Volunteer Working Groups (CoPs, Advisory Groups and Task Forces)

Communities of Practice

Communities of Practice (CoPs) are volunteer-led, HQ-supported, peer-to-peer groups focusing on a particular area of expertise. CoPs meet on a regular basis to share trends and insights around their expertise so as to ensure we are providing the latest knowledge to SCORE clients. Occasionally, a CoP may introduce a new tool or process to benefit the organization nationally. CoPs are open to all volunteers who have an interest or proficiency in the particular area. CoPs are ongoing year-round, and volunteers can join at any time through the contact email listed next to each group below. 

Goal: Lifelong learning, peer-to-peer exchange to improve the collective knowledge within our volunteer community 

Scope: Volunteer training, resource development, and knowledge sharing

Outputs/Deliverables: Volunteer training (internal-facing webinars, community forums, etc.) and potentially client-facing resources and training (based on approval from HQ)

Audience: Primarily volunteers

Volunteer Leader: Mark Krosse

Staff Sponsor: Kathryn Kelly 

The following CoPs are active and welcoming new participants

• Food Trucks 
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Agriculture (Ag) 

More information on CoPs can be found here. 

Advisory Groups 

Advisory Groups are HQ-led volunteer groups that review, and provide feedback and concerns on a particular focus area. These advisory groups may also suggest enhancements that benefit volunteers and clients in relation to their particular area. The Advisory Groups are ongoing. Below are the current Advisory Groups. 

Goal: Provide feedback, share concerns and recommendations with HQ staff around specific areas

Audience: Primarily volunteers and staff

Staff Sponsor: Different for each group 

Below are the active Advisory Groups. If interested in joining, contact the associated email. 

• Regional Workshop Committees - MidAtlantic and Central Region
• Social Media Advocacy Group - socialmedia@score.org
  • Kristyn Shay, Director of Social Media - HQ 

  • Monica Stefanowicz - Albuquerque

  • Austyn Thweatt - Central Virginia

  • William Leakas - Rhode Island

  • Jim Axelrad - North Cook & Lake Counties

  • Charles Morris - Bucks County

  • Robert Smith - Lancaster-Lebanon

  • Rob Stutzman - Boston

  • Dan Reed - Southern Maine

• Technology Advisory Committee - tac@scorevolunteer.org
  • Amanda Capozio, VP Technology - HQ
  • Charter and members viewed here.
• Fundraising Committee
  • Brent Ramsey, Compliance Manager - HQ
  • Ray Lee - Northern Nevada
  • Rick Toman - St. Louis
  • Tim Jeffcoat - Houston
  • Sally Broff - San Diego
  • Steven Mayer - Chicago
  • Aleyah Myles - Greater Omaha
  • John Brandstetter - Greater Omaha
  • Byron Zuidema - Mid-Florida
• Website - website@score.org

  • Staff Facilitator: Linda Stacy, Director of Marketing

    Goals: The Website Advisory Committee will focus on providing strategic guidance to ensure the organization's website(s) effectively serves our stakeholders. Key goals include:

    • Evaluating and recommending improvements to website content, navigation, and user experience
    • Ensuring the website aligns with organizational objectives and brand standards
    • Providing input on accessibility compliance and mobile responsiveness
    • Reviewing analytics and user feedback to guide data-driven decisions

     Volunteers

    • Charlie Morris - Bucks County
    • Charissa Rubey - Tennessee
    • Devin Anderson - San Francisco
    • Donald Krasnick - Philadelphia
    • Mark Krosse - Cleveland
    • Nancy Chouinard - Vancouver
    • Rob Stutzman - Boston
    • Steven Martin – Buffalo Niagara

    Staff

    • Hanane Mouhssine - Tech
    • Khrisna Murphy - Field Ops
    • Lori Barnes - External Relations
    • Mat Tse – Marketing

Task Forces

Task Forces are HQ-led volunteer groups that support the design and implementation of key projects on the SCORE national work plan. Members of the Task Force are selected based on their relevant expertise and SCORE experience. Task Forces meet regularly according to a project timeline and may dissolve when the project ends. Below are the current Task Forces. 

Goal: Support the design and development of key projects from the SCORE national work plan. 

Outputs/Deliverables: As depicted in each task force charter

Audience: Volunteers and Staff

Staff Lead: Dependent on each task force 

Below are the active Task Forces. If interested in joining, please use the forms below or contact the staff facilitator

Click below for more information on each task force: 

• Content Committee
• Client Education Committee
• Chat Mentoring 
• Mentoring Framework

Content Committee

Staff Facilitator: Chad Mendell, Content Manager

This team of dedicated volunteers help shape and execute SCORE's content offering and delivery. This group plays a crucial role in curating and presenting valuable content that aligns with SCORE's mission of empowering entrepreneurs and fostering business growth. Their contributions directly impact the organization's ability to provide accessible and relevant resources to individuals seeking guidance and support in their entrepreneurial endeavors.

Members:

Client Education Committee

Staff Facilitator: Alexa Elliott

Contact: webinars@score.org

Learn more here.

The purpose of this committee is to guide and advise the headquarters staff and volunteer leaders who provide client education for the organization.

This committee may also serve as a working group reviewing materials to ensure brand consistency and alignment with content guidelines and workshop policies.

Our goal is to deliver high-quality business education across SCORE in ways that make the best use of our volunteers' time and expertise. We aim to reach and help more business owners by improving how we create and deliver our educational programs.

Specifically, we aim to:

• Strengthen the quality and consistency of our training programs and how we deliver them
• Serve more business owners while reducing the time volunteers spend on administrative tasks
• Make the best use of our volunteers' expertise and SCORE's resources
• Create better systems and processes to expand our educational impact

Through these improvements, we will help more entrepreneurs succeed while ensuring our volunteers can focus on what they do best - sharing their knowledge and experience with business owners.

Members

Chat Mentoring

Staff Facilitator: Taylor Hedgpeth

Contact: website@score.org

SCORE’s chat mentors provide real-time mentoring to business owners through the chat feature on SCORE.org. We also use this feature to provide customer service for website visitors. The members of this group not only serve as chat mentors and agents, but they also advise on chat strategy, processes, technology, and metrics. Chat mentoring sessions are logged in Engage and “count” as mentoring sessions for those who participate.  

We recently added chat to the Support Center so volunteers can receive immediate support for their questions during chat hours. The Support Team staffs the chat during the hours below to provide support to both clients and volunteers who use the platform. Learn more in the LiveChat Process Guide.

Members

Mentoring Framework Task Force

Staff Facilitator: Kathryn Kelly, Director of Volunteer Engagement 

The primary objectives are to update and improve upon SCORE’s Mentoring Framework.
SCORE’s mentoring approach needs to include not only the behavioral approaches currently found in SLATE but also specific techniques to ensure a high value experience such as steps for how to conduct a first session, how to ensure follow-on sessions, the importance of your profile, just to name a few.

These objectives will be achieved through the following outcomes.
1. Finalize a Mentor Methodology Handbook; a go to resource that contains all mentoring guidance for both provisionals in training and existing mentors. This will become the primary reference for the mentoring process and related policy. Share draft of handbook with respective regional leaders for feedback.
2. Update the Mentor Certification Course for Onboarding; 005 course modules updated
3. Design an Implementation and Rollout for the above; ensure SCORE mentors receive the mentoring guidance and tips they need when they need it

Members