Office of Entrepreneurship Education
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Ellen M. Thrasher
Ellen M. Thrasher is the Director for the Office of Entrepreneurship Education, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). In this capacity she serves as an advocate for entrepreneurial development through a variety of management and technical assistance programs and services designed for small business success.
As the Director, Ms. Thrasher manages SCORE, a $5 million counseling and training program, composed of nearly, 11,000 volunteers operating from 379 chapters in over 800 locations nationwide. Building on the skills of experienced business owners and managers, both retired and active, SCORE is unique to the federal government by utilizing trained and experience volunteers to provide face-to-face counseling, topical planning and on-line counseling to America's entrepreneurs. A valued resource partner of the SBA for more than 40 years, SCORE received the inaugural USA Freedom Corps Award for exemplary volunteer service. In 2004, it received the Summit Award of the American Society of Association Executives. In 2006, it received APEX Awards of Excellence for the SCORE Web Site, www.score.org, and its FY05 Annual Report Live Your Dream. SCORE Can Help. APEX Awards honor excellence in graphic design, editorial content and the ability to achieve overall communications excellence. Since 1964, SCORE has assisted more than 7 million American entrepreneurs achieve their small business goals.
Ms. Thrasher also directs the Office of International Visitors, a courtesy service to foreign visitors and dignitaries showcasing for international visitors the "American small business model." Other programs under her purview are SBA's youth entrepreneurship program with its teen website, and the online library of publications on a variety of topics to assist small business management and planning.
Prior to her current position in the Office of Entrepreneurship Education, she served as Deputy Associate Administrator for the Small Business Development Center program, a $95 million technical assistance grant program of the SBA with over 1,000 centers across the United States and in its territories. Ms. Thrasher was also the Deputy Associate Administrator for the SBA Office of Women's Business Ownership. Ms. Thrasher is a graduate of the SBA's Senior Executive Service leadership program.
Ms. Thrasher's extensive career in public policy began on the personal staff of U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona. Over the course of 15 years, she served in a variety of high level positions including Legislative Assistant, Constituent Services, and Special Assistant.
Ms. Thrasher is active in numerous civic and community organizations, including the Arizona State University College of Liberal Arts Alumni Leadership Board and she serves on the Advisory Board for the National Women in History Museum. |