Confirmed Session Panelists:

• Angelo Farooq, AVM Innovation Consulting, LLC
  Dr. Angelo Farooq, of Riverside, is the owner of AVM innovation Consulting, LLC. Angelo is elected as the President of the Riverside Unified School Board. He also serves as the Founding Director of the UC Riverside Center for Economic Development & Innovation (CEDI). Angelo is appointed by California Treasurer Fiona Ma to co-chair her Housing, Economic Development, Job Creation & Opportunity Zone advisory committee and appointed by California Controller Betty Yee on her Council of Economic Advisors. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California at Berkeley; his Master’s, and his Doctorate of Policy, Planning and Development degrees from the University of Southern California.
• Tim Rainey, California Workforce Development Board
  Tim was appointed by Governor Brown on November 22, 2011. As the Executive Director, Tim leads the CWDB staff in assisting the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California’s workforce development system. Previously, Tim was the director of the Workforce and Economic Development Program (WED) of the California Labor Federation, where he was responsible for policy development at the state and local level, and brokering industry-based training partnerships among unions, employers, community organizations, education, and public workforce agencies. He was also the Policy Director for the California Workforce Association, and a consultant to the Senate Democratic Caucus of the California State Senate. Tim enjoys spending time with his family.
• Aida Cardenas, California Workforce Development Board
  Aida was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom on August 15, 2019. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Aida is the daughter of Mexican immigrant service workers. Prior to joining the CWDB, Aida was instrumental in the creation of Building Skills Partnership (BSP), a statewide non-profit with the mission of improving the quality of life of property service workers and their families. She led BSP’s efforts in the development of the CWDB’s model High Road Training Partnership between SEIU-United Service Workers West, the Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater Los Angeles (BOMA-GLA), and the United States Green Building Council of Los Angeles (USGBC-LA) to form the Green Janitor Education Program (GJEP). Now, Aida is leveraging this expertise to expand the Equity, Climate and Jobs vision and develop a suite of initiatives related to the High Road model in California. Aida has over 20 years of experience coordinating and directing educational, leadership, and organizing initiatives with janitors and other low-wage service workers. Outside of work, Aida loves to spend time with her family and daughter; when she needs to recharge, she heads to the mountains to hike or backpack, where nature calms her mind and spirit.

Session Video

This session features panelists who build and maintain meet this demand head on by building and maintaining pre-apprenticeship pipelines throughout the state that, connecting underserved communities to middle class careers in the building and construction trades. Panelists will discuss the role that each of their respective organizations provide, from supportive services to rigorous pre-apprenticeship training, along with efforts to increase the representation of women in the trades and the once in a generation opportunity to advance economic equity on the back of the multi-trillion dollar federal infrastructure proposal.

Confirmed Session Panelists:

• Blake Konczal, Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board
  Blake Konczal began his duties as the Executive Director of the Fresno Regional Workforce Investment Board (FRWIB) in May of 2002. An area agency non-profit organization, the FRWIB administers a fiscal year budget of nearly $18 million, providing business and training services to Fresno County businesses and residents. Mr. Konczal holds a BA in Political Science and History from the University of California, Los Angeles, a MA in Political Science from California State University, Fullerton, and a JD from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. A voracious reader and lifelong learning advocate, Mr. Konczal also serves on the Board of Directors of Reading & Beyond, a local non-profit dedicated to promoting children’s literacy. Mr. Konczal and his wife, Charlotte, live in Fresno, California.
• Chuck Riojas, Fresno-Madera-Tulare-Kings Building Trades Council
  Chuck Riojas is the Executive Director of the Fresno, Madera, Tulare, Kings Building Trades council, and a member of the California Workforce Development Board. A resident of Fresno and member of IBEW Local 100, he has been central to the development of Valley Build, a highly successful apprenticeship readiness program that connects underserved communities in the San Joaquin Valley with middle-class careers in the building trades.
• Veronica Soto, HireLAX
  Veronica Soto is the Senior Advisor for Workforce Development for the Los Angeles World Airports HireLAX Program. Previously, she also served as the Inclusivity & Workforce Development Administrator for the Los Angeles World Airports $14B Landside Access Modernization Program and Capital Improvement Program. She possesses over 20 years experience developing public agency economic and workforce development programs that promote diversity and economic inclusion based on high standards of equity, open competition and transparency on capital projects with a combined value of over $50 billion. Veronica developed nationally and locally recognized programs for the $2.4B Alameda Corridor Project, $27B Los Angeles Unified School District School Construction Program, $6.2B Los Angeles Community College District Bond Program, and $350M Martin Luther King Medical Center Project. She is leading the effort to launch the HireLAX Youth Program in summer 2021 for young Angelenos ages 18 to 24 that will help cultivate a younger skilled workforce and address high unemployment among youth of color.
• Juanita Douglas, Rising Sun Center for Opportunity
  Juanita Douglas is a pre-apprenticeship instructor at the Rising Sun Center for Opportunity, a community-based organization that provides supportive services and training to women and men so that they can lead successful careers in the building trades. Juanita is an accomplished land survey professional with significant managerial experience in the construction trades. Her educational backgroundu includes course work in construction management, construction estimating and construction accounting at California State University, Dominguez Hill, Los Angeles City College and San Francisco City College.
• Jason Kenney, Department of General Services
  Jason Kenney was appointed Deputy Director of the Real Estate Services Division (RESD) in August 2018. Kenney most recently served as acting deputy director and assistant deputy director for RESD, while also managing the Project Management and Development Branch for the division. He was originally hired as DGS’ deputy director for the Office of Strategic Planning, Policy, and Research. Prior to DGS, Kenney served as branch chief over the Department of State Hospital’s purchasing, contracting, asset management, fleet, SB/DVBE advocacy, Capital Outlay, and Cal-Card functions from June 2013 to December 2015. He also served as the Asset Management manager for the Department of Motor Vehicles, and served in the Office of Personnel Services at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Kenney has a wide range of experience overseeing and improving operational programs in the state, particularly in the field of design/construction and administration. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from California State University, Sacramento.

