Connecticut Small Business Development Center (CTSBDC) is proud to announce Program Manager Angela Rodiguez as our 2026 State Star Award recipient. This prestigious award, given annually to a member of each SBDC team from across the country, recognizes staff who have demonstrated exemplary performance and a strong commitment to small business success.
“As one of her nominators put it, ‘Angela is accessible, upbeat, encouraging, and the consummate professional,’” says Dorian Zwierewicz, CTSBDC’s State Director. “For those reasons and many more, I am thrilled to announce Angela Rodriguez will receive the much-deserved State Star Award in 2026.”
Rodriguez is an integral member of the CTSBDC team whose love of learning and tireless work ethic helps support advisors in their work with Connecticut’s small business owners. After transitioning out of teaching, she first joined the CTSBDC team as an intern while pursuing her MBA at the UConn School of Business.
Over the years her role has morphed as CTSBDC’s needs have changed, making it difficult to capture just how much Angela does to support the organization. She manages CTSBDC’s student intern programs and interaction with UConn, CTSBDC’s host university. She supports grant-funded programs like the SBIR/STTR Accelerator—a program designed to help Connecticut-based innovators in applying for federal funding—and has led the organization’s efforts in Artificial Intelligence (AI). From organizing the CTSBDC’s first AI Pitch Competition to building proprietary GPTs to support advisors and clients, Angela regularly takes on new challenges and has a strong commitment to upskilling her colleagues. This year, she was also selected as one of five members of the AI U curriculum committee, contributing to a national SBDC initiative focused on advancing practical AI education and application across the network.
“I am grateful to be this year’s State Star,” says Rodriguez. “I love the flexibility my job gives me to continue learning, working with students, and exploring emerging technology like AI. I‘m humbled to know my colleagues recognize my contributions to the valuable work they do advising Connecticut’s small businesses.”
“I am honored to be named this year’s State Star,” says Rodriguez. “I‘m humbled to know my colleagues recognize my contributions to the valuable work they do advising Connecticut’s small businesses, and I feel lucky to work with such a great team. I also love that my job gives me the chance to keep learning, do different kinds of work, and explore new technology like AI.”
Angela will be honored at a special reception in Atlanta, Georgia, this September during the annual America’s SBDC training event.