SARA KNUDSEN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Sara Knudsen is the executive director of the Colorado Business Development Foundation. She is also the owner of Gold Stripe Consulting, LLC, a consulting firm which provides graphic design, digital marketing and website development services for small businesses.

Prior to this role, Knudsen was the deputy director of communications for the Colorado Small Business Development Center Network, where she managed federal and state government grants totaling more than $2 million annually, including budgeting, negotiations, renewals, grant writing, narratives and reporting, contracts and financial reviews. She also managed all aspects of planning more than 10 statewide businesses training conferences, including securing speakers, sponsorships, travel, marketing and more. Knudsen was also responsible for the statewide branding across the entire statewide SBDC network, in which she standardized both print collateral and online presence.

In 2011-2012, Knudsen worked as the programs and events specialist for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. Prior to this position, she was the program coordinator for the Denver Metro Small Business Development Center, which is hosted by the Chamber.

Knudsen graduated magna cum laude from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a bachelor's degree in marketing and Spanish. 

She lives in Littleton with her husband and her two daughters, ages eight and five.