Steven Colella

Steven Colella is an experienced economic and community development professional, currently serving as the Program Director for the Mid-Atlantic Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) housed at the University of Maryland. Prior to launching the Mid-Atlantic VBOC, Steven served as the Program Director for Business Sustainability for Maryland's Small Business Development Center, overseeing the organization's CARES Act-funded COVID-19 relief efforts throughout the state of Maryland.

Steven also served as the Director of Economic Development for the town of Sykesville, where he worked with a dedicated group of community residents, merchants, and business owners to revitalize and promote the town's historic commercial district. Under his leadership, the team achieved a landmark success, launching dozens of new events and coordinating a successful campaign to win the title of “Coolest Small Town in America” (2016) in competition against other Main Street communities nationwide.

Steven’s educational background is in strategic marketing and communications; he holds a B.A. in English with a concentration in Technical Writing from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA.