Our Staff

Liza Avruch, Program Manager for DC Region

Liza Avruch has been the Program Manager for the Women Presidents' Educational Organization (WPEO) since June 2006. The WPEO, a regional affiliate of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), creates increased access to business opportunities for Women's Business Enterprises (WBEs). Liza oversees the WBENC certification process for women-owned businesses in Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland. She guides firms through the process of certification and helps provide links between women entrepreneurs and business opportunities in the private sector. Liza assists in developing effective programming and opportunities for WBEs for the overall mission of increasing access for WBEs.

Prior to joining the WPEO, Liza worked at Women for Women International, which is a non-profit organization devoted to helping women in war-torn countries through aid, job-skills training, rights education and small business assistance so they can support themselves and their families. Liza also worked at Inova Fairfax Hospital for two years with a program called Beginning Steps for Parents that extends many different services to first-time mothers who need additional assistance. Liza graduated magna cum laude with a BA in Sociology from the University of Mary Washington. While enrolled at UMW, she spent a semester in Bilbao, Spain.