
Board Members

Karen Scuncio
Chairman
Small Business Development Center
S-C International
Karen Scuncio
Karen Scuncio is a part-time consultant with the Orange County Small Business Development Center (SBDC) specializing in international business from operations to sales. Since 1997, Karen has been a principal of S-C International which provides product development and sales representative services. The firm assists businesses in increasing their US and International sales. Over the years, she has worked with numerous companies in a wide range of industries and has helped them grow their international sales and operations.
Karen has over 25 years of international business experience. Her career started after graduating from California State University Fullerton with a B.A., Business Administration with a concentration in international marketing. She began working in the international freight forwarding and customs brokerage field which gave her a strong foundation in import/export logistics and US regulatory compliance. She has continued to be actively involved with OC trade community.

Sharla Marocchi
President
Grandma Lucy’s Pet Food
Sharla Marocchi
Sharla overseeing sales and operations of expanding international business for Grandma Lucy's Pet Food, a family owned and operated premium pet food manufacturer and the 2018 Exporter of the Year. Her role involves navigating international export regulations, managing business partnerships with distributors and retailers, and business development within 9 countries. She began her career in New York City in advertising sales with Modern Bride Magazine. Other career positions include Gannett News and Software Magazine. She holds a degree from Brigham Young University in Communications and Business.

Simona Racek
Vice President
Just Down the Street, LLC
Simona Racek
Simona Racek is the Founder and the Managing Member of Just Down The Street, an international trade company that focuses on providing export management services to small businesses. Simona is also an International Trade Business Advisor for California International Trade Center, the Los Angeles Regional Small Business Development Center Network, and the Economic Development Collaborative. Simona studied international business at California State University, Los Angeles, and received the 2016 Educational Award for Excellence in Export Development from The District Export Council of Southern California and Port of Los Angeles. She is part of the developing team for Milken Institute’s New to Export 101 Program, an Ambassador and Export Grant Consultant for Getting to Global and a NASBITE member. Simona currently serves as our Vice President.

Jenny Davidoff
Marketing
J. Davidoff & Associates
Jenny Davidoff
Jenny Davidoff is the founder and Sales Director of J. Davidoff & Associates. Fluent in Spanish, Jenny assists clients as a sourcing agent for distributors and retailers in South America. She also provides marketing and promotion, management and training of Spanish language trainers for business and schools. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration - International Business from California State University Long Beach (CSULB) as well as an Associates Degree in Business Administration and an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts from Long Beach City College.
Jenny completed a Fundamentals Certification Program meeting the standards of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) for: Customer Service Operations, Demand Planning, Inventory Management, Manufacturing and Service Operations, Supply Chain Management Principles, Supply Management and Procurement, Transportation Operations, and Warehousing Operations. Jenny is an Alumni of JusticeCorps (a program within the AmeriCorps Volunteer Network), and a NASBITE member.

Tatyana Aguirre
Government Liason
US Commercial Services
Tatyana Aguirre
Tatyana Aguirre

Maryam Shahkaramifard
Programs Co-Chair
Earth Friendly Products
Maryam Shahkaramifard
With an international background, Maryam is distinguished by her passion for international business, her focus on collaborative team-building, and her commitment to meeting customer and market demands.
She joined Earth Friendly Products in 2013 and is currently working as International Sales Manager concentrating on building and expanding ECOS brand all across the world.
Maryam graduated from the California State University of Fullerton with an MBA degree in Business Analytics. She also carries a master degree from the University of Tehran in Management. Maryam has received an export compliance certificate from Santa Ana College recently and is committed to improving her knowledge in international trade and business development.

Patrice Lafayette
Membership Co-Chair
Roanoke Trade
Patrice Lafayette
Patrice Lafayette joined Roanoke Trade in 2007 and currently is Assistant Vice President, Client Services for Roanoke Trade’s Western Division. Her technical expertise is concentrated in bonds, errors & omissions, and cargo insurance for the international trade and transportation community. Her current responsibilities include assisting the bond, underwriting, and marketing departments while cultivating and fostering client relationships in the Western region of the United States. As Patrice interacts with customers daily, she is responsible for managing these partnerships and providing support while seeking new business opportunities. In addition, Patrice is a contributor to the National Education Institute newsletter and has spoken at local industry events.
As a licensed insurance broker in various states, Patrice is an active participant and member of numerous trade associations. Prior to joining Roanoke, Patrice gained insurance experience while working for a family-owned insurance agency specializing in small business, life and health insurance. She is a graduate of California State University Northridge and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance.

