Brenda Stevens recognized for advancing Ohio entrepreneurs

Influential Women is spotlighting Brenda Stevens, MA, CBA®, for more than three decades of work in entrepreneurship, workforce development, higher education, and community leadership. Her career in Ohio and beyond has focused on helping minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses access contracts, certification support, and practical growth tools.

Why it matters: - Brenda Stevens has spent her career connecting entrepreneurs, students, employers, and community organizations with the resources they need to grow. - Her work has had a direct impact on minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses in Ohio, especially through contracting, certification, and business coaching support. - The profile highlights a leadership model built on practical training, community partnerships, and long-term workforce access.

What happened: - Influential Women highlighted Brenda D. Stevens, MA, CBA®, for her work in business development, workforce development, and community empowerment. - Stevens most recently served as Regional Director of the Minority Business Assistance Center in Akron from 2022 through Jan. 1, 2026. - In that role, she led entrepreneurship and workforce initiatives across a nine-county region under the Ohio Department of Development. - She worked with minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses while managing a team of five professional advisors.

The details: - Stevens built partnerships with educational institutions, workforce organizations, employers, chambers of commerce, and economic development agencies. - She designed and facilitated workshops on leadership development, procurement readiness, financial management, and business growth. - Her team supported businesses through state certification processes and helped secure more than $2.2 million in contract awards. - The MBAC work supported more than 80 businesses through certification. - Stevens also managed performance against measurable key performance indicators and exceeded State of Ohio contract goals. - Before MBAC, Stevens spent nearly 26 years at Malone University, where she served as Director of Multicultural Services from Sept. 1996 through June 2022. - At Malone, she led work in diversity and inclusion, student development, career readiness, and community engagement. - She provided coaching, career guidance, and resource navigation to students during and after college. - She developed professional development, leadership, and career-readiness programs for students entering the workforce. - Earlier, Stevens served as Program Director for The Education Enhancement Partnership in Canton, Ohio. - There, she administered education and STEM initiatives, including the SAMM Van Project and after-school programming. - She built partnerships with 16 school districts, employers, higher education institutions, and community organizations. - She also managed grant-funded educational initiatives exceeding $450,000. - Stevens also served as Program Director of the Buffalo Area Engineering Awareness for Minorities program at the University at Buffalo. - That program aimed to increase minority and women’s participation in engineering. - She developed pre-college programming, strengthened industry relationships, supported fundraising, and created STEM exposure opportunities for young students. - Stevens and her husband co-owned City Flooring and Design for more than 25 years before selling the company. - She later created a workforce training initiative that introduced young people to flooring and cabinet installation. - The training program also prepared people facing employment barriers, including individuals re-entering the workforce after incarceration, for skilled trades careers. - Her consulting and coaching work now supports women, minorities, veterans, and other aspiring entrepreneurs. - Stevens helps clients understand certification processes, identify opportunities, access resources, strengthen operations, and build strategies for sustainable growth. - She encourages entrepreneurs to seek mentors, widen their networks, and view competitors as potential collaborators. - Stevens said early-career imposter syndrome forced her to learn how to speak with confidence in professional settings. - She now urges women to recognize their achievements, understand their identity and culture, and use that self-awareness to build confidence. - Stevens has served in community and leadership groups including the United Way of Greater Stark County Education Council, Leadership Stark County, the Stark County Minority Business Association, and Heritage Christian School’s Board of Education. - She also held leadership roles within Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., including vice president. - Stevens led student groups on educational and service trips to Kenya, Mainland China, Hong Kong, South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia.

Between the lines: - Stevens’ career bridges higher education, public workforce systems, and hands-on entrepreneurship, which gives her advice a practical edge. - The profile frames community leadership as a mix of technical help and confidence-building, not just business startup support. - Her emphasis on authenticity, faith, and service suggests a leadership style centered on resilience as much as outcomes.

What's next: - Stevens continues consulting and coaching entrepreneurs as access to funding, certifications, and contracts remains a challenge for many small businesses. - Her ongoing work will likely stay focused on helping entrepreneurs and emerging leaders build stronger organizations and expand opportunity. - The Influential Women profile offers more information about Brenda Stevens.

The bottom line: - Brenda Stevens has built a career around one core idea: business growth and community progress move faster when people get practical support, trusted relationships, and the confidence to use them.