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The Micro Business Team

Brent McLaughlin
President & CEO

With more than 30 years of nonprofit leadership experience, Brent McLaughlin has served at Branches for the past 22 years developing the organization to be a place of community and opportunity. 

Since 2001, he has led Branches’ growth from a budget of $108,000 and a staff of 1.5 FTE to a budget of nearly $6 million and a staff of over 65. Under Mr. McLaughlin’s tenure, more than a dozen new programs have been launched, including Branches’ Micro-Business program. 

Each new program creates opportunities for educational success and long-term financial stability for children and families throughout the Miami community. Mr. McLaughlin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Illinois Wesleyan University, a Master of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary and a Master of Business Administration from Barry University.

 In 2019, Mr. McLaughlin was honored by United Way Miami with the prestigious Monsignor Walsh Outstanding Human Services Professional Award which recognizes a human services professional who has dedicated his or her career to helping others.

Isabelle Pike
Senior Vice President, Development

Isabelle Pike has led all fundraising efforts as well as marketing and events for Branches since 2009. Her passion for children and families is genuine and she is motivated and inspired every day by the incredible commitment of all the donors and funders who support Branches’ life-changing programs. 

Since Isabelle’s tenure at Branches, the budget has more than doubled and corporate and foundation relationships have grown immensely. She also helped launch and complete a $5 million Capital Campaign to expand much-needed services to the Miami community and is about to embark on a $10 million Capital Campaign to launch Branches’ fourth site, Branches Allapattah.

Steve Arman
Director, Business Program, Incubator & E-Lab

Steve leads the Business Program Incubator & E-Lab. He is a relationship marketing strategist and behavioral technology consultant, with over 25 years of C-Suite and business consulting experience. Steve is also responsible for the program management of technology implementation for the B1 System and a business Coach. 

Steve holds a Master of Small and Medium Enterprise Management from the UWI Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration from the Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh School of Business.

Louby Sumlar
Micro-Business Mentor

A seasoned Micro Business Mentor and certified personal financial coach (CPFinCAP), Louby has been on a mission to transform entrepreneurial dreams into thriving realities. Drawing from her extensive banking industry background, spanning over 15 years, Louby has consistently showcased exceptional skills and expertise, making her a highly valued asset to the many businesses in the Micro Business Program. 

Through years of mentoring and coaching, Louby has assisted countless individuals across various industries and sectors. With a keen eye for identifying strengths and areas for improvement, she adeptly guides her clients through the intricacies of understanding the foundations of personal financial growth and personal credit repair.