NDC Staff

12 different languages spoken. 8 countries of origin.
One goal – empower entrepreneurs.

Shahir Ahmed

Business Lab Director

Shahir has been a trainer for NDC for more than seven years at Hope Community. He owns POWER Insurance Agency Inc. and is a licensed MN insurance agent.

JEFF ALEXANDER

Real Estate & Small Business Consultant

Jeff oversees all NDC properties and has helped dozens of entrepreneurs open their food service businesses. He was deeply involved with the design and layout of the Midtown Global Market. His favorite food is seafood.

DANIEL BIRRU

ACCOUNTANT

Daniel provides timely, efficient accounting services for all NDC programs. He loves being a part of an organization that helps people become self-sufficient. Outside of work, he is very involved with his church.

ISABEL CHANSLOR

Vice President of National Programs & Special Projects

Isabel manages the day-to-day operations of NDC’s National Program which includes grant writing and reporting for an eight city alliance named “Build from Within Alliance”. Her work also includes coordination of DEED capacity building partnerships with local partners, oversight of NDC’s Greater Minnesota activities and development of innovative projects for the organization. She is a talented singer and loves movies and going to museums. She is also fluent in Spanish.

DAVID CAMACHO

ACCOUNTANT, CPA

David is all about the numbers, as the accountant for NDC's incubators. He is an avid soccer player, that dreams of trips to the beach. On any given day you can catch David practicing his Spanglish or sizing up sports reports on the Timberwolves.

GABRIELL BUTLER

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Gabriell is a wizard with words. She is the content creator and mastermind behind the social media platforms and websites for NDC and Midtown Global Market. Her poetic flair and punny personality lights up the office. Gabriell is a poet, native Kansas Citian, and BBQ guru.

BECKY GAZCA

CULTURAL EVENTS AND PROPERTY MANAGER

Becky ensures that the diverse cultures represented at the market are highlighted at events. She makes sure the market is always current with city ordinances and inspections. She used to own her own flower shop.

HARVEY HOFFMAN

BUILDING OPERATIONS MANAGER

Harvey manages all building needs for NDC and its properties including electrical, plumbing, HVAC, carpentry, remodeling and maintenance. Cool fact about Harvey is that he will eat almost anything including dried grasshoppers!

BEN JOHNSON

Director of Real Estate

Ben works with the real estate projects at NDC. He specializes in retail and restaurant business planning and works with many start-up and existing entrepreneurs to maximize profits. He loves to plays soccer.

Gene Johnson

Commercial Property Manager

Gene manages NDC’s commercial properties. He is the go-to guy for tenants that occupy our incubator spaces in St. Paul. He enjoys vacationing in exotic getaways such as Cozumel, Mexico and the Caribbean. When Gene is not diving off of the coast of Belize, he’s hanging out with his lively grandkids.

MARY KURIA

Business Advisor & Client Manager

Mary is a business advisor, project manager, accountant and bookkeeper. She handles the financial side of NDC's business incubators. Mary is from Kenya and is fluent in Swahili.

Lisa Xiong

Director of Training

Lisa oversees the training department, and uses her passion for helping underprivileged communities to provide access to trainings that enhance their business. She was born in Thailand and grew up on the East Side of St. Paul. During her off time, you can find her playing volleyball, on a motorcycle, or swimming with her kids.

We believe in the unlimited potential of entrepreneurs to transform their neighborhoods.

EARLSWORTH (BABA) LETANG

Director of Midtown Global Market

Baba monitors the businesses at Midtown Global Market and their sales. He also oversees rent payments, leasing, and showing available spaces. He often craves cassava leaf recipes from West Africa.

PERLA MAYO

Deputy Director of Lending

Perla assists entrepreneurs to secure financing to start or grow their business. She provides one-on-one business advice to her loan clients. She is fluent in Spanish and loves gardening and photography.

KATHY MORIARTY

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

Kathy oversees operations at NDC’s main office – from human resources to computer issues, she’s the go-to person. She believes, “It’s not what you got, it’s what you give.”

ELISA PLUHAR

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Elisa oversees all NDC development and communications needs. She has worked in the development field since 2004 and has extensive expertise in donor development and event planning. She is also a professional actress.

PHILLIP PORTER

LOAN OFFICER AND BUSINESS ADVISOR

Phillip works with loan applicants, analyzing business plans and financial statements, and presenting loan requests to the Loan Committee. He determines viability of income and cash flow projections for his clients. He loves soul food.

Donna Sanders

Loan Officer & Business Advisor

Donna assists entrepreneurs in acquiring NDC funding to start and grow businesses. You can catch Donna biking around the Twin Cities or grabbing an ice-cream cone from one of her favorite local shops.

SAMIR SAIKALI

SENIOR GRANTS AND INFORMATION MANAGER

Samir is responsible for all annual grant requests and reporting to foundations and corporations. To that end, Samir also tracks all NDC program outcomes and neighborhood impacts. He is also fluent in French and Arabic.

BRIAN SINGER

DIRECTOR OF LENDING

Brian works with all of our loan officers as they help entrepreneurs get the money they need to start and grow their businesses. He regularly reviews business plans and financial statements. He travels to Tanzania often.

ELLE KHANG

LENDING & BUSINESS OPERATIONS SPECIALIST

Elle manages loan and client portfolios, she works with clients through the process of applying for lending and business services. She is a devoted DIY-er who loves decorating for the holidays and keeps her Christmas tree up for four months out of the year.

MIHAILO (MIKE) TEMALI

FOUNDER AND CEO

Mihailo (Mike) is the Founder and CEO of NDC, and as such oversees operations, governance and long-range planning. He is the son of immigrants and was raised on the East Side of St. Paul.

BEE VANG

LOAN OFFICER AND BUSINESS ADVISOR

Bee helps entrepreneurs explore lending possibilities so they can start or expand their businesses. He analyzes reports and numbers to ensure their success. He can play the guitar and is fluent in Hmong.

TESHITE WAKO

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

As the CFO, Teshite is responsible for managing the financial health and performance of NDC, and overseeing financial planning, reporting and annual auditing. He is also a trainer for our Oromo-speaking entrepreneur business class.

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