Betty Stansbury
Outreach
Hampton Products
Betty Stansbury
Betty Stansbury is a Trade Compliance Specialist for Hampton Products International Corporation and is in charge of managing the Export Program, Drawback Compliance Program, and California PROP 65 Regulation. Betty studied Science Communication at Catholic Santa Maria University, Peru, and she holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communication. Betty has successfully written Miscellaneous Tariff Bill Petitions that have resulted in the elimination and reduction of duty and saved hundreds of thousands of dollars to the company.
She is a Licensed Customs Broker, an active participant in the trade community, a member of Women in International Trade (WITOC), and a member of the International Compliance Professionals Association (ICPA).
Prior to joining Hampton Products, Betty has worked for Susteen, Inc. and American Megatrends, Inc. Japan, in the Computer Software and Hardware Industry.

Anne Hilsabeck
OWIT Representative
AMH Customs Consultants
Anne Hilsabeck
Anne Hilsabeck is the President and Founder of AMH CUSTOMS CONSULTANTS, a
California based consultancy firm which specializes in U.S. and foreign trade regulation, global trade management and import/export regulatory compliance. Ms. Hilsabeck established the firm in 1983. She is a licensed customs broker and a qualified legal expert on Customs-related matters. A graduate of San Diego State University School of Business Administration, Hilsabeck holds B.S. degrees in Accounting and Economics. She regularly advises clients on all
traditional customs-related topics and, among other services, conducts duty drawback and regulatory compliance audits of importer and exporter operations. She has extensive expertise in performing customs broker and freight forwarder management reviews, as well as working on issues involving export controls and licensing, DOT/EPA vehicle application for temporary entry, Free Trade Agreements, C-TPAT and CBP Trusted Trader Programs, among other services. The firm has an outstanding reputation and is a seasoned service provider of duty
drawback entry filing services.
Ms. Hilsabeck has previously served as a Director of the Customs & International Trade Practice for Deloitte & Touche LLP, Manager and Senior Supervisory Auditor for the U.S. Customs Service (CBP) Regulatory Audit Department, and Senior Auditor-in-Charge for the U.S. General Accounting Office, Los Angeles, California. Notably, Hilsabeck was the first female regulatory auditor of CBP and co-authored many of the CBP Audit Programs which are still being used today by the agency as the basis for its new and revised programs.
Ms. Hilsabeck is a frequent lecturer and trainer on international trade topics for public and private seminars. She serves on the Board of Women in International Trade – Orange County and the Foreign Trade Association in Los Angeles. She is active in several local and national working committees involved with moving trade forward, including the drawback committees of
the American Association of Exporters and Importers in Washington, D.C. and the National Customs Brokers & Freight Forwarders Association of America in Washington, D.C. Hilsabeck was instrumental in the development of the historic World Trade Center in Orange County in the early 1980’s and she is a founding member of Women in International Trade and the Orange County Chapter of the National Association of Women’s Business Owners.
Past Presidents
2018 – | Sharla Marocchi |
2015 – 2017 | Karen Scuncio, OC Small Business Development Center |
2009 – 2014 | Margaret Heine, Attorney at Law |
2007 – 2008 | Ana Ascencio |
2006 – 2007 | Rosa Hernandez, MGIC |
2005 – 2006 | Laura Gimenez, City of Santa Ana |
2003 – 2005 | Anita Cates-Reyes, CATES-REYES Enterprises |
2001 – 2003 | Melanie Froysaa, Mazda North American Operations |
2000 – 2001 | Mary Francia, Century Communications |
1999 – 2000 | Margaret Heine, Attorney at Law |
1998 – 1999 | Wendy Huff Levi, Bausch & Lomb Surgical |
1997 – 1998 | Irene Bassin, Bassin & Associates |
1996 – 1997 | Tanya Foxe, Penske Logistics |
1995 – 1996 | Diana Fierro Carr, Denny’s International |
1994 – 1995 | Patty Senecal, Transport Express, Inc. |
1993 – 1994 | Michal Doesburg, Jetstream Cargo Group |
1992 – 1993 | Betty Harder Lucero, Silicon Systems |
1991 – 1992 | Lydia McClure Lee, AST Research |
1990 – 1991 | Paula Polizzi, Mai Basic Four |
1989 – 1990 | Loraine Hodgson, Cycle Industries |
1988 – 1989 | Kathleen Miltimore, Zet Marketing Co., Inc. |