Theresa Slater is the President of Empire Interpreting Service, a business that provides Sign Language and Spoken Language Interpreters throughout NY State, NY City and Northern Pennsylvania. Theresa launched her enterprise in 2003 as a home based business serving only Cortland and Tompkins counties. Five years later the business has two locations, one in Cortland County and one in downtown Syracuse, with 6 full time staff employees and over 140 Interpreters/Translators now serving much of the northeast.

 Theresa attended NTID @RIT and Gallaudet University, obtaining her BS in Cultural Studies through Empire State College. Theresa has been involved in many organizations serving the deaf community and promoting professionalism within the Interpreting profession. Prior to the opening of her agency, she spearheaded a local deaf outreach, which served hundreds of deaf individuals across NY State. She was also a founding member of ISN (Interpreter Support Network), networking Interpreters serving in rural areas of NY State.

She is on the advisory board of Women Ties and coauthors “Ask the Entrepreneurs” column for the Syracuse Post Standard. She is a sought after speaker, presenting workshops on professionalism, marketing and entrepreneurship. For more information, visit: www.empireinterpreting.com   

Michele Bellso is the Founder and President of Make and Take Gourmet, a chain of meal assembly kitchens. Make and Take Gourmet is a ground breaking new way to solve the dinner-time dilemma through a meal preparation service designed to ease the stresses of everyday life. We have turned homemade into self make. The goal is to provide quality and diversity to daily meals combined with an exciting and unique experience. In just over a year the company has grown to 18 stores, with more on the way. We have reinvented the process of cooking by turning it into a social activity. Our customers save time, save money, and enjoy high quality homemade food with less stress and less mess.

Michele is also the President of a full-service advertising and marketing agency – Designworks Advertising that was established in 1992. Designworks has successfully helped national and international clients with the development of strategic marketing programs, branding, and creative development of award-winning advertising materials.

Michele was formerly the Advertising and Promotions Director for Bonwit Teller, a chain or upscale women’s apparel and accessories. She is a graduate of Syracuse University with a dual major in Advertising from the Newhouse School and Marketing from the School of Management.

Michele resides in Syracuse, New York with her husband Dave and 4-year old daughter Julianna.