Is your Business Ready to Do Business with the State?

Discover how to enhance your business's potential for securing state contracts in our informative panel discussion, "Is Your Business Ready to Contract with the State?"

Gain invaluable insights from state agency experts who will share their knowledge and expertise. The Office of Minority & Women's Business Enterprises will guide you through the process of becoming a certified minority-owned business, highlighting how certification can bolster the competitiveness of your small, diverse, or veteran-owned enterprise. The Department of Enterprises and Services will delve into the array of tools available to assist you, whether you're just beginning your contracting journey or seeking to expand your state contracting opportunities. For veterans, the Washington State Department of Veteran Affairs will outline the benefits of certifying your business as a Washington veteran-owned enterprise, along with the resources and support they offer. Don't miss this chance to equip yourself with the essential knowledge and resources necessary to thrive in the state contracting arena.

Crystal Schienbein, Chief Information Officer
Washington State Department of Veteran Affairs

As a longtime public servant in Washington State and Navy Veteran, with over 23 years of technology experience, Crystal Schienbein serves as a senior-level executive with repeated success and proven expertise in developing teams and programs that further the success of the agency vision and mission. She has a talent for improving business to thrive, grow, adopt technology and evolve thought diversity. She foster's growth of others and leads innovation with her innate abilities to drive strategy and a people centered focus in her role as the Chief Information Officer for the Washington State Department of Veteran Affairs.

Modeling the way by successfully growing teams that support the business, adding leadership through coaching and empowerment, and transforming teams into top-tier, high integrity solution finders.

As an experienced CIO with an accomplished record of establishing cross-functional partnerships to deliver value and benefits organization wide, Crystal is highly capable of adept streamlining, reorganizing and leading technological and people change. She has a strong talent for determining key strategies to build value in client relationships and champion change through empowered leaders. Eliminating the barriers to what technology and strategic vision can bring to serving those who have served and driving transformation through statewide partnerships and the use of transparent data informed decision making.

Crystal is currently responsible for leadership, strategy, modernization, and digital literacy within the organization as well as, improving and sustaining effective and efficient operations. She works to streamline and digitally advance the agency through influence and equitability, one person at a time.

 

Shana Greenberg Barehand, Business Diversity and Marketing Manager
Washington State Department of Enterprise Services

Shana Greenberg Barehand, originally from Los Angeles, is Mono Indian from the Cold Springs Rancheria in California. Shana holds a law degree from Arizona State University as wells as a bachelor's degree in psychology from California State University, Long Beach. Shana supported herself entirely through college and law school. Her previous jobs include working at the Southern California Indian Center, Indian education program counselor, waitressing, and bartending.

As an attorney, she has worked for the United States Environmental Protection Agency as an environmental enforcement attorney, the Federal Communications Commission as the senior tribal advisor to the Commissioner, and for Washington state Department of Revenue as the Tribal Liaison. Her expertise in creating and leading innovative new programs led her to Department of Enterprise Services, where she established the Procurement, Inclusion and Equity (PIE) program. The PIE program helps lead the state's effort to procure more goods and services from small, diverse, veteran owned businesses.

In a volunteer capacity, she coaches soccer, serves on the Tumwater School District's Equity Committee, and is the co-founder of the Wa-Ya Outdoor Institute, the state's only outdoor camp that teaches outdoor adventure, STEM, and intertwines indigenous culture and knowledge. She has previously served as the treasurer of the National Native American Bar Association, as the Chair of the advisory board for the Washington Internships for Native Students (WINS), Washington DC, and is a founding board member and past treasurer for the Society of American Indian Government Employees.

Shana is married to actor/filmmaker Jeffrey Barehand and has five children. As a family, they participate in a diverse array of experiences including volunteering for important causes, dancing at Pow Wows, and snowboarding.

 

Wilbert Piña, Certification Team Supervisor
Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises

Wilbert Piña comes from a family that worked in the Orchards of Eastern Washington, and grew up learning values like respect, discipline, and appreciation for all life.

Wil was raised in Mexico and, seeing poverty at its extreme, developed a passion for assisting people in need and advocating for equity and diversity. Wil has a degree in Business Policy and worked with DSHS for over 10 years assisting people in need.

In 2021, Wil accepted a new challenge by joining OMWBE and was promoted to Certification Team Supervisor in 2023. Wil's goal is to assist small minority- and women-owned businesses, to help them grow and become successful in the State of Washington.