News Release _ New Hire in Central Mountain Region

The Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in the Central Mountain Region Welcomes New Executive Director Audrey Snyder Welsh, MBA

Salida, CO – Sept. 30, 2025 – The Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is proud to announce the selection of Audrey Snyder Welsh, MBA as the new Executive Director of the Colorado SBDC serving the Central Mountain regions of Chaffee, Lake, and Park Counties. This leadership transition comes as longtime Executive Director Jamie Billesbach retires after years of service supporting rural entrepreneurs and strengthening the small business ecosystem across Central Colorado.

A Rigorous Selection Process

Audrey was selected after a competitive search, with almost 40 applicants from across the country considered for the role. The hiring panel was composed of administrators from Chaffee, Lake, and Park Counties; the Chaffee County Head of Finance; the Colorado SBDC State Director; the Colorado SBDC State's Senior Manager of Marketing & Outreach; and Billesbach, the retiring Central Mountain SBDC Director. The panel was impressed with the strong field of candidates, and following thoughtful deliberation achieved consensus that Audrey was the right choice to lead the Central Mountain SBDC center into its next chapter. Audrey will be an employee of Chaffee County, who serves as fiscal host for the Central Mountain SBDC center, in partnership with co-hosts Lake and Park Counties.

About Audrey Snyder Welsh

Audrey is a purpose-driven professional who believes in the transformative power of entrepreneurship and the essential role small businesses play in thriving communities. Most recently, she served as Regional Operations and Evaluation Lead for the Northwest and Rocky Mountain USDA Regional Food Business Center, coordinating training, market development programming, and technical assistance for more than 5,000 farm and food businesses across six states, and providing small business consultation through affiliation with the Northern Colorado Foodshed Project.

Audrey also brings firsthand entrepreneurial experience as the founder of ReKaivery, a local food marketplace later acquired by a Colorado-based group, and as co-founder of a nonprofit food and medicine delivery service that mobilized volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic. She holds an MBA from Colorado State University, where she specialized in Global, Social, Sustainable Enterprises and graduated at the top of her class with the Leadership, Excellence, and Academic Distinction (LEAD) award.

Audrey has advised and collaborated with federal agencies, state institutions, local governments, nonprofits, and business networks throughout her career. She looks forward to making Salida her home and contributing her skills to the thriving business ecosystem of Central Colorado. She begins in the new role in mid-October and will work closely with Jamie and the state SBDC leadership over the coming months as she transitions into the Director position.

"When I first read the description for the Executive Director role at the Central Mountain SBDC, I felt an immediate connection—as if it had been written specifically for me. I later discovered that my predecessor, Jamie Billesbach, had felt the same way when she first came into the role. This coincidence only reinforced the type of work I am meant to do. I’ve always been drawn to working closely with small business owners—listening to their stories, understanding their challenges, finding resources, and celebrating their successes. Whether the challenge is big or small, I want to be in the thick of it, brainstorming solutions, exploring new opportunities, and helping businesses thrive in ways that are both practical and meaningful," said Audrey Snyder Welsh.

About
The Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is Colorado’s most trusted business resource. We empower businesses to start, grow, and thrive, ultimately fueling innovation, strengthening local economies, and driving economic vitality across the state. Since 1987, the Colorado SBDC has been the state's only nationally accredited, go-to resource for entrepreneurs and business owners at every stage. With 14 Service Centers, over 25 Satellite Centers, and a network of approximately 300 business experts, the Colorado SBDC delivers no-cost, confidential one-on-one advising, essential training, and vital connections to community resources. Learn more about the Colorado SBDC in the Central Mountain region. 

The Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. The Colorado SBDC is a partnership between the State of Colorado, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, the Small Business Administration (SBA), Colorado’s institutions of higher education, local economic development organizations and local chambers of commerce. The Colorado SBDC Central Mountain location is locally hosted by Chaffee County with co-hosts Lake and Park Counties.
 

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Media Contact
Guadalupe (Lupe) Hirt
Senior Manager, Marketing & Outreach
Colorado Small Business Development Center
Email: guadalupe.hirt@state.co.us
Phone: 720-788-5761