STAMFORD, Conn. — The Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) is proud to announce the addition of three new members to its team. Marian Gryzlo, Ed.D., will serve as  Vice President of Philanthropy, Danielle Ruggiero will serve as Director of Programs, and Maria Zamora will join the team as a Business Advisor. With these new additions, WBDC now has a team of 38 professionals working in its five offices throughout Connecticut. 

“We are so excited to welcome these three outstanding new additions to the WBDC team, each bringing impressive backgrounds and fresh perspectives to our organization,” said WBDC CEO Fran Pastore. “Marian, Danielle, and Maria represent WBDC’s ongoing growth in terms of our expanding team and our increased capacity, which allows us to support even more women-owned small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs across Connecticut.”

Marian Gryzlo, Ed.D. | Vice President of Philanthropy (photo)

As Vice President of Philanthropy, Maria is responsible for creating and executing WBDC’s development strategy, including attracting new sources of sustainable funding from the private sector and individuals to support program growth and impact.

For over 30 years, she has advised leaders on designing and implementing strategies that combine profit and purpose to drive business and social value. She has worked for notable brands, including Mastercard, Fujifilm USA, TAMPAX, Thomson Reuters, and Ronald McDonald House New York, in the areas of grantmaking, fundraising, and strategic alliances.

Marian served as faculty for Goldman Sachs Foundation’s 10,000 Small Businesses program in New York and trained business owners for the Women’s Enterprise Development Center in Westchester. She taught graduate leadership and communications as an adjunct at LIU and Manhattanville College. She has a doctorate in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher University, an MBA in Marketing from Iona University, and a Certificate in Organizational Coaching from NYU.

Danielle Ruggiero | Director of Programs (photo)

As WBDC’s Director of Programs, Danielle oversees entrepreneurial classes and business advising services at and manages a team of regional Program Managers and Business Advisors. With more than two decades of leadership experience in program and product development, Danielle has a proven track record of driving innovation, increasing revenue, and building strategic partnerships.

Before joining WBDC, Danielle held executive roles at Excelligence Learning Corporation and Really Good Stuff, where she led multi-location teams, managed profit and loss responsibilities, and developed proprietary solutions for the educational sector. She is committed to fostering inclusive, entrepreneurial environments and supporting small business owners in achieving sustainable growth.

Danielle holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Boston College and is Dare to Lead™ trained and AGILE certified. Passionate about community building and client outreach, she thrives on empowering individuals and teams to reach their full potential.

Maria Zamora | Small Business Advisor (photo)

Maria is a passionate and dedicated professional who thrives on providing financial guidance and strategic support to entrepreneurs and helping them navigate the challenges of running a business. She has more than 17 years of experience in accounting, sales, customer service, and HR management.

As a WBDC Business Advisor, Maria finds fulfillment in mentoring and supporting fellow business owners. She believes every entrepreneur can reach their full potential with the proper guidance and encouragement, and she is proud to play a role in making that happen. Maria’s focus is always on building strong relationships and offering practical solutions to drive long-term success.

About the Women’s Business Development Council

The Women’s Business Development Council’s (WBDC) mission is to support economic prosperity for women and strengthen communities through entrepreneurial and financial education services that create and grow sustainable jobs and businesses across Connecticut. WBDC educates, motivates, and empowers women to achieve economic independence and self-sufficiency. Since 1997, WBDC has educated and trained nearly 20,000 clients in all of Connecticut’s 169 towns—helping women to launch, sustain, and scale over 14,700 businesses, create and maintain more than 33,800 jobs in Connecticut, and access $63.7 million in capital. Since 2020, WBDC has provided more than $11 million in grants to help fuel growth in small businesses throughout Connecticut. Visit ctwbdc.org for more information.