Worden, who began her job this week, will work directly with Fred Evans, dean of Northridge's College of Business and Economics, in overseeing the Lead Center's operations as well as its four sub centers and their respective business service satellites. She also will be managing the relationships between the U.S. Small Business Administration and small business service activities in the area.

Evans welcomed Worden to the CSUN community and said that he was looking forward to working with her. He noted that she has substantial experience in nonprofit management, outreach, development and organizational strategy.

"Her experience in working with local businesses will prove invaluable as the SBDC Lead Center works with our Wells Fargo Center for Small Business and other community service centers," Evans said.

The SBA last year named Cal State Northridge the new Regional Lead Center for its Small Business Development Network in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, and awarded the university's College of Business and Economics $2.9 million annually to administer and fund the network of small business centers in the three-county region.

The small business development centers provide small business owners with one-stop access to free business consulting, planning, marketing and training programs.

Worden spent the past three years as president and CEO of Community Career Development, Inc., a non-profit organization engaged in a wide range of workforce development activities, including integrating the needs of businesses and the needs of individuals seeking employment.

Prior to that, Worden served six years as vice president of the Valley Economic Development Center, a community-based, private, non-profit corporation that offers training, consulting, technical assistance and financing to small and medium-sized businesses.

Worden has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of the Philippines. The SBDC Lead Center is one of a number of nationally recognized programs in Cal State Northridge's College of Business and Economics. These programs enable students to gain valuable hands-on experience working alongside faculty members and business professionals in a variety of areas.

California State University, Northridge has 33,000 full- and part-time students and offers 61 bachelor's and 42 master's degrees as well as 28 education credential programs. Founded in 1958, it is the only four-year university in the San Fernando Valley and the fourth largest in the 23-campus CSU system. The university serves as the intellectual, economic and cultural heart of the Valley and beyond.