Angela Barber, Business Services Manager for the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity is a former Detroit native who has been a resident of Hampton Roads since 1992. With over 25 years of marketing, strategic planning and economic development experience, she is responsible for Business Development and Outreach for Hampton Roads, The Peninsula and the Eastern Shore.

In this capacity, Angela provides business development resources, counseling services, training and technical assistance with the State’s certification program (SWaM) for small business owners interested in doing business with the Commonwealth of Virginia. She also serves as buyer advocate for state agencies in her service area to help connect small businesses to contracting opportunities.

Prior to her employment with the Commonwealth of Virginia, Angela worked for the City of Chesapeake’s Economic Development department for 17 years. She began her employment with the City in 1999 as Marketing Research Specialist and spent the last 9 years of her tenure as Business Development Manager, focusing on small, women and minority owned business development and entrepreneurship.

As a GrowthWheel, Inc. Certified Business Advisor, (national SBDC business program) she was instrumental in implementing the Ready… Set … Grow Your Business program to provide resources and counseling for new and existing businesses. Due to these efforts, the SBA (U.S. Small Business Administration) recognized the City of Chesapeake in 2014, receiving the SBA Small Business Community Award.

Ms. Barber was also responsible for developing the Advancing Women in Business Series to help foster support and growth of women business owners in Chesapeake to include the Advancing Women in Business Conference that ran for 6 years. This conference drew participants from Hampton Roads,Richmond and DC. The SBA recognized Angela in 2014 for her efforts presenting her with the SBA Women in Business Champion Award.

In 2015 she was featured in Inside Business’ First Person Article and was instrumental in producing the first episode of the Decision Maker Series for WCTV 48 where she was featured as a guest speaker.

Angela is passionate about helping business grow and become successful. She also embraces relationships with regional partners as is vital to economic growth, leveraging those relationships to expand programs to include other business resources throughout Hampton Roads.

Angela is a member of the Virginia Economic Development Association (VEDA), International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and Women in Defense (WIDGHR). She serves on the Advisory Council for the Women’s Business Center at ODU and previously served on Senator Warner’s Transportation and Technology Planning Committee for Small Businesses. As an advocate for women owned businesses, she also serves on the certification committee for WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council).

She attended Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan focused on Business and marketing. She is also a 2013 graduate from the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute.

Angela is the mother of two daughters and currently resides in Virginia Beach. She is active in her community, and has previously served on the board as a Trustee and Assistant Athletic Director for Larkspur Salem Recreation under Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation.