Diverse backgrounds and a united passion for community and the power of entrepreneurship are the driving forces behind the new leadership team at Sierra Commons.

Leslie Kerns’ connection with Sierra Commons began 15 years ago when her late husband explored the idea of starting a business. Over the years, she witnessed friends launch their own businesses after graduating from the Sierra Commons Business Ignitor Course. Intrigued, she signed up to the email list, took a Lunch & Learn class and donated to various fundraising campaigns. In 2024, Kerns joined the Sierra Commons board of directors. Now she is President.  

“It's been a meaningful progression over the years. Sierra Commons is a trusted catalyst for business education and development in our community. For 15 years, Sierra Commons has empowered aspiring entrepreneurs with practical skills and resources to grow their business,” she said.

Kerns is part of the new dynamic leadership team at Sierra Commons. She joins Executive Director Robert X Trent, Secretary Kim Sayre, Treasurer Lakshmi Prasad, Director Jim Williams, Director Coryon Redd and Board Advisor Tom Larsen.

The directors meet monthly to support Sierra Commons’ mission to offer heart-forward guidance and compassionate business education, connecting people with high-value resources to be successful entrepreneurs. This year marks a transitional time for the organization as it becomes laser-focused on in-person and online business education and reaching a broader audience with workshops throughout California. 

A natural evolution

At the helm of the board, Kerns is looking forward to growing her experience in volunteer recruitment and fundraising. She has worked for 15 years at Connecting Point in Grass Valley, a public agency that offers In-Home Supportive Services, 211 assistance, and career development training, as well as work experience for individuals involved in Nevada County's CalWorks and Youth Service Corp programs. 

In 2025, Kerns is excited to observe Sierra Commons response to student feedback and needs by expanding specialized courses like the locally-based Food Accelerator Program and Forest Entrepreneur Training, now popping up in rural communities throughout Northern California.

“Sierra Commons is going into 2025 with a deeper focus on business education. It feels like a natural evolution,” Kerns said. 

Joining Kerns this year are Lakshmi Prasad as Treasurer and Kim Sayre as Secretary.

Helping dreams come true

Before coming to Nevada County, Lakshmi Prasad owned a food business in Cincinnati, Ohio, inspired by her childhood meals prepared with love by her mother. The business featured fresh, locally-sourced vegan and vegetarian South Indian food sold at farmers markets, restaurants and dinner parties. The venture helped her tap into a rich resource of food entrepreneur networks, an opportunity she sees for Sierra Commons to connect to state, national and regional food entrepreneur programs to grow local programming.

“There is such an obvious coupling that could be happening here. There is definitely an opportunity to explore,” said Prasad. Ready to dive in and learn more, she is registered for Sierra Commons’ upcoming Spring Business Ignitor Course March 25 - May 1.

Sierra Commons recently announced an award of a Catalyst grant under the We Prosper Together initiative, securing funding to advance its Cultivating Resilient Rural Food Ecosystems project. This investment will strengthen the local food economy, support entrepreneurship and create quality jobs in Nevada County and the greater Sacramento region. 

With a background in nonprofits, academia, public health and philanthropy, Lakshmi Prasad has a passion for promoting health and gender equity in underserved communities. She focuses on collaboration and community engagement and specializes in program management, strategic planning, grantmaking and budget oversight.

Her interest in Sierra Commons first sparked through her partner, Adam Stonebraker, the Resident Guiding Teacher at Mountain Stream Meditation in Nevada City, where Sierra Commons Executive Director Robert Trent is on the board. 

“This community is so creative and Sierra Commons is an organization that helps peoples’ dreams come true. It’s mind blowing how much the organization does with its operating budget,” said Prasad who is bringing a wealth of knowledge in operations, fundraising, grant writing and philanthropy to the board in her role as Treasurer. 

Last week, the new board came together for its annual board retreat. Prasad is energized about the year ahead.

“There is a sense of excitement. It feels like a solid group of people. Everyone has different strengths that feel complimentary,” she said. 

