Ms. Samantha Rolle holds the position of Executive Director at Access Accelerator, Small Business Development Centre (A)². Having served as the immediate past A² Director of External Relations she spent most of her tenure as the principal government and industry liaison, advocacy strategist, and external affairs officer, responsible for fostering and maintaining relationships with relevant regulatory agencies, corporate and community partners prior to her recent appointment.

As an accomplished professional with more than 15 years of experience, Samantha is known for her driving performance, maximizing operational excellence and project management. She most recently served as a Manager in Risk Advisory and Consulting at one of the “Big Four” firms, where she led the regulatory risk and governance service line.

Prior to that, Samantha was the Programme Manager in the Economic Development and Planning Unit with the Government of The Bahamas, responsible for the management, process and activities of the National Development Plan. She has had the opportunity to collaborate with multilateral organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank, Caribbean Development Bank and the World Bank. She led teams on national initiatives such as the Caribbean Growth Forum.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from the College of Saint Benedict and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership with a specialization in Human Resource Development from Barry University. Over the years, Samantha has earned several distinctions including the Certified International Project Manager from the American Academy of Project Management.

Samantha fulfilled the responsibility of leadership roles in both professional and non-profit organizations including the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation, the Caribbean Institute of Certified Management Consultants and other Community Outreach Initiatives.

Phyllice Bethel considers it a privilege to inspire and challenge entrepreneurs who drive a variety of industries across The Bahamas. She joined Access Accelerator as a Small Business Consultant in October 2018 and currently serves as Deputy Executive Director. In previous roles, Phyllice served as an Internal Auditor for Hospital Corporation of America, a healthcare provider owning 186 hospitals in America and the United Kingdom and as a Consolidation Accountant for Leonteq Securities AG, a Swiss company offering structured financial products in 10 countries.

Deanza Brennen is a certified International Human Resources Professional with a bachelor’s in business administration who has been in Human Resources for 9 years. His background encompasses the hospitality, banking, and healthcare sectors as he continues to strive for excellence and consistency throughout his career.

Deanza’s experience spans most of the key functional areas in Human Resources, including Recruitment, Compensation and Benefits, and Employee Relations. In fact, he served as a Compensation and Benefits Specialist at Commonwealth Bank and Central Bank where he managed payroll, health insurance and pension benefits. Deanza strongly believes in teamwork and being impactful in every organization he joins and looks to add value in his current role.

He plans on achieving his master’s degree in business administration by 2024 as education and experience has played a vital role in his climb to success. Overall, he enjoys spending time with his family and looks forward to progressing Human Resources in the country.

Dominic J. W. Archer, an experienced Accountant and financial advisor, currently serves as the Director of Finance at the Small Business Development Centre. He comes from a wealth of financial experience inclusive of Regulatory Compliance, Internal Audit, Auditing and Advisory services, Retail Accounting, Banking and Information Technology that would assist him in his new role at the SBDC where they help support small business owners in their entrepreneurial journey.

Dominic is an active member of his church and is passionate about giving back to his community with his involvement with his fraternity and is a devoted father of two sons.

Mr. Leo V. Rolle is an avid debate coach, trainer, financial specialist and business professional. He is currently pursing a Doctorate of Business Administration in Finance from Northcentral University and has attained a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Roehampton in London England and a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education from the College of the Bahamas.

He is one of only two Bahamians certified to facilitate the Professional Selling Skills and Certified Business Professional suite of courses. As the Director of Client Advisory Services at the Access Accelerator, Small Business Development Center, he leads a team of business professionals who offer sound financial advice to the organization’s clientele that bolsters the viability of their businesses.

Additionally, Mr. Rolle is an Adjunct Professor in the disciplines of Education and English Studies at Southern College producing qualified Bahamian Educators and writers. He has served as a Principal Business Consultant, Manager of Training & Development at BAF Financial, Subject Coordinator for the School of English Studies/Acting Senior Master at C. R. Walker, Executive Insurance Agent at Colina and Personal Banking Officer at Scotiabank.

As a Rotarian that admonishes the need to give back, Mr. Rolle is the patron of several school based awards, notably, ‘Leo V. Rolle Oratorical Award’ at C. R. Walker commemorating his tenure as Subject Coordinator & Debate Coach and the ‘Leo V. Rolle Head Boy Award’ at C. C. Sweeting honoring his tenure as Head Boy and Salutatorian of the Institution in 2005. Mr. Rolle is the eldest of 5 boys and he has two children – Dallas and Amelia