Vandell Hampton, Jr.

President & CEO

Vandell Hampton Jr., is President & CEO of True Access Capital and is responsible for the overall management and operation of the organization. Mr. Hampton has served in this capacity since 2004. Under his leadership, True Access Capital has provided over $20 million in financing to small businesses and community organizations throughout Delaware and southeastern Pennsylvania.

Prior to joining True Access Capital, Mr. Hampton worked with The Enterprise Center in Philadelphia, a small business incubator, where he managed a micro-loan fund and managed consulting and technical assistance activities. Earlier, Mr. Hampton spent seven years with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development unit, where he financed single-family homes and water and sewer systems for small towns in rural Delaware and Maryland.

Mr. Hampton received his Bachelors of Science in Marketing from Delaware State University in 1993, and a Master of Science in Management with a concentration in Public Administration, from Wilmington University in 2013.

Sheila Harrigan

Asset Manager

Sheila Harrigan serves as Asset Manager and “The Closer” for all of the commercial transactions. Since 1997, Sheila has been responsible for oversight of the True Access Capital lending process, which includes, loan closings, underwriting, portfolio management, collections and loan servicing. Prior to joining True Access Capital, she worked as a certified housing counselor with NCALL Research where she was responsible for providing home ownership counseling for low to moderate income families enabling them to qualify for affordable home mortgages. Sheila has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Sciences from The College of New Rochelle, New York. She also has certifications in Business, Community Development and Affordable Housing, and is appointed as a Notary Public for the State of Delaware. She currently serves with various community organizations: Southbridge CDC Executive Board, Delaware State University Food Business Incubator Center for Enterprise Development, Advisory Board, as well as provides consulting and technical assistance to several non-profit entities throughout the State. Ms. Harrigan is an ordained Associate Pastor at Kingdom Life Fellowship Center, Dover, DE and manages the Bereavement and Benevolence Ministries as well as serves in the outreach to members of various nursing homes and/or rehabilitative facilities throughout the State of Delaware through her ministerial affiliations.

Clinton Tymes

Technical Assistance Coordinator

Clinton Tymes currently serves as the Technical Assistance Coordinator for True Access Capital. In this position he is responsible for the development, implementation and coordination of the many business support programs at True Access Capital. Mr. Tymes joined True Access Capital in 2013, after a 25-year career with the University of Delaware, where he held the position of State Director of the Delaware Small Business Development Center Network (SBDC). Over his career, he has also owned and operated an office equipment business and worked in a variety of marketing support and financial positions in the manufacturing sector.

Mr. Tymes has served on numerous boards including: President of the Delaware Quality Consortium; the Small Business and Agricultural Council for the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank; Chairman of the Board of the National Association of Small Business Development Center; the Christiana Care Advisory Board; Greater Brandywine Village Revitalization, Inc.; the Board of Junior Achievement; the Delaware Council on Economic Education and Entrepreneurship; the Bear-Glasgow YMCA, and the Delaware Money School. He earned his BA and MBA degrees from Wilmington University.

Deborah Harrison

Finance Manager

Deborah Harrison serves as Finance Manager for True Access Capital. In this capacity, Ms. Harrison is responsible for managing the day-to-day accounting and finance functions, managing investment capital, managing the external audit process, and compliance and reporting to the Board, investors and other funders. Ms. Harrison’s career spans over 25 years in the accounting sector, working with both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Ms. Harrison has studied at both Virginia Commonwealth University and J. Sargent Reynolds Community College in Virginia.

Sara A. Crawford

Program Director, Women’s Business Center at True Access Capital (WBC)

Sara A. Crawford is Director of The Women’s Business Center at True Access Capital, an entrepreneur, fashion designer, and author. She is dedicated to furthering the contribution of women business owners, especially those from under-served and minority communities.

With a BFA in Fashion Design and Marketing from the International Academy of Design and Technology, and 15 years in the fashion industry, Sara lives life with a flair and energy that inspires those around her.