She says the group held productive conversations, revisited basics and fundamentals, tested assumptions and looked more broadly at the nonprofit’s mission and vision strategy. In an environment where traditional funding streams are dramatically changing, the group brainstormed outside the box ideas as they planned for 2025 and beyond.

“There is a big unknown factor but it feels like we are well positioned with the new board to move forward with any new direction we need to move in,” said Prasad. 

Programming is going strong and one of those programs is the Forest Entrepreneurship series started in 2024, through a partnership with Sierra Business Council. Throughout the state, interest is gaining momentum as more entrepreneurs launch businesses that range from carbon sequestration to home hardening and drought-tolerant landscaping. 

As a newcomer to California and the foothills of Nevada County, Prasad took notice of the course as a thoughtful climate resilient response to the threat of wildfire in the Sierra Nevada. 

“It’s responding to an urgency in Nevada County and California in general,” said Prasad.

The popular series kicks off on April 25 in Nevada City followed by weekend bootcamps in Eureka May 2 - 4, South Lake Tahoe June 6 - 8, Santa Cruz June 27 - 29 and virtually July 12 - 13. 

For students who graduated from the course last year and want to take it to the next level, a new Advanced Entrepreneurship course joins the lineup in 2025. Registration is now open for the following dates: Sonora May 16 - 18, Virtual July 26 and 27, Auburn October 24 - 26 and Eureka Nov. 1 - 2. 

Sustainable local economy

The newest member of the team is Jim Williams who has lived and worked in Nevada County for 16 years and brings a diverse background to Sierra Commons in business management, finance and creative problem solving. He has held a number of leadership roles from finance to marketing in multiple industries including commercial and residential construction, a biomass energy startup and a utility support services company. He recognizes the important role Sierra Commons can serve in communities that value local sustainability and positive growth.

“I’ve been a long time supporter of local businesses. My family chooses to support them as much as possible; in lieu of big box stores,” he said. 

Sierra Commons education resources and one-to-one mentors guide and support entrepreneurs with general business know-how and in recent years, caters to business owners in the food and forest industries. 

“In the world's ever evolving business landscape, I believe that a local economy should encompass a diverse range of goods and services, available to the community’s residents.Such diversity can ensure long term sustainability for future generations… Healthy, quality food options, forest management services and core business providers are just a few areas where we can contribute to the success of the local economy,” said Williams. 

A professional photographer and graphic designer who has lectured at Sierra College and Cosumnes River College, Williams looks forward to contributing his skills to Sierra Commons and making a positive impact in the lives of local and regional entrepreneurs. 

“I am excited to contribute to helping people succeed and realize their dreams,” he said.

A turning point

Kim Sayre joins Sierra Commons as Secretary, bringing more than 20 years of experience in business ownership to the board. For 23 years she has run her award-winning photography studio with additional expertise in graphic and web design and now Artificial Intelligence (AI) like Chat GPT and Claude. Sayre will be teaching Sierra Commons’ first AI class during the Business Ignitor Course in April. 

Sayre is excited to teach entrepreneurs how to use AI to streamline their business and become more efficient in everything from creating action plans, web design and advertising sales funnels to learning management systems and managing social media content. It’s a tool she wished she had access to when she started her business more than two decades ago. 

“I want people in business to get those foundations from the beginning, unlike me who didn’t have that foundation. If you are going to be a successful solo-preneur you have to know what you’re doing and the most effective way to do it,” she said.

Born in upstate New York, Sayre moved to Nevada County from the SF Bay Area 13 years ago and has a long history serving as a volunteer in the community. She looks forward to bringing her skills in mentorship, education, budget management, marketing and community engagement to the board, empowering rural entrepreneurs and strengthening the local economy. 

“I feel like this is a turning point with the people who are on the board now. We’re going to do some heavy lifting and allow Robert to shine his light,” said Sayre. 

A program that she will be assisting with is a new grant-funded learning management system, an online community or “inside-out classroom” that will house archived content like videos and allow students to meet virtually, network and share experiences in a positive learning environment. 

“Sierra Commons is a huge resource for learning about how to get things right from the beginning. We’re a force for resilience in our local economy and by building up these new businesses and setting them up for success, we are making our whole community better,” she said.