INNOVATION WORKS MENTOR NETWORK
Mentor Network LOOKBOOK
MARCH 2022
ABOUT Innovation Works (IW) seeks to support Baltimore-based social entrepreneurs in building and owning successful social enterprises that help create sustainable neighborhood economies in Baltimore, utilizing the model created by the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship. The volunteer mentors represent IW's key accompaniment and support resource for the entrepreneurs participating in our various programs. The Mentor brings strong business and management skills while respecting and promoting IW’s values and vision, particularly Ignatian values. Mentors work closely with entrepreneurs to strengthen their capacity and advance their social impact and business objectives. They must be highly flexible in that they are responsive to the unique needs and opportunities that present themselves as they participate in IW programs.
INNOVATION WORKS MENTOR NETWORK MARCH 2022
IW selects mentors who–through their education, background, and experience– have knowledge of the fundamentals of business planning and the challenges of executing those plans. They are also deeply committed to IW’s vision to accelerate entrepreneurship to reduce the economic, racial, and income equity challenges facing Baltimore City. IW programs offer a platform for mentors to engage with impactful, transformative organizations in Baltimore.
INNOVATION WORKS MENTOR NETWORK
MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Mentors are broadly skilled and experienced executives and founders and can engage in various roles aligned with the programs and needs of Innovation Works. They are assumed to have the capacity to, and may engage in, any of these roles, but are assigned based on a specific skill, experience, or capability, their available time commitments, and the particular needs of the social entrepreneurs.
Enterprise Advisor Build a strong working relationship with their matched social entrepreneur (SE) Provide guidance on enterprise strategy Listen to and support SE in tackling key challenges of the enterprise Provide support to the SE in utilizing and completing any program curriculum Spend ~2-3 hr/wk in consultation with the SE through structured programs and beyond While each mentor/SE relationship will differ, the mentor may continue to work with the SE for a few months to multiple years
Curriculum Advisor Commit to participating as a Mentor in either the IW+MC 4-day Boost Program OR the IW+MC 6-month Accelerator Be fully present for the entire duration of the program Bring the program curriculum to life by coaching SEs through their unique enterprise challenges Provide personal insight into the materials Assist SEs in recognizing how the curriculum applies to their enterprise Help resolve any questions, challenges, or problems in applying the curriculum
Domain Advisor Provide special technical expertise in areas based on education and/or experience Suggest resources and provide support to SEs in completing any program curriculum Assist SE in strengthening capacity in technical areas Maintain flexibility as to time commitment Domain mentorship could range from 1 meeting to a several-month project with multiple engagements
Ignite Advisor Role is similar to a domain advisor but provides expert advice in the community Support community members coming together to consider and develop an enterprise solution “idea” Commitment is based on demand from community members
Special Projects Advisor Engage in IW’s strategic initiatives by helping further the mission of building upon Baltimore’s industry strengths Bring industry-related expertise to help extend the reach and impact for the SEs involved in the various initiatives
MENTOR SPOTLIGHTS
INNOVATION WORKS MENTOR NETWORK
PATTI CHANDLER VP of Finance & Admin Baltimore Community Foundation EXPERTISE: Nonprofit Dev. & Finance MENTEE(S): Kellie Brown, SpreadKarma Jamyla Bennu, Oyin Handmade
It's been a real pleasure to be a part of the IW Mentor Network. [The SEs] have exciting social impact business ideas and are really dedicated to building their businesses, scaling, and figuring out challenges.
ANN QUINN Principal Quinn Strategy Group EXPERTISE: Organizational Strategy MENTEE(S): Austin Brown, Global Air Media Jamyla Bennu, Oyin Handmade
JIM PETERSON VP Business Banking Relationship Manager M&T Bank EXPERTISE: Finance MENTEE(S): Maisha McCoy, Breathe4Sure
Being an IW Mentor is an enriching experience. Not only do you get to support a developing social enterprise, but you get to hone your social innovation skills as a mentor. This experience has been mutually beneficial.
The Miller Center model being implemented at IW looked, for the first time, like that long term path we’d been looking for to invest in Baltimore businesses. Nothing like this existed in the marketplace.
The entrepreneurial journey has never been an easy one, and I want to be able to help some of these folks the way that some had helped me when I was just getting started.
GINA MERRITT Owner & Principal Northern Real Estate Urban Ventures EXPERTISE: Real Estate & Community Development MENTEE(S): Candace Chance, The VPI Firm Brion Gill, Pennsylvania Ave. Black Arts and Entertainment District
JIM SMITH (retd.) Chief of Strategic Alliances Baltimore City EXPERTISE: Government & Contracting MENTEE(S): Bree Jones, Parity
The ideas and the talent in Baltimore is phenomenal and it really makes you optimistic for the future of this city. I thank the entrepreneurs for their ideas, their initiative, their drive, and their commitment.
MENTOR IMPACT
CHESTER FRANCE Founder of Lifting Labels
The work a mentor does is absolutely critical and very rewarding for the SEs that need the business skillset and acumen that they bring to the table.
Jim Smith, my mentor, is now on my board which I’m so happy about. He sees me as a whole being, fully capable and talented, and he uses his privilege and position to assist in my business.
70+ Active Mentors
2,124 Total Hours of Direct Enterprise Support (FY21)
2,211 BREE JONES Founder of Parity
MENTOR NETWORK CHAMPIONS We are grateful for our institutional partners, such as these, who contribute to our Mentor Network in multiple ways.
