Leading a Thriving Region for All: How the LA Chamber is Reimagining Economic Growth with Maria S. Salinas, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Episode 151
Release Date: 08/05/2025
Transcript- Episode 153: Why Apprenticeships Are The Pathway To A Sustainable Future Workforce Episode 153
The Future Of Work
00:00:00 Salvatrice For the future, if we genuinely as a community care about the health, longevity, sustainability of our communities, of our local communities, the health of workforce, and I'm not talking about like physical health and mental health, I'm talking about wealth-health of our community, then I'm going to ask the employers to speak to us. 00:00:20 Salvatrice Tell us what is happening, why aren't they engaging? Is it because it doesn't make sense? Is it because it's just...
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Why Apprenticeships Are The Pathway To A Sustainable Future Workforce Episode 153
The Future Of Work
Why don’t we hear about more apprenticeship opportunities for students? Today we’ll discuss the development of apprenticeships and cover what goes on behind the scenes when it comes to funding, planning, executing, and regulating these programs, and why they're so hard to come by. Digging in deep we’ll cover the barriers to apprenticeships and how we can engage and support local employers in order to create more long-lasting apprentice programming. Despite the administrative challenges, creating pathways to trades is crucial for the health, longevity, and sustainability of local...
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Transcript- Episode 152: Powering the Future: Rebuilding Resilient Workforces for Tomorrow with Tracey Pierce, Chief People Officer at LADWP Episode 152
The Future Of Work
Tracey Pierce [00:00:00]: I always believe that people want to do great work. I don't think we get up every day saying, “What can I not do today”? I think people want to do great work, but I don't know that we necessarily take the time to explain, and evaluate, and share. This is what it looks like, and this is why we're doing it, and this is the return we hope to see. And, oh, by the way, if you give this a try and it doesn't work, I'll be the first one to go back to, you know, take the necessary steps to adjust. Christina Barsi [00:00:31]: The workforce landscape is rapidly...
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Powering the Future: Rebuilding Resilient Workforces for Tomorrow with Tracey Pierce, Chief People Officer at LADWP Episode 152
The Future Of Work
In this episode of Future of Work, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo sits down with Tracey Pierce, Chief People Officer at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), to discuss the transformative work happening within one of the largest municipal utilities in the U.S. Tracey takes us behind the scenes on how LADWP is navigating change, innovation, and workforce development during a time of rebuilding for the city. From adapting to climate challenges to harnessing new technologies like AI, Tracey shares the strategies that are helping LADWP build a more resilient, efficient, and future-ready...
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Transcript- Episode 151: Leading a Thriving Region for All: How the LA Chamber is Reimagining Economic Growth with Maria S. Salinas, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Episode 151
The Future Of Work
Maria Salinas [00:00:00]: There was a lot of conversation around technology, the advent of AI and just how jobs were changing. And I can tell you that at that time I was like, we cannot miss out on this moment. We cannot have a generation of students be left out of that opportunity of knowing that jobs are changing, that work is being impacted. Christina Barsi [00:00:27]: The workforce landscape is rapidly changing, and educators and their institutions need to keep up. Preparing students before they enter the workforce to make our communities and businesses stronger is at the core of...
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Leading a Thriving Region for All: How the LA Chamber is Reimagining Economic Growth with Maria S. Salinas, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Episode 151
The Future Of Work
What does it take to rebuild one of the most complex regional economies in the world, while also preparing for the 2028 Olympics and a rapidly evolving workforce? In this episode of Future of Work, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo sits down with Maria S. Salinas, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, to explore how LA’s business community is leading through disruption, rebuilding with intention, and reimagining what workforce development can look like. Maria shares why she believes the Chamber must be a “caretaker of the region,” how public-private partnerships are...
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Transcript- Episode 150: When Goods Move, the Economy Works: Rebuilding L.A. Through Ports, Policy, and People with Dr. Noel Hacegaba, Chief Operating Officer at the Port of Long Beach Episode 150
The Future Of Work
Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:00:00]: If we want to be better in the future, if we want to be bigger in the future, we need to make sure we don't leave the workforce behind. We need to make sure that we're preparing today, the workforce and the leaders that we're going to need tomorrow. Christina Barsi [00:00:18]: The workforce landscape is rapidly changing and educators and their institutions need to keep up. Preparing students before they enter the workforce to make our communities and businesses stronger is at the core of getting an education. But we need to understand how to change and...
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When Goods Move, the Economy Works: Rebuilding L.A. Through Ports, Policy, and People with Dr. Noel Hacegaba, Chief Operating Officer at the Port of Long Beach Episode 150
The Future Of Work
When global tariffs go into effect, how long before the impact hits workers in Los Angeles? In this episode of Future of Work, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo welcomes back Dr. Noel Hacegaba, Chief Operating Officer at the Port of Long Beach, to discuss how one of the country’s busiest ports is helping to rebuild L.A.’s economy. He unpacks how the supply chain crisis pushed ports from being practically invisible to absolutely essential, and what lessons are driving the next chapter. From zero-emissions goals to workforce pipelines, Dr. Hacegaba shares how the supply chain crisis turned ports...
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Transcript- Episode 149: Building Belonging: How the YMCA Shapes Community Recovery with Victor Dominguez President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles Episode 149
The Future Of Work
Victor Dominguez [00:00:00]: Nonprofit organizations are truly, are truly the heartbeat of community because we are serving communities every single day and are truly in tune of what is happening and the resources that are so desperately needed. And if we're really going to look at creating that overall economic stability, to create that long sense of belonging, the nonprofit organizations have to work together. Christina Barsi [00:00:27]: The workforce landscape is rapidly changing, and educators and their institutions need to keep up. Preparing students before they enter the workforce...
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Building Belonging: How the YMCA Shapes Community Recovery with Victor Dominguez President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles Episode 149
The Future Of Work
What if rebuilding a community starts with belonging? In this episode of Future of Work, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo sits down with Victor Dominguez, the first Latino President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, to explore how the Y is redefining itself as a Center for Community Well-Being. With over two decades of service, Victor shares how the YMCA responded to the Eaton fires, expanded programs like the Foster Youth Initiative, and is measuring long-term impact through powerful social indicators. Victor unpacks how nonprofits can anchor recovery efforts, why youth development and...
info_outlineWhat does it take to rebuild one of the most complex regional economies in the world, while also preparing for the 2028 Olympics and a rapidly evolving workforce? In this episode of Future of Work, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo sits down with Maria S. Salinas, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, to explore how LA’s business community is leading through disruption, rebuilding with intention, and reimagining what workforce development can look like. Maria shares why she believes the Chamber must be a “caretaker of the region,” how public-private partnerships are critical to long-term resilience, and what an employer-led approach to workforce development means in practice.
You’ll learn:
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What the LA Chamber actually does and how it balances business needs with community well-being
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Why rebuilding LA means investing in policy, preparedness, and people
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How the “Get in the Game” initiative is helping small businesses compete for Olympic contracts
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What employer-led workforce development looks like
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Where business and education leaders still need stronger alignment to support the future of work
About the Guest:
Maria S. Salinas is the President & CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the largest business association in LA County, representing over 235,000 businesses. Since becoming the first woman and first Latina to lead the Chamber in its 132-year history, she has championed a reimagined vision: “A Thriving Region for All.” Under her leadership, the Chamber focuses on advocacy, global engagement, and community collaboration to drive inclusive economic growth. A seasoned business leader and advocate, Ms. Salinas serves on numerous boards and commissions, including appointments by Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Eric Garcetti, and represents LA in state and national policy efforts.
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