensed attorney in Oklahoma and Arkansas, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and a sixth- generation resident and small business owner in NEOk and NWA.

Panelist - Sandra Carrasco Quezada, Forge Community Loan Fund

Originally from Chihuahua, Mexico Sandra has lived in the US for over 14 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Arkansas and has spent years in cross-functional roles ranging from operations, engineering, finance, and analytics. She is the co-founder of Bites & Bowls, a locals' favorite in Northwest Arkansas. Currently, she works as the director of Latinx Business Development for the FORGE Fund, helping small owners obtain access to capital. Through her experience as an immigrant, she is committed to helping others succeed. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Sina, and their son, Jahangir. 

Panelist - Andrea Schacknies, Arvest Bank Commercial Banker

Andrea Schacknies is an AVP in commercial bank at Arvest Bank. She has over 13 years of experience in the finance and banking industry. She works with customers to obtain a commercial loan, real estate loan, line of credit, Small Business Administration loans and more. She attended American Allied University in Laguna Hills, CA. and has 10 years of banking experience and 3 years as a Tax Analyst.

Upcoming events