Session Video

No longer can we take the traditional skills-focused approach to build economic resilience in the IE. This invigorating session will feature organizations, labor and government leaders, businesses, and industry experts leading the region’s workforce efforts by developing industry-led and worker-focused training partnerships that address equity, job quality, and environmental sustainability.

Confirmed Session Panelists:

• Elizabeth Toups, Jewish Vocational Services
  Elizabeth Toups has over 25 years of experience leading workforce education and training strategies, with particular expertise in the utilities and healthcare industries. In her role as Director of Utilities Training Programs, Elizabeth leads JVS’s efforts to build a more effective workforce pipeline leading to mission critical jobs in the public water/wastewater and transit sectors. Elizabeth is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and holds a master’s degree in public administration from Golden Gate University.
• Michael Kushner, BAYWORK – Jewish Vocational Services
  Michael brings to JVS 16 years of experience in workforce development. In addition to serving as a manager on our Utilities team, Michael also serves as the manager of BAYWORK, a workforce consortium of over 40 water and wastewater utilities in the Greater Bay Area. Michael’s dual responsibilities are a reflection of the close cooperation between JVS and the utilities that make up BAYWORK. This collaboration gives the JVS Utilities team a high-level of access to leaders in the water sector, enhancing our ability to prepare clients for these well-paid and stable careers.
• Mariann Johnson, San Bernardino Workforce Development Board
  Mariann Johnson is the Deputy Director for Special Projects for the Workforce Development Department. In her current role she oversees many special projects including regional initiatives, partnerships and other collaborative efforts. Prior to this role, she was the Administrative Manager for Workforce Education and Training for the Department of Behavioral Health where she oversaw the internship programs, training unit and career pathway projects. She received her Masters of Business Administration from the University of Redlands and Bachelors degree in Communications from University of California, Santa Barbara where she focused her studies on organizational communication.
• Channing Hawkins, West Valley Water District Board
  The people of the West Valley Water District elected Channing Hawkins to the Board of Directors in November 2019. Upon being sworn in, Channing made history by being voted in as President of the Board of Directors immediately. President Hawkins represents District 4, including Rialto, Colton, Bloomington, and unincorporated areas of San Bernardino County. Understanding that water is a vital public resource, he serves based on the belief that the West Valley Water District must be transparent, accountable and create opportunities that benefit local families. Through his role, he is committed to providing safe, reliable and affordable water for the inland empire.
  Channing serves as Special Assistant to 5th District Supervisor, Joe Baca, Jr. In this role, he is the senior advisor on matters of economic and countywide importance. He also oversees constituent services, stakeholder engagement and external elected official engagement. His previous experiences include serving as an adviser to the California State Assembly, U.S. Congress, and U.S. Department of Agriculture and roles in civil rights and labor organizations. He has earned a law degree and undergraduate degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C. Hawkins resides in Rialto with his wife and three energetic boys.
• Sheheryar Kaoosji, Warehouse Worker Resource Center
  Sheheryar Kaoosji is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Warehouse Worker Resource Center.  He has spent 20 years developing research, policy and campaign  strategies to support deep and sustained organizing among the most marginalized and critical communities in California, including families facing displacement in San Francisco, farm workers in the state’s agricultural valleys, misclassified truck drivers at the Port of Los Angeles and, for the past 10 years, workers and communities affected by the massive warehousing and logistics sector of Inland Southern California. He was behind the WWRC’s innovative campaign model to organize workers in the supply chains of the largest companies in the world, and the WWRC’s broader communities to demand a sustainable and just goods movement sector in Southern California.  He has a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from UCLA and a BA from UC Santa Cruz.
• Mike Chavez, Inland Empire Labor Council
  Mike Chavez has been an educator, labor activist, and organizer for the last 18 years. He is the executive director of the Inland Empire Labor Institute, the non-profit wing of the IE Labor Council, where he does collaborative work with local CBOs on environmental and economic justice issues in the region. Born and raised in the IE, Mike holds a PhD in Sociology from UC Riverside and is a sociology professor at Riverside City College.