Since taking the role of Director in 2017, Sara has trained over 4,000 aspiring and existing business owners, assisted in helping to secure over $2 million in loan capital, expanded the client reach, and increased programming and services offered at the Women’s Business Center. Under her leadership, the WBC has been recognized as one of the top WBC’s nationally for the highest number of business plans completed through their Passport to Business Success program.

Sara is involved in community and nonprofit organizations like The Division for the Visually Impaired and The National Diabetes Association. She is a member of the invite-only hub, For(bes) the Culture for elite leaders of color who are breaking down barriers & impacting culture globally to connect, collaborate and change. Sara was also named a Delaware Business Times DBT 40 young professional recipient in 2020.

Sara is committed to drive awareness to social issues and to setting a higher bar for small businesses in Delaware by creating programming to educate and inspire entrepreneurs.

Lorenzo Merino

Senior Vice President, Director of Lending

Lorenzo Merino currently serves as Director of Lending for True Access Capital. He directs all lending activities, ensuring that organizational goals and objectives are met. He manages all loans made under small business and community development programs. Such activities include loan underwriting, loan origination, loan servicing, and portfolio management.

Prior to joining True Access Capital, Mr. Merino was in banking for over 10 years. He has served on several community initiatives and boards including, Board of Director for Historic Kennett Square, Millennial Advisory Board for First Resource Bank, and Kennett Square Borough Council Member among others.

Phyllis McCollum

Senior Community Lending Officer

Phyllis McCollum serves as a Senior Community Lending Officer for True Access Capital. She is involved in all lending activities, which includes loans made under small business, community development programs and SBA 504. Such lending activities include loan underwriting, loan origination and loan servicing.

Nicole Bracey

Portfolio Manager

Nicole Bracey brings an extensive background in credit analysis and underwriting to True Access Capital (TAC), including years in the mortgage industry where she managed work teams of every size. She is passionate about leading and helping others and loves that TAC focuses on serving the community. Nicole attended Saint Joseph’s University and Widener University.

She is huge sports fan, loves the Philadelphia Eagles, reading, traveling, being with her beautiful family, and watching movies.

Salaika Adams

Program Assistant for the Women’s Business Center

Salaika Adams is an entrepreneur and Program Assistant for the Women’s Business Center at True Access Capital. She brings more than 10 years’ experience in customer relations, retail training and coaching, and retail management. Salaika attended Shaw University in Raleigh, NC and Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, where she majored in communications.

In her role as Program Assistant, she assists clients with WBC programing and supports the work of the Program Director at the Women’s Business Center.

Deborah V. Steele

Executive Assistant/Office Manager

Deborah V. Steele oversees the CEO’s office as Mr. Hampton’s Executive Assistantand manages the operations of the True Access Capital office as Office Manager. She brings 25 years’ experience working as an Executive Suite Manager at various Fortune 500 companies. Deborah attends Walden University where she is working on a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. She is a proud member of the Claymont Library Book Club and enjoys cooking, traveling, reading, writing, and attending services at the Church of the Ascension Episcopal Church in Claymont, Delaware.

David Ortiz

Business Development Officer

David Ortiz promotes lending programs and provides pre- and post-loan technical assistance to potential and existing borrowers. He works primarily with clients in marginalized communities in Delaware and southeastern Pennsylvania, including people of color and low-to-moderate income individuals. Prior to joining True Access Capital (TAC), Mr. Ortiz worked in public service for neighborhood nonprofits and the City of Philadelphia where he focused on community and economic development projects including affordable housing and neighborhood planning. He serves on boards of the Impact Loan Fund, Collaborate Northeast and the economic development committee of the Delaware Hispanic Commission. David holds a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University, and has volunteered for home and school associations and community boards and has coached youth athletics.

Patrick Audelien

Commercial Loan Documentation Specialist

Patrick currently serves as a Commercial Loan Documentation Specialist for True Access Capital. His responsibilities include coordinating loan closing and documenting and reviewing loan packages for small business and community development borrowers.

Prior to joining True Access Capital, Mr. Audelien spent eight years at Bank of America (BoA). Some of his roles at BoA include Commercial Underwriter, Senior Credit Analyst, Senior Risk Customer Service Collector and Senior Overdraft Collector.