Coleman, Elizabeth (Merced)

Elizabeth Merced is the Project Manager for the Small Business Transportation Resource Center (SBTRC) Southwest Region, where she supports the development and expansion of SBTRC program offerings. In her current role, Elizabeth engages with disadvantaged business enterprises and minority business enterprises to increase their participation in public procurement opportunities. Elizabeth leverages her skills in problem solving, communication, and office administration to coordinate, organize and execute the delivery of technical assistance services and resources to the disadvantaged business community. She has a passion for empowering small and minority businesses, values collaboration, inclusion, innovation, and brings diverse perspectives and experiences to the team. Prior to this role, Elizabeth served as the Program Manager of the Small Business Utilization Center (SBUC) at the California and Sacramento Asian Pacific Chambers of Commerce, supporting the development and expansion of the Chamber’s supplier diversity program and initiatives. Elizabeth also assisted with the Chamber’s Minority Business Assistance Recovery Kickstart (MBARK) program which focuses on critical small business owner needs: business planning; financial infrastructure and planning; marketing and digital presence; and communications. She was also responsible for leading the in-depth intake process for the Diversity Procure platform, working with the technology development team to maximize its use, and providing one-on-one consulting to determine the company’s needs and solutions related to supplier diversity. She is currently enrolled at the University of Arizona to expand her skills in Project Management.