SBIA welcomes Christy Dancause as Senior Director of Member Strategy, Engagement, and Community

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 27, 2026) – The Small Business Investor Alliance (SBIA) announces the appointment of Christy Dancause as Senior Director of Member Strategy, Engagement, and Community. With nearly two decades of experience supporting the private equity and M&A community, Christy brings a strong background in member engagement, community development, operational strategy, and event leadership to SBIA and its component communities, including the Independent Sponsor Forum (ISF).

“SBIA is focused exclusively on investors into American small businesses and Christy has built her career around the community we serve. Her expertise in the venture, private equity, and M&A space is a perfect fit for enriching our offerings to our growing membership,” said SBIA President Brett Palmer. “Her track record growing membership and programming, paired with her entrepreneurial approach and reputation as a trusted connector, will be an asset to our members and our team. We are glad to have her join SBIA.”

Christy joins SBIA from the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), where she most recently served as Regional CEO of the Northeast and Great Lakes regions, leading growth strategy and operations across 12 chapters. Prior to ACG, she managed programming for more than 5,000 members at the Greater Boston Association of Realtors and worked at Emerson College on student engagement and community-building initiatives. She earned a degree in Psychology from the College of the Holy Cross.

At SBIA, Christy joins the Membership Team, where her focus will be enhancing the lower middle market’s most valued and curated community of private capital investment funds, independent sponsors, emerging managers, and operating partners. That work includes building out ISF across different segments of the independent sponsor market; growing a pipeline of emerging managers raising first or second funds; and expanding SBIA’s Lower Middle Market Dinner Series in cities across the country. Christy will be based in the Boston area.

“SBIA sits at the center of the lower middle market private capital community, and the growth of ISF has only added to its momentum,” said Dancause. “There is so much opportunity ahead to bring more capital to small businesses and to strengthen the connections among the firms doing this work. I can't wait to get started with the team and members.”