Session Video

Service and public sector workers are often on the frontlines of crisis, including climate disasters and COVID-19, but many face low-wages, lack of professional development opportunities, and systemic barriers. This panel will discuss how worker-centered partnerships can uplift workers while also recognizing their key role in climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience, with panelists drawing on their experience in hospitality, property services, allied health care, long-term care, and the public sector.

Confirmed Session Panelists:

• Adine Forman, Hospitality Training Academy
  Adine Forman is the Executive Director for the Hospitality Training Academy (HTA), a non-profit institution, labor-management partnership, and Intermediary for both the LA County and City Workforce Development Boards. Adine has been with the HTA for 9 years and has over 25 years of managerial experience with social services and governmental organizations. UNITE HERE Local 11 and the HTA are building a movement to enable workers of all backgrounds to achieve greater equality and opportunity.
• Luis Sandoval, Building Skills Partnership
  Luis Sandoval currently serves as Executive Director of Building Skills Partnership (BSP) to advance workforce development and immigrant integration initiatives for property service workers. Prior to this role, Luis served as BSP’s Chief Development Officer for over a decade, during which he succeeded in growing the organization’s budget and reach. Previous to BSP, he served as a consultant in the areas of nonprofit management, strategic planning, fundraising, and communications.
• Wylie Evans, Dignity Health
  Wylie supports the Employee & Labor Relations (ELR) team at Dignity Health (CommonSpirit Health Health) across the system focusing on projects, initiatives and coordination between the ELR function and the rest of the organization – whether it is HR Operations, HR Technology, Payroll Technology, Benefits, Comp, etc. Wylie has been a member of the Board of the SEIU UHW-West & Joint Employer Education Fund since 2020.
• Corinne Eldridge, Center for Caregiver Advancement
  Corinne Eldridge is a recognized expert on the long-term care workforce. Her work led to the first study to make the link betweencaregiver training and better health outcomes for care recipients and higher workforce retention.  She is dedicated to creating equitable career pathways for caregivers, with higher wages and skills for quality jobs.
• Rebecca Hanson, Shirley Ware Education Center and the Education Fund
  Rebecca Hanson is the Executive Director of The Education Fund, a nonprofit partnership between SEIU UHW-West and Healthcare Industry Employers; on a mission to accelerate the careers of 100,000 SEIU Healthcare Workers. She serves as the Chairperson of the California Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship and is a member of the Workforce Equity Initiative Steering Committee of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency. Rebecca’s experience includes founding and leading the innovative nonprofit startup, Good Health for California, Labor leadership as a Senior Organizer for pension strategies at SEIU and Strategic Research roles in Healthcare, Workforce and Economic Development with the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and both the University of Illinois and the University of Chicago. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Smith College, an M.A. in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois, and a Graduate Fellowship with the Institute for Government and Public Affairs.
• Ron Collins, Los Angeles Black Worker Center
  Ron Collins is queer Black community organizer from South LA. His worked has focused on racial justice with a particular emphasis on the intersection of race and queerness as it relates to bringing about systems change. Ron has worked on social justice projects ranging from the local to the international level and has sought to elevate the voices of marginalized communities by crafting grassroots advocacy campaigns that center the most directly impacted. He is an alumnus of West Los Angeles College and Cal State Northridge holding a Bachelor of Arts in political science and currently works as the Campaign Coordinator for the Los Angeles Black Worker Center.