Total Other Volunteer Hours (FY21)
$1.4M Total Value of all Volunteer and Mentor Support (FY21)
INNOVATION WORKS MENTOR NETWORK MARCH 2022
INNOVATION WORKS MENTOR NETWORK
MEET THE MENTORS
JOEL BARNETT
DAVID BERMAN
JAMES BROSKOW
BILL BRUNS
WILLIAM BURGESS
INDUSTRY: Finance & Accounting
INDUSTRY: Wealth Management
INDUSTRY: Technology
INDUSTRY: Financial Services
INDUSTRY: Food Service
PATTI CHANDLER
BRIAN CHREST
DAWNA COBB
GREG CONDERACCI
MURRAY DALZIEL
INDUSTRY: Philanthropy
INDUSTRY: Accounting
INDUSTRY: Legal
INDUSTRY: Communications
INDUSTRY: Higher Education
JULIA FILO
NATASHA DARTIGUE
NEIL DAVIS
JOHN DINKEL
EMILY DURFEE
INDUSTRY: Legal
INDUSTRY: Tech Innovation
INDUSTRY: Sales & Business Dev.
INDUSTRY: Healthcare INDUSTRY: Media & Investment Communications
INNOVATION WORKS MENTOR NETWORK
MEET THE MENTORS
SMITHA GOPAL
PAM GRAY
SHAWN GUNARATNE GEN HAINES
DECARLO HARRISON
INDUSTRY: Computer Science
INDUSTRY: Accounting
INDUSTRY: Economic Dev.
INDUSTRY: Fund Development
INDUSTRY: Insurance & Risk Mgmt
JOHN HERRON
PHILIP HOLMES
BEN HYMAN
RUSSELL JOYNER
SCOTT KAUFMAN
INDUSTRY: Social Enterprise Mgmt.
INDUSTRY: Consulting
INDUSTRY: Community Dev.
INDUSTRY: Technology
INDUSTRY: Data Technology
DREX KNIGHT
JP KRAHEL
DAVID KRALL
ROMAS KRYWONIS
JIM KUCHER
INDUSTRY: Banking & Finance
INDUSTRY: Higher Education
INDUSTRY: Medical Devices
INDUSTRY: Finance
INDUSTRY: Higher Education
INNOVATION WORKS MENTOR NETWORK
MEET THE MENTORS
GERRI LEDER
ERIC LEVITAS
BRADY LOCHER
ROBYNE LYLES
ANDREA MARSH
INDUSTRY: Communications
INDUSTRY: Business Development
INDUSTRY: Information Tech
INDUSTRY: Transportation
INDUSTRY: Government
DARREN McCUE
MATT McNEELEY
GINA MERRITT
HENRY MORTIMER
BRENNAN MURRAY
INDUSTRY: Mgmt Consulting
INDUSTRY: Real Estate
INDUSTRY: Community INDUSTRY: Higher Dev & Real Estate Education
ALANAH NICHOLE
KENDRA PARLOCK
JIM PETERSON
ANN QUINN
CHRIS RAHL
INDUSTRY: Community Dev.
INDUSTRY: Product Development
INDUSTRY: Small Business Dev.
INDUSTRY: Mgmt. Consulting
INDUSTRY: Legal
INDUSTRY: Design
INNOVATION WORKS MENTOR NETWORK
MEET THE MENTORS
ANNEMARIE REILLY
ALEX RIEHM
BRIAN ROGERS
NEIL ROSEMAN
MARGARET ROTH
INDUSTRY: Nonprofit Admin
INDUSTRY: Higher Ed. & Social Ent.
INDUSTRY: Real Estate
INDUSTRY: Real Estate
INDUSTRY: Venture Capital
PETE SACHS
DAVID SAENZ
LARYSA SALAMACHA SID SANKARAN
MATT SEWARD
INDUSTRY: Finance
INDUSTRY: Finance
INDUSTRY: Economic & Community Dev.
INDUSTRY: Real Estate
MICHAEL SINGER
DAVE SMITH
JIM SMITH
JAMIE SPRIGGS
JOHN SPRINGER
INDUSTRY: Real Estate
INDUSTRY: Construction
INDUSTRY: Legal & Government
INDUSTRY: Insurance
INDUSTRY: Finance
INDUSTRY: Product Manufacturing
INNOVATION WORKS MENTOR NETWORK
MEET THE MENTORS
ANGELA TSESIS
FRANK VAN VLIET
RICKY VENTERS
INDUSTRY: INDUSTRY: Healthcare Investment Transportation
INDUSTRY: Food Sciences
INDUSTRY: Higher Education
INDUSTRY: Program Management
KEN WALZ
JOSEPH WEAVER
TED WIESE
KAREN WRIGHT
INDUSTRY: Life Sciences & Healthcare
INDUSTRY: Design & Technology
INDUSTRY: Financial Services
TINA WILLIAMSKOROMA
O'MARA TAYLOR
STU TOBIN
INDUSTRY: Cyber Security
INDUSTRY: Data Technology
You might be a fit for the IW Mentor Network if…
you are empathetic to the diverse variety of lived experiences that Baltimore’s social entrepreneurs bring to the table you share in IW’s mission to reduce Baltimore’s neighborhood and racial wealth divide you have the capacity to volunteer your time in one of the five mentor opportunities outlined on page 2
Learn more & apply at
iwbmore.org/mentor
BECOME A MENTOR
you have knowledge of the fundamentals of business planning and the challenges of executing on those plans
Innovation Works 1400 Greenmount Ave, Ste. 101 Baltimore, MD 21202 iwbmore.org/mentor contact@iwbmore.org MENTOR NETWORK LOOKBOOK