Lorena Lowell

About Lorena Lowell

As a strategic and entrepreneurial leader with 30 years of cross-sector experience, I…

Experience

1. Inaugural Program Director - Washington State Employee Ownership Program

   Washington State Department Of Commerce

   Feb 2024 — Present · Seattle, WA, US

   The WA EOP was defunded and moved into dormant status on June 30, 2025Appointed to design and launch Washington’s inaugural Employee Ownership Program under SB 5096, aimed at expanding equitable business models across the state.• Led the end-to-end design and implementation of program infrastructure, ensuring alignment with legislative intent, regulatory frameworks, and Commerce’s policies.• Built strong cross-agency and intergovernmental partnerships, including collaboration with the Department of Revenue to launch new tax credit programs and develop a Data Sharing Agreement (DSA), and with the Secretary of State to establish a process for maintaining a repository of registered employee-owned companies.• Developed and cultivated strong stakeholder relationships with key local, state, and national agencies to support program goals, including the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).• Oversaw the formation and facilitation of the Governor-appointed Washington Employee Ownership Commission, composed of legislators and business leaders. Partnered with the Attorney General’s Office to draft bylaws and collaborated with the Governor’s Boards and Commissions Office to create an onboarding process and ensure compliance with public governance requirements.• Advanced Commerce’s mission by delivering outreach, education, technical assistance, and capital access strategies to support business succession and employee ownership transitions.• Represented the program in national and statewide forums and stakeholder meetings, regularly presenting on employee ownership models, transition planning, and the program’s broader initiatives.

Education

• Texas A&M University

  Economic Development

• Tecnológico de Monterrey

  Master of Business Administration (MBA)

  1996

• Tecnológico de Monterrey

  Minor

  1993

• Tecnológico de Monterrey

  Bachelor's degree

  1994

Skills

• Business Management
• Social Media Marketing
• Powerpoint
• Teaching
• Online Advertising
• Entrepreneurship
• Staff Development
• Policy
• Social Media
• Advertising
• Government
• Spanish Translation
• Curriculum Design
• Small Business
• Microsoft Office
• Sales
• Start-Up Consulting
• Customer Service
• Blogging
• Research
• Early Childhood Development
• Sales Management
• Teaching English as a Second Language
• Business Planning
• Public Policy
• Early Childhood Education
• Curriculum Development
• Event Planning
• Marketing
• Strategic Planning
• System Administration
• Team Building
• Program Development
• Management
• Project Planning
• Leadership Development
• Public Speaking
• Volunteer Management
• Change Management
• Program Management