Session Video

Transitioning from fossil fuel combustion to zero-emission fully electric technologies is crucial to achieving California’s ambitious climate goals and will have wide-ranging and deep impacts for the workers who build, install, and operate these new technologies. This panel will explore how HRTP projects in electric bus manufacturing, public transit, energy storage and microgrids, and public utilities are developing partnerships that promote high-quality jobs and community benefits.

Confirmed Session Panelists:

• Melanie Prasad, Jobs to Move America
  Melanie Jamileh Prasad is the California Director at Jobs to Move America (JMA), a national strategic research and policy center dedicated to leveraging public dollars to maximize the public good. Melanie oversees all of their California programmatic work from good jobs policy development and advocacy to the negotiation and implementation of community benefits agreements.
• Will Scott, BYD-SMART JATC
  Will Scott has served as the Administrator of the BYD-SMART Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee (JATC) since its inception in 2018. BYD Coach & Bus is a global leader in the manufacturing of electric vehicles and is the first union employer to sponsor the Industrial Manufacturing Technician (IMT) registered apprenticeship program in the State of California.
• Kameron Hurt, Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE)
  Kameron is a community organizer from the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE) helping to lead the RePower LA coalition. Originally from Virginia, Kameron came to Los Angeles in 2016 to study at the University of Southern California. He became politically active during college, joining struggles against racism, war, exploitation and police brutality. Kameron worked for the union SEIU-UHW before joining LAANE in August 2020.
• Jamaine Gibson, International Amalgamated Transit Union
  Jamaine Gibson is the Workforce Development Coordinator for the International Amalgamated Transit Union in Silver Springs, MD. Jamaine is responsible for developing and implementing workforce programs for US and Canada ATU locals along with their transit agencies.
• Susana Reyes, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
  Susana Reyes is the first Filipino-American appointed to the L.A. Board of Water and Power (LADWP) Commission and serve as its Vice President. Reyes is the CEO of AgilEngines, a civic engagement firm. Her 32+ years of public service included stints as Director of LADWP Low-Income Access and as Senior Sustainability Analyst in the Office of L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti.
• Bernie Kotlier, IBEW-NECA Labor Management Cooperation Committee
  Bernie directs sustainable energy programs, education, and training for IBEW-NECA in California and Nevada including energy efficiency, photovoltaics, ZNE buildings, EVs, energy storage and microgrids. He also works with California regulatory agencies including the PUC, CEC, and CARB. Bernie has co-founded and/or co-chaired CALCTP, EVITP and ESAMTAC, and serves on the boards of directors of CalCharge, the CA Energy Alliance, and NAATBatt International.

Session Video

This break out will feature leaders in agriculture, cannabis, food processing, tree trimming and forest stewardship. They all work on the frontlines of California’s changing climate. Learn how policy affects workers in these industries and how they shape the natural and working landscapes of our State.

Confirmed Session Panelists:

• Don Jamison, Cal Nevada JATC
  Don’s lifelong career in the electrical industry began in high school when he worked summers and weekends as a serviceman and mechanic on electrical contractor’s equipment.  He soon worked his way up the ranks from groundman, apprentice, to journeyman lineman. Eventually, Don started working for the apprenticeship and is now the Training Director for Cal Nevada Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee.
• Lilian Autler, Equitable Food Initiative
  Lilian Autler is a Senior Facilitator at the EFI, a nonprofit certification and skill-building organization that seeks to transform agriculture and improve the lives of farmworkers.  As part of the Workforce Development team, Lilian trains labor-management leadership teams in workplace collaboration and problem-solving skills and supports ongoing learning and communication among workers, managers, growers and EFI.
• Ali Meders-Knight, Master Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) practitioner
  Ali Meders-Knight is a Mechoopda tribal member, mother of five, and traditional basketweaver based in Chico, CA. She is a Master TEK Practitioner for the Mechoopda Tribe, working to form partnerships for federal forest stewardship contracting and tribal forestry programs, and is developing a TEK Certification program for workforce development. She has been a Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) practitioner for over 20 years, collaborating on numerous environmental education and land restoration projects.
• Sara Miles, United Food and Commercial Workers
  Sara Miles is the Workforce Development Advisor to United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Western States Council, the coordinating body of 11 UFCW Locals in California, Nevada, and Arizona. Sara has worked in many facets of workforce development for 15 years with community colleges and labor organizations.
• Jonathan Kusel, Sierra Institute for Community and Environment
  Jonathan founded the Sierra Institute in 1993 and has directed the organization ever since. He received a Ph.D. in Natural Resource Sociology and Policy from U.C. Berkeley, where he was an instructor before launching Sierra Institute. His dissertation focused on how rural northern Sierra communities changed following the departure of their wood products anchor businesses. This work, at the intersection of community, forest and watershed health formed the basis for the Sierra Institute’s mission and approach.

