Located in Connecticut, US, the organization is spearheaded by Fran Pastore

Welcome Fran!

Fran Pastore is the Founder and CEO of the Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC), Connecticut’s leading organization championing the independence of women through entrepreneurship. Ms. Pastore is a devoted catalyst of women’s economic equity across the country and around the globe.

The mission of The Women’s Business Development Council is to educate, motivate and empower women to achieve economic independence and self-sufficiency.

Domestically, in addition to her work with WBDC, Ms. Pastore was appointed to and served a three-year term on the National Women’s Business Council (NWBC), an independent source of counsel to then President Obama, Congress, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Globally, Ms. Pastore’s influence has been exemplified through her direct work with women entrepreneurs. In conjunction with the U.S. State Department and the University of Connecticut’s Office of Global Affairs, Ms. Pastore taught women business owners in Costa Rica. Ms. Pastore continued to share her expertise with women through partnerships with The Center for Creative Leadership in Ethiopia and The Akilah Institute for Women in Rwanda.

For over two decades, Ms. Pastore has been instrumental in the passage of legislation benefiting women entrepreneurs. Ms. Pastore has provided numerous testimonies before the U.S. Congress, addressing the state of women’s entrepreneurship. Her advocacy efforts have included traveling to Istanbul to serve as a U.S. Delegate at the 2015 Women’s Summit and the 2018 Global Entrepreneurship Conference.

Currently, Ms. Pastore serves on the Board of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), is a member of the YWCA Greenwich Leadership Council, Pace University’s Women’s Business Leadership Council, Quinnipiac University’s Women’s Business Leadership Council, and The Akilah Institute for Women’s Advisory Council. In 2018, Ms. Pastore was appointed to the Quantum Leaps’ Advisory Board, a global organization focused advancing women’s entrepreneurship. Most recently, Ms. Pastore was honored to serve on Connecticut Governor Lamont’s Transition Team as Co-Chair of The Jobs and Economy Policy Committee.