COVID-19 SMALL BUSINESS GUIDE
Kentucky SBDC in Lexington
Serving the Counties of: Bourbon, Boyle, Clark, Estill, Fayette, Garrard, Harrison, Jessamine, Mercer, Montgomery, Nicholas, Powell, Scott and Woodford
Tonya Parsons
Center Director
Tonya Parsons is an expert in operations, project management, and entrepreneurship. Prior to joining the Kentucky SBDC in Lexington in 2020, Parsons had experience handling accounting for small businesses, as well as financial coaching. Tonya is originally from Owensboro, KY, but since earning her degree in Mathematics from the University of Kentucky, she has resided in Lexington. Tonya was acknowledged as the 2018 Business Networking International Notable Networker Award winner and participated on the Business Owners Advisory Board for Commerce Lexington from 2017-2019. She is an energetic self-starter that loves an adventure and is dedicated to helping others succeed.
In her free time, she works with the UK Alumni and the UK Women and Philanthropy organizations to raise money for scholarships. She also enjoys spending time with friends and family, and cheering on the Cats!
Lee Goatley
Business Coach
Stuart Arnold
Business Coach
Becky Marefat
Communications Coordinator
Becky joined the Kentucky SBDC in Lexington in 2011. Currently Becky manages a family business which has previously utilized KSBDC services. Prior to this, Becky has worked as a bookkeeper and paid tax preparer, taught technology at the elementary level and spent 15 years as Data Processing Manager for a Kentucky- based retail company. She has an A. A. in business management and is certified in QuickBooks. Away from work, Becky enjoys boating and spending time with her family and friends.
Devanny King
Business Coach
Devanny joined the Kentucky SBDC in Lexington in 2020 with years of project management, consulting, and public relations experience. Devanny earned her Business Administration and Communication & Media Studies degrees from Georgetown College and her MBA from Western Kentucky University in 2018. She is a former professional athlete, playing internationally in Spain, Mexico and Australia before moving to China to work as project manager in youth basketball development and later as the Beijing general manager for the world’s top international internship provider.
Committed to youth development, Devanny serves on the board for a non-profit dedicated to providing adequate holistic education to youth living in developing countries.
In her free time, Devanny enjoys traveling, learning about different cultures, coffee tastings at local cafes, spending time with family and friends, and exercising.
Devon Joiner
Business Coach
Devon Joiner joined the Kentucky SBDC in Lexington in 2020 with high-level expertise in accounting, financing and business management. Originally from Wilmington, Delaware and Inez, KY, Devon graduated from the University of Pikeville with his Accounting degree before earning an MBA in Finance from Colorado Technical University. Joiner has worked most recently as Director of Financing and Human Resources for Ampersand Sexual Violence Resource Center and as Senior Accountant for Tailor Made Compounding.
He is a family oriented person who likes to be in nature in his free time. He also enjoys gardening, hiking, and writing poems while sitting under a tree.
John Zink
Business Coach
Achieving his MA in a scientific field and Master’s in Business Administration in the early 1970’s, John has had three careers – fifteen years in management of two startup medical schools including the faculty practice plan and clinical operation of one, sixteen years owning and operating his own businesses, one of which was a CPA firm, and eleven years teaching at a variety of accounting and business courses at Transylvania University in Lexington, KY. Although retired and no longer practicing as a CPA, he maintains his CPA licensure. His tenure with the Kentucky SBDC involves years as a business consultant since 2001 providing a variety of client business training programs and client advisory services followed by being employed as a part time business coach by the Lexington Center since 2018. Although he has assisted clients a variety of business startup and growth matters, he presently provides predominantly business operational, record-keeping and accounting advice to clients as needed in partnership with other coaches at the SBDC. He is QuickBooks certified but works with clients helping them establish financial policies and procedures using other methods as well.
Contact Us
(859) 407-4777
NEWS

David Stevens celebrates 30 years with the Kentucky SBDC
David Stevens accepting his State Star award from then SBA Administrator, Maria Contreras-Sweet. March 1 is David Stevens’ 30th anniversary working with the Kentucky SBDC.