TA Leadership Institute offers professional development training opportunities for economic development, higher education, and other not-for-profit organizations to improve operations, bolster sustainability and increase results.
ASCEND Accreditation Accelerator
This hands-on, practical course - facilitated by experienced SBDC leaders - will guide you in preparing and implementing the materials you can use to demonstrate fulfillment of the accreditation standards. By the end you will have started to assemble the materials necessary for a complete self-study and for a successful accreditation review.
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ASCend
Learn. Share. Document.
01
Learn
Hands-on, practical information and tips from experienced SBDC leaders
02
Share
Share materials and best practices with colleagues from across the country
03
Document
Tools to outline and organize documentation needed for the self-study
TA Advisors
TA Advisors provides custom consulting, coaching and fractional leadership for economic development, higher education, and other not-for-profit organizations. Services particularly tailored to organizations managing federal and other government grants.
Areas of Expertise
Leadership and Program Management/Fractional CEO Strategic Planning Organizational Assessments SBDC Accreditation Grants - Proposal Development, Management, Reporting Leadership Transition Resource Cultivation/Funder Relations Operational Efficiency Data Analytics (trending and benchmarking) Organizational Culture and Staff Assessment SBDC Partnerships
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Meet our team
Christian Conroy
Principal
TA Advisors and the TA Leadership Institute is lead by Christian Conroy.
Christian Conroy has over 30 years of experience in executive-level leadership and management. He has managed $120 million in grants and contracts to build and deliver services to support the transformation of entrepreneurs, organizations and communities. The organizations he has led have helped to launch more than 13,000 new businesses, impact over 120,000 jobs, and secure more than $1.2 billion in start-up and growth capital.
At the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Christian led the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers, the largest provider of entrepreneurial technical assistance in the state. He also served as leader of the SBDC programs in Kansas, Kentucky and Massachusetts while supporting their search processes for permanent leadership.
Christian launched the America’s SBDC Leadership Institute in 2018 to provide customized leadership coaching, consulting and training on strategic thinking, planning and doing; performance and operations improvement; and sustainability to support the 63 SBDC networks that serve all fifty states, the District of Columbia and the territories. In this role he obtained a $10 million grant from Google to build capacity in AI and digital technology adoption.
Christian has a master’s degree in urban studies and non-profit management from the University of Pennsylvania, and undergraduate degrees in economics and psychology from the University of New York at Albany. He has testified before both houses of Congress in support of bills to support entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Jill Kline - ASCEND Faculty
State Director, Wyoming SBDC
Jill Kline serves as State Director for the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, leading a team of professional advisors who support entrepreneurs throughout the business lifecycle—from startup viability to exit strategies. With over 27 years in the program and experience as a two-time business owner, she brings deep understanding of the challenges facing small business owners and remains committed to serving Wyoming's entrepreneurial community.
As Principal Investigator, Jill oversees the Wyoming SBDC's core programs including the Apex Accelerator (APEX), Wyoming SBIR/STTR Initiative (WSSI), and Market Research Center (MRC). She has successfully secured additional funding through SBA Portable Assistance awards, the Community Navigator Pilot Program, CARES Act funding, the Cybersecurity for Small Businesses Pilot Program, and a USDA Rural Business Development Grant.
Jill contributed 11 years of service on the ASBDC accreditation committee and currently serves on the Better Business Bureau advisory board for Wyoming. She chairs the Rural Development Fund, a nonprofit created by Wyoming Smart Capital Network to deploy USDA loan funds.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Geology and Master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Wyoming, and is a 2012 Leadership Wyoming graduate. Her professional certifications include Franklin Covey 7 Habits for Small Business Managers facilitator, Business Counselor, NxLeveL Business Plan Instructor, and Core Four Business Planning Instructor. She has specialized training in leadership, cybersecurity, technology development and commercialization, technology counseling, SBIR Phase I and II development, cost proposal development, grant writing, grant management, and compliance for grant-funded projects.
Aaron Phelps
Media Producer
Aaron is the media producer for the TA Leadership Institute and makes sure our course and materials are top-notch. He has worked for universities and small businesses to provide marketing and content development. He also serves as the Marketing Director for the Northern California SBDC network.
