Katty Ibarra is the Director of the San Diego & Imperial Women’s Business Center, hosted by Southwestern College. Katty is a bilingual small business owner excited to empower entrepreneurs by leading the WBC, creating programs, providing business advising, and training to secure entrepreneurial opportunities. Katty holds a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from the Universidad del Valle de Mexico and a Master’s of Science in Marketing from National University, with extensive branding, marketing, and social media experience. Katty owns a binational marketing firm and has more than 15 years of experience in small business and marketing strategies.

Spanish and English

Marketing, Email Marketing

Rafael Rodriguez has a BA in English, with an emphasis in creative writing. Rafael has over 15 years of marketing experience and has worked with clients all over the world.  As the marketing communications associate in the Center for Business Advancement at Southwestern College, he coordinates and manages marketing efforts for the San Diego, Orange, and Imperial PTAC, San Diego & Imperial Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, South San Diego SBDC, and the Women’s Business Center.  Rafael’s responsibilities include website management, social media planning, newsletters, graphic design, and media writing.

English and Spanish

Marketing and Communications

Esther Carrillo is a Small Business Advisor for the San Diego & Imperial Women’s Business Center. She has over 25 years of experience assisting small business clients in the San Diego market.

English and Spanish

New Business Start-up, Strategy, Access to Capital, Credit, Business Planning and Projections

Brenda Figueroa is a Marketing professional with years of experience specializing in marketing strategy, social media, branding, and strategic storytelling. Known for her creative approach and passion for supporting entrepreneurs, she helps clients build strong online identities and develop personal brands that resonate with their audiences.

In addition to her work with the SBDC, Brenda is the Marketing Advisor at the San Diego and Imperial Women’s Business Center (WBC) and the founder of Sparkess Agency, a boutique marketing and photography agency based in San Diego. She has guided businesses at every stage of growth by helping them identify their niche, explain what makes them unique, and confidently promote their business with simple, effective marketing plans that get results.

With a multicultural perspective, Brenda connects deeply with diverse communities and is always looking for new and creative ways to help businesses stay current, adapt to change, and work smarter in today’s competitive market.

Brenda believes marketing is about building meaningful connections and sharing your unique story with intention. She is passionate about giving business owners the clarity, tools, and confidence they need to grow and successfully transform their vision into reality.

Spanish and English

Small Business Start-up, Childcare