Speakers

Kathleen Cronin is the Regional Program Assistant and Outreach Coordinator at the Small Business Development Center, (NJSBDC) that is hosted at Ramapo College of New Jersey.

Cronin has coordinated partnerships between the NJSBDC at Ramapo College, Office of the Small Business Administration (SBA), New York SBDC, NJ/NY District Export Councils and other entities to provide added value for the small business community in the domestic and international markets.

Additionally, she serves in her free time with USAfrica Trade and Business Network as the US Director for Cultural Communications, Board Advisor for the Global Chamber New York City, OWIT - Organization of Women in Trade, NYC Fair Trade Coalition, Ambassador for Lady Agri Investment Hub, United Nations Association, UNCSW, the Council on Foreign Relations, PLURAL+ project with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Statewide Hispanic Chamber of NJ, the Bergen County Black Business Network, Turkish Cultural Center of New Jersey, UAMA United American Muslim Association, KOTRA, Advisory Board Member Bergen County Technical Schools, Advisor Technology Transfer Days NYC, the Bergen County Realtors Global Business Council, NJDEC Women’s International Roundtable.

She has developed outreach-related dealings with the Irish, Hungarian, Lebanese, French, Indian, Nigerian, Korean, Mexican, Colombian, Dominican, Canadian, Israel, Netherlands, Philippine, Peruvian, and various other consulates and missions in New York City.

She previously served as an Executive Board Member of the Irish Business Organization of New York, the Social Media Team for the NY St. Patrick's Day Parade and NY St Patrick's Cathedral, delegate with the Irish Echo’s NY / New Belfast Annual Conference in NYC.  Cronin also serves as a Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce member, Cultural, Social Media Ambassador, Bergen County OEM-Paramus CERT member, Board Member to The Friends of Ramapo, a college foundation and alumni board position, alternate board member and paparazzi for the North New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, the Bergen County Workforce Development Board, 2021 Panel Judge for the Brooklyn Public Library PowerUP! Business Plan Competition, 2022 Advisor for the Brooklyn Public Library PowerUP! Business Plan Competition – her client won $5,000 Third Place Award Daniel Katz - People's Heritage Tours.

Cronin has been a successful Montessori teacher and college level English as a Second Language instructor, organizing and running follow up – study groups ESL Language and Business Solutions. Outside of her work with the SBDC, Cronin volunteers with entrepreneurial and immigrant groups in NYC and NJ to advise in the facilitation of small business, social media marketing, outreach services and English Language training in accent reduction, speech preparation, on the job vocabulary enhancement and business English.  During her service at the SBDC, Cronin has placed a special concentration on helping immigrant owned businesses. She has particularly worked to navigate these businesses in the domestic and International markets, including women and minority-owned registered small businesses, through challenges by using her outreach associated with language and culture.

Kathleen has received the following awards: 2021 Irish Echo Community Champion, 2020 DataBird Business Journal Women in Business Award.

In her spare time Cronin enjoys studying and attending events related to International Trade, NY Women in Tech, global culture and history, building her language skills (practices 7), and photography.