Session Video

This is a facilitated discussion between panelists who will share their experiences and successes working within the High Road model. 

Moderator:

• Julie Su, California Labor Secretary
  Julie Su, appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom, is the Secretary for the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA). The LWDA enforces workplace laws, combats wage theft, ensures health and safety on the job, connects Californians to quality jobs and career pathways, and administers unemployment insurance, workers compensation and paid family leave. LWDA oversees seven major departments, boards, and panels that serve California workers and businesses by improving access to training, promoting high road jobs, eliminating barriers to employment, and creating a level playing field for employers.

Session Video

This session will feature a diverse array of organizations whose collective action makes training partnerships a successful model of equitable workforce development. Panelists will discuss why training partnerships are a worthwhile investment, how they each benefit and add value, and the power of partnerships to adapt to new economic opportunities as well as upheaval.

Confirmed Session Panelists:

• Tim Rainey, California Workforce Development Board (Moderator)
  Tim was appointed by Governor Brown on November 22, 2011. As the Executive Director, Tim leads the CWDB staff in assisting the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California’s workforce development system. Previously, Tim was the director of the Workforce and Economic Development Program (WED) of the California Labor Federation, where he was responsible for policy development at the state and local level, and brokering industry-based training partnerships among unions, employers, community organizations, education, and public workforce agencies. He was also the Policy Director for the California Workforce Association, and a consultant to the Senate Democratic Caucus of the California State Senate. Tim enjoys spending time with his family.
• Ana Luz Gonzalez-Vasquez, UCLA Labor Center
  Ana Luz Gonzalez-Vasquez is a Project Manager at the UCLA Labor Center. She is evaluating the CWDB’s High Road Training Partnerships initiative, and has over a decade of experience researching low-wage workers, informal labor markets, and worker centers. Ms. Gonzalez-Vasquez earned a dual B.A. in Economics and Social Science and a minor in Spanish from UC Irvine, and her Master’s and Ph.D. in Urban Planning from UCLA.
• Don Howard, Irvine Foundation
  Don Howard is President and Chief Executive Officer of The James Irvine Foundation, leading the foundation to focus on a singular goal: ensuring all low-income workers in California have the power to advance economically. Don was previously Irvine’s Executive Vice President, directing grant-making activities. Don earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and an M.B.A. from Stanford University.
• Louise Auerhahn, Working Partnerships USA
  Louise Auerhahn is Director of Economic and Workforce Policy at Working Partnerships USA. Her current focus is on Silicon Valley’s changing economy, including efforts to create quality, sustainable jobs and place working people, women and communities of color at the center of economic policy. She is a lead author of the “Life in the Valley Economy,” “Tech’s Invisible Workforce,” and “Innovating Inequality?” reports, and leads the Construction Careers Initiative. She also serves on the Board of Directors of work2future.
• Rob Gamble, Mission College
  Rob Gamble is the Director of Business and Workforce Development for Mission College where he leads a first-of-its-kind apprenticeship program for the transit industry among other groundbreaking ventures. Rob is a nationally recognized expert in workforce development, and has built successful collaborations between business, education, and government. This collaborative approach has assisted communities in building stronger economies through more effective utilization of their education and workforce development assets.
• Francesca Negri, California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC)
  Francesca Negri is the Chief Deputy Director of CalEPA’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), a mid-sized agency with a mission to protect California’s communities, people, and environment from the impact of harmful chemicals. In delivering this mission, Ms. Negri has had the opportunity to collaborate with local partners to provide opportunities for communities impacted by DTSC’s work to participate in their programs, services, and projects.

Session Video

Confirmed Session Panelists:

• María Elena Durazo, State Senator

  María Elena Durazo attended St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California, and graduated in 1975. In college, she was active in the Chicano Movement and eventually became an organizer for the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. Durazo attended People’s College of Law and earned her degree in 1985. She was chosen as national co-chair of the Barack Obama presidential campaign. María Elena Durazo has also served as the vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee.
  From 2006 through 2014, she served as secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, and served on the National AFL-CIO Executive Council. Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley appointed her to the Los Angeles Commission on Airports, Mayor Richard Riordan appointed her to the Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Committee, and she has also served on the California State Coastal Commission.