Northern Staff

Amy Wallace Yingling has over 10 years of experience in strategic marketing, competitive intelligence, and consumer market research. Through the use of qualitative and quantitative research, she has aided 14 Fortune 100/500 companies in sales development, change management and executive decision making. Recently, Amy has been working with multiple small business ventures with revenues from $250K to $8M to develop strategic marketing initiatives. A Maryland native, Amy holds two degrees from the University of Baltimore, a B.S. in Business Administration with a focus in marketing and an M.B.A with a focus in leadership.

Maura Van Syckle is the part time business consultant for Cecil County within the Maryland Northern Region Small Business Development Center. Maura’s previous experience includes working in the financial industry for almost twenty years in New York City, and spent most of her career employed by the largest bank in the United States. Maura previously held the role of District Manager within Manhattan, and was successful in attainment of revenue growth and customer satisfaction goals while ensuring operational guidelines and expenses were maintained. Maura worked closely with her customers, individual and small businesses, to assist in their financial growth. Maura, a AASBC Certified Small Business Consultant, graduated from Lock Haven University with a B.S. in Business Management, completed a Leadership Program at the University of Denver, and is currently working on the attainment of her financial counselor accreditation. She understands the importance of business relationships and enjoys working with the small business customers in Cecil County, Maryland.

Steven Colella is an experienced economic and community development professional, currently serving as the Business Consultant for Carroll County with the Small Business Development Center. Prior to joining Maryland’s SBDC, Steven served as the Director of Economic Development for the town of Sykesville, where he and his team worked diligently to revitalize the 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” in Budget Travel Magazine’s 2016 contest. 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.

Darren Peyton has over 20 years experience in hospitality and customer service management in the USA and Europe. Darren graduated with honors from Towson University receiving a B.S in finance/economics. Recently, he graduated at the top of his class from Aalborg University in Denmark receiving a Masters in innovation/entrepreneurship. He is also an AASBC Accredited Small Business Consultant.

Ryan Del Gallo serves as the Business Consultant for Harford County as well as the Advanced Technology Consultant/Defense Technology Specialist for the Maryland SBDC. Throughout his career, Ryan has provided services for the U.S. Army, Fortune 500 companies, and has consulted small businesses ranging from startups to $20M firms. Ryan is a serial entrepreneur, holds an MBA from the Wilmington University College of Business, serves on multiple community boards, and is a Master Accredited Small Business Consultant, Certified Grant Writer, and Certified Business Plan Advisor.