Laurel Adams has been the President of REDC, a non-profit economic development agency and alternative lender serving Southern NH since 2009. Under her leadership REDC has tripled in size, and currently has more than ninety loans in the portfolio, and over 3000 jobs created and retained. Ms. Adams earned her Certified Economic Developer Certification (CEcD) through the IEDC and has spent more than 20 years studying the fields of economic and business development through various national and state programs. Ms. Adams sits on the Boards of the New Hampshire Alliance of Regional Development Corporations and the NH Economic Development Association (NHEDA). She holds degrees in Business Administration from NH College, and Government and Environmental Studies from Harvard University. In addition, she sits on several advisory committees dedicated to economic development, Brownfield’s cleanup, and workforce housing. Ms. Adams was recognized as the 2012 SBA New Hampshire Financial Services Champion, a member of the 2013 Union Leader 40 under 40, and is a graduate of the Leadership NH Class of ’16. And most recently helped REDC receive an award from the International Economic Development Council for Equity and Inclusion for the NH New American Loan Fund, the only state-wide fund designed to help first-generation foreign-born immigrants start or grow their businesses.