Caron Gugssa-Howard

Director of Programs / ICA

Caron Gugssa-Howard has over 15 years of strategy and entrepreneurial experience, beginning her entrepreneurial journey as a teen and operating several micro-enterprises after graduating from the Women’s Initiative for Self Employment. She is currently the Director of Programs at ICA where she is responsible for developing and implementing innovative programming to support growth-oriented companies to help close the gender and racial wealth gaps. Through this work she leads innovation, improvements, and quality control across all programs.

Recognizing the need for earlier opportunities to support the growth of POC and women led businesses, Caron designed ICA’s newest accelerator program, The Lab at ICA, which supports high potential early stage businesses to stabilize, grow, and become capital ready. Caron is responsible for leading the inaugural cohort through this four-week accelerator and supporting them to qualify for ICA’s milestone based Seed Equity Fund, in addition to sitting on the Seed Equity Approval Committee.

Prior to joining ICA, Caron’s professional experience spanned industries in health and beauty, education, international grantmaking, and small business incubation – with specific roles in operations, programs, and executive administration.Caron is dedicated to serving her community through resource sharing, volunteering, and making connections in the small business ecosystem.  Caron received an MBA from the Lorry I. Lokey School of Business and Public Policy at Mills College and a Bachelor’s in Marketing Communications from Emmanuel College.