On behalf of our hiring committee and Directors of the Board, we are thrilled to announce an exciting new chapter for the Small Business Centres of Ontario Association.

Please join us in welcoming Erfa Alani as our first Fractional Executive Director starting today April 28, 2025!

Erfa brings a powerful blend of strategic leadership, global perspective, and deep experience in government relations, change management, and partnership development. Her career spans executive roles with Invest Ontario, the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, IBM, and the Aga Khan Development Network—where she’s consistently built trust, driven impact, and championed innovation.

From shaping national and international trade policy to securing multi-million dollar tax concessions in East Africa, Erfa is no stranger to navigating complex challenges and turning vision into reality. She’s also a storyteller and consensus builder, passionate about empowering people and strengthening the systems that support them.

In this role, Erfa will be leading the implementation of our 2025 Tactical Strategic Plan, deepening engagement with government and private sector partners, raising the profile of SBC Ontario, and driving operational and financial sustainability for our growing network.

Her appointment marks a major milestone in our evolution as a membership association, and we could not be more excited to have her at the helm during this pivotal time.

You will have an opportunity to meet Erfa in person at our SBC Conference May 6-8th, 2025.

Please extend a warm welcome to Erfa as she begins this journey with us. We’re confident her leadership will help us amplify our collective voice and accelerate the impact of Ontario’s small business support ecosystem.

If you’d like to connect with Erfa directly, you can reach her at ealani@sbcontario.ca or on LinkedIn.

Warm regards,
Teresa Shaver
Chair, SBC Ontario Board of Directors
www.sbcontario.ca