Dawn Ferrante
Executive Director

Dawn is the Executive Director of the Carbon County Economic Development Corporation and also has a dual role as the Director for the Carbon County Economic Development Department.  She has held both positions since February of  2009.  Dawn is responsible for supporting local businesses, attracting new business, and developing entrepreneurs in Carbon County.  Prior to her role in Economic Development, Dawn was a business and technology consultant and was a project manager on large implementations for Verizon, AT&T, and many other Fortune 500 clients for more than 17 years.

Prior to working in the corporate world, Dawn owned her own business in San Francisco for five years and participated in an Entrepreneurship program (www.rencenter.org) that gave her training and financing to get her business going.  Dawn is a strong proponent of entrepreneurship as an economic development strategy, especially in smaller rural areas.  Dawn is looking to bring an entrepreneurship coaching program to Carbon County (and surrounding Counties) that works to develop the capabilities of small business owners.

Dawn has a degree in Broadcasting from San Francisco State University and began her career in the multimedia industry in the Bay Area developing educational and game titles. She is also currently enrolled in the Master's program at Pennsylvania State University in Community and Economic Development.  She is a member of the Pennsylvania Economic Development Association and well as the International Economic Development Council where she is participating in a coaching program for economic developers.

Originally from California, she has lived in Denver, CO and Bridgewater, NJ prior to moving to Pennsylvania where she has resided since 2002.

Linda Rex
Administrative Assistant

As Administrative Assistant in the Carbon County Economic Development Office, Linda’s duties include managing and dispersing the payments of the various loans that are available to qualified businesses, arranges for new and existing businesses to meet with the Small Business Development Center program and visits businesses as directed by Pennsylvania’s BREP program (Business Retention and Expansion Program).

Linda has been employed by Carbon County for 20 years. Prior to the Economic Development Office, she has also worked in the Mapping Department and Recorder of Deeds Office.  She was also a licensed real estate agent for 25 years retired from the office of Gene Durigan Real Estate.

A graduate of Lehighton Area School District, Linda has attended continuing education classes at Lehigh Carbon Community College and Penn State University. A life-long resident of Mahoning Valley, she is one of the original founders of Carbon County Friends of Animals and a member of Carbon County’s  CERT team (Citizens Emergency Response Team).  She’s also “mom” to a CCFOA rescued cat named Missy and a 14-year “young” golden retriever, Rusty.