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Deborah Moses, executive director,
PowerLink
In 2001, Deborah Moses became the first executive director
of PowerLink, a Pittsburgh-based and founded organization
devoted to advancing and growing established women-owned
businesses through the use of voluntary advisory councils.
PowerLink, a nonprofit group founded in 1991, was operated
exclusively with volunteer resources for 10 years until Moses
became the first full-time executive director.
"We were founded from the ground up by an all-volunteer
corps of local business people who ran PowerLink for 10 years
with no funds, but with a lot of heart and talent," says
Moses.
The organization matches a voluntary advisory panel of
expert businesspeople to each woman-owned business that it
seeks to help. During a series of meetings, these panels
troubleshoot and seek to find ways to help women grow their
businesses and solve various business problems.
Moses oversees 90 active volunteers and draws upon a corps
of 400 business volunteers who are trained PowerLink advisers.
She continues to be a tireless, hands-on director who is
constantly trying to improve the advisory process. She has
increased the number of business owners served from six to 18
a year, tripled the number of advisers and broadened the
service area beyond Allegheny County to Beaver, Lawrence, and
Butler counties. | 
