As the Ecosystem & Equitech Manager of Venture Development at TEDCO, Sephora leads programs that bolster an inclusive and thriving tech ecosystem in Maryland. She mentors early-stage companies and provides guidance to Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) across the state.
Sephora is a serial operator for entrepreneur development groups. Her passion for supporting founders started with her first role as a market research analyst with VentureOut NY, where she identified relevant trends in emerging tech industries for dozens of founders new to the New York City tech ecosystem.
Sephora joined Venture for America as a fellow, a selective two-year program for recent graduates passionate about entrepreneurship and high-growth technologies. She was a program associate for Innovation Depot, running day-to-day operations for the startup accelerator, analyzing portfolio companies' growth and planning founder development events for the local ecosystem. Sephora also managed a global community of seasoned entrepreneurs through Goodie Nation, a nonprofit on a mission to eliminate the relationship gap that limits success for tech social entrepreneurs/diverse founders.
Prior to TEDCO, Sephora served as the Assistant Director at the Pava Center for Entrepreneurship at Johns Hopkins University, advising dozens of student and local social entrepreneurs from ideation to execution. She recently participated as an investment fellow with District Angels, where she received comprehensive training and mentorship on deal sourcing, founder evaluation and market analysis.
Sephora graduated with a degree in Business Administration and Africana Studies from SUNY Binghamton. She is furthering her studies through the Master of Science in Data Analytics and Policy program at Johns Hopkins University. She enjoys reading, practicing piano and trying out new recipes.