John M. Morosco, State Director
Before returning to the Virgin Islands as the VI SBDC State Director, John had many years working as a Certified Business Advisor in Iowa, Washington State and the Virgin Islands. In addition to the years with the SBDC, John has been a successful business owner, college professor, and Nursing Home Administrator, and worked in corporate America for more than 35 years. He has spent most of his career working his primary job and teaching at many colleges nationwide. John has extensive experience managing restaurants, hotels, assisted living and nursing facilities. He also assisted with his family restaurant and owned a college consulting business, and a janitorial business, which he later sold. John holds a Bachelor of Science in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism from Florida International University and a Master of Public Administration in Long-Term Care from the University of New Haven. He can be reached at 340-693-1694 or via email at john.morosco@uvi.edu.
Debra Thompson, Administration and Fiscal Officer
Debra Thompson has been with the VI Small Business Development Center network since 2001. Mrs. Thompson has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of the Virgin Islands and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Walden University. Mrs. Thompson is responsible for assisting the State Director in managing the VI SBDC budget for both St. Thomas and St. Croix office. Prior to becoming the VI SBDC Program Specialist in 2012, Mrs. Thompson started as a student and eventually applied for an Administrative Assistant II position in 2001, and later became the Administrative Specialist in 2004.
Sherrika Industrious, Training & Marketing Coordinator
Ms. Sherrika Industrious-Phillips a native-born and raised Virgin Islander of St. Thomas is an honor graduate of the illustrious Charlotte Amalie Class of 2008 and a graduate of the University of the Virgin Islands Class of 2015. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences and an Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice. Prior to joining the Virgin Islands Small Business Development Center’s team, she has worked at the VI Supreme Court, the Virgin Islands Police Department, the Virgin Islands Housing Authority, and most recently the University’s Caribbean Exploratory Research Center. While on her career journey exploring the social sciences locally, she strives to build her knowledge base on economics primarily in the business world. Already customer service oriented, she stands ready to support the VI SBDC in their initiatives by providing administrative, marketing and training support to improve the economic opportunities of the US Virgin Islands one small business at a time. Ms. Industrious- Phillips can be reached at 340-6931694 or email sherrika.industriousphillips@uvi.edu.
Karen Jones, Associate State Director
Ms. Karen Jones, is a graduate of Union College in Kentucky, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. After returning back home to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, she pursued and obtained Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of the Virgin Islands.
Her professional career includes working in both the public and private sectors, providing financial and human resource management services. She has been affiliated with the VI SBDC network as the former Center Director on the island of St. Croix, and has over 18 years of experience providing counseling, technical assistance, training and outreach to nascent and existing small businesses within the Territory. Ms. Jones can be reached at 340-692-4294 or email kjones2@uvi.edu.
J’Mari Clarke, Administrative Specialist II
J’Mari joined the VI SBDC team in February 2020 during his freshman year at University of the Virgin Islands (UVI), just before the pandemic. He was attracted to the SBDC organization as a whole but more so as a student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in Management. During his senior year at UVI and while engaged in his studies, he remained active in several academic organizations to include the Golden Key International Honor Society. Since coming on board full-time as the Administrative Specialist II, J’Mari has quickly adapted to the work environment at the VI SBDC by becoming proficient in customer service, front desk management and administrative support to the entire staff. He continuously builds upon his communication and time management skills and displays enthusiasm for teamwork. Recognized publicly by VI SBDC clients on multiple occasions for his calm demeanor and willingness to help, the VI SBDC team is fortunate to be a part of his professional development as he aims to one day become a small business owner and accomplish his goals in life. Mr. Clarke can be reached at 340-693-1694 or jmari.clarke@uvi.edu
Zhane’ Proctor, Program Specialist III
Ms. Zhane´ Proctor is the Program Specialist for SBDC on the island of St. Croix, USVI. She is responsible for providing administrative and clerical support to the VI SBDC team. Ms. Proctor is also responsible for coordinating, planning, managing, and supporting daily operational and administrative functions to advance the VI SBDC organization. Zhane´ obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of the Virgin Islands. She can be reached at 340-642-4294 or via email at zhane.proctor@uvi.edu.