With new events and big projectsin the works, the BIC is so happy to welcome Ines Valenzuela-Loureiro to the Business Innovation Center.

Ines brings 11 years of management experience along with 28 years of customer service and public relations—one of her passions. She is a recent Graduate of UMass Dartmouth, where she earned a Bachelors Degree in Management and Small Business Administration, with a Minor in Sociology. Ines was accepted into the MBA program at Charlton College of Business at the University of Massachusetts In Dartmouth and is pursuing a Masters Degree in Leadership.

Through educations, mentorship, and facilitated workspaces, The BIC strives to be a place where entrepreneurship, education, and fun builds community among people from a wide variety of backgrounds and age groups. Ines has experienced first-hand the value of our community’s rich multi-cultural heritage. Born in New York, Ines was brought up in S. Miguel, Açores, and speaks Portuguese as her first language. This background provides her insight into the social and business development experiences of the thousands of immigrants, and their children, which are such an integral part of the Fall River community.

"I'm so excited to join the BIC and have an opportunity to facilitate education and outreach programs.

From a personal perspective, I'm especially looking forward to participating teen mentorship and education programs. For years I've felt drawn to helping teens. No matter how busy my schedule was, I would always make time to include my daughters' friends when they needed somewhere to go and someone to talk to. Our tiny apartment is regularly filled with young people and has become the neighborhood go-to house for teens to hang out in a safe space. It planted in me the seeds of a vision to partner with a local non-profit where I could accomplish even more to do something posative in our community."

The BIC is a place where I can help both teens and people of all ages to develop their business ideas, learn new skills and technology, and have a safe place to learn, grow, and connect with others.

We're excited to have you too Ines! This next year will have some big opportunities to connect with our community and make a difference.