The SMARTstart Staff
Daniel Mitchell
SMARTstart Program Director
Dan is responsible for managing the SMARTstart program, from working directly with small businesses to running the incubator locations across Pasco. Prior to joining Pasco EDC, he had been coaching individuals and businesses, as well as being an entrepreneur himself. Dan holds a B.S. in Business Management with a concentration in Entrepreneurship, as well as his Certified Financial Planner accreditation.
Cynthia Cortez
SMARTstart Program Assistant
Cynthia assists the SMARTstart Program Director with communicating to businesses and aids in conducting events. She has over 20 years of experience in the customer service industry as well as with property management and has worked with small and large businesses gaining knowledge from a variety of industries. Cynthia is majoring in business administration from Miami Dade College and is fully bilingual in English and Spanish.
Dennis Mullins
SMARTstart Program Assistant
Dennis assists the SMARTstart Program Director with communicating to businesses and aids in conducting events. Prior to joining the Pasco EDC, he served in federal government working for the Department of Veteran Affairs and the United States Department of Agriculture. Dennis is an Army Veteran and holds a M.S. in Business Administration from Grantham University. He is also small business owner in Pasco County.
Ashlee Underdown
SMARTstart Program Assistant
Ashlee assists the SMARTstart Program Director with communicating to businesses and aids in conducting events. She has previous experience managing a business, and hopes to grow professionally while assisting small business owners through the SMARTstart Program. Ashlee holds an Associates of Art degree from Pasco-Hernando State College and is currently continuing her education to achieve a B.A. in Business Organization Administration.
Becky Martin
Special Program Assistant
Becky provides administrative support for the Pasco EDC staff at various levels with emphasis placed on, marketing support of social media distribution, all aspects of the Pasco Microloan Program, and support of the SMARTstart Business Incubator program. She is also responsible for updating the programs and information on the SMARTstart website. Prior to joining Pasco EDC, Becky worked for the Department of Health and The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce. She is also a graduate of Leadership Hernando 2009.