The Future Of Work

Pasadena City College presents The Future Of Work. We are leading the conversation of how to begin closing the gap between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. We’ll be talking to policy makers, business owners, educators and the students we are advocating for. We’ll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable and how to attain one of our highest goals, more internships. This conversation impacts the future of all of us.

Transcript - Building the Future of LA Transit with Ali Mir, West Regional Planning Lead, Senior Vice President Episode 160 02/03/2026

Transcript - Building the Future of LA Transit with Ali Mir, West Regional Planning Lead, Senior Vice President Episode 160 Ali Mir [00:00:00]: Our communities are well versed in what they need. So how do we allow our communities and how do we empower our communities to be front and center in developing the solutions to the problems that they know that they have. And a huge part of that is workforce development and a pipeline of talent from the very communities that are in need of planning solutions, design solutions, engineering solutions. Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:27]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this podcast. And we are starting the conversation about the Future of work. We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable, and how to attain one of our highest goals, more internships and PCC students in the workforce. We at Pasadena City College want to lead the charge in closing the gap between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. This is a conversation that impacts all of us, you, the employees, employers, the policymakers, the educational institutions, and the community as a whole. This is the Future of work. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:13]: Hi. Welcome back to the Future of Work podcast. I am your host, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo. Today's guest is Ali Mir, Senior Vice President and West Regional planning lead at WSP and a board member of Mobility 21 and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. Ali has spent his career shaping some of the region's most impactful infrastructure and mobility projects, from expanding LA's public transit network to advancing sustainability and equity in transportation. He brings depth expertise in policy, planning and workforce development, connecting communities to opportunities. Today we're discussing how public transit is rebounding post pandemic, the significance of cultural attitudes towards transit and the importance of community driven planning and the connection between goods, movement and workforce development in Southern California's Future. Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:11]: Ali, welcome to the show. Ali Mir [00:02:13]: Thank you very much for having me. Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:15]: You bet, you bet. I would like to. You know, I always like to start our conversations with a little bit of background and kind of what, what brought you to this career in transit? And, and so if we could spend just a little bit of time on your story, how you as a student at USC fight on. By the way. Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:37]: I had to plug that in. Ali Mir [00:02:38]: Fair enough. Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:41]: The real drive into this career of transit, where it all started, how it's shaped you and how you see LA today because of that experience. Ali Mir [00:02:50]: Sure. I mean, I grew up in Southern California, in Riverside, and so to transition from a suburban context to an urban context at USC, I was really excited. So I came to USC to study architecture and then eventually transitioned into urban and regional planning. One of the courses that I took early after that transition was a public transit class. And a part of the course required a field, an individual field visit to ride every mode that LA Metro at the time had to offer. So bus and rail, and to ride as many east, west and north south lines as possible. And we had to create a log of wait times, you know, number of riders getting on and off the vehicle, and just our experience with it. And as someone that didn't really use transit growing up, you know, it seemed daunting at first and inaccessible. Ali Mir [00:03:48]: But once I was actually on the system and utilizing it and any preconceived notions that I had about what a typical transit rider looked like or was using the system for evaporated. And so I think that it allowed me to gain a deep appreciation for the cross section of what Los Angeles looks like from a demographic perspective. And then also how transit really serves as a backbone for moving people in the City. And it is people from all walks of life, um, it is people from all different communities. And there's a heavy reliance on transit in a way that I don't know that all Angelenos understand. To me it was mind boggling that there's over a million daily boardings on LA Metro system. And you know, people from other cities that I'm friends with are like, oh, nobody uses transit in Los Angeles. And that couldn't be further from the truth. Ali Mir [00:04:44]: And so I think that was the first exposure that I had to how transformative public transit can be in general, but in Los Angeles in particular. And that just sort of planted this seed that I was able to nurture and grow into a career in this space. Salvatrice Cummo [00:05:01]: Thank you. Let's talk a little bit about. You mentioned you gave a really strong number a million daily rides. And that's, from what I understand, that's an 80% comeback before the pandemic. Ali Mir [00:05:13]: Right. Salvatrice Cummo [00:05:13]: So what do you think? What does that tell us about that comeback and the role of transit in la? That's a lot. I mean, I didn't know when I read that number, I was like, I was shocked because to your point, it's like you ask our friends and our neighbors and it's not really within our culture just yet, but to read that there's a million rides daily, it's impressive. Ali Mir [00:05:35]: Yeah. And I mean, I think that we focus on what we call transit dependent riders. So people that come from zero car households that rely on public transit for their day to day mobility needs. But I think that there's also a growing trend in choice ridership which is people that have the opportunity to either use their own private vehicle or to use Uber or another TNC and they decide and they make the choice to use transit. I think that there's a generational shift, I think, where there's a greater openness to relying on public transit. My children are in LAUSD and every LAUSD student gets a Metro TAP card intrinsically. So K through 12 public school students get access to a TAP card and that gives them at a very young age an opportunity to understand the importance of transit, the benefits of transit and making it accessible to them. Right. Ali Mir [00:06:32]: So eliminating as many barriers as possible to encourage transit ridership, I think has seen a seismic shift. Traffic continues to get worse, and I haven't met a single person that enjoys sitting in traffic. And so I think finding alternatives to traffic is driving ridership as well. And you know, TNCs are subject to that same traffic. So even if someone else is driving or if an autonomous vehicle is driving, you're still subjected to transit traffic conditions that are beyond your control, whereas using light rail or using a Metro rapid bus allows you to bypass that. And so I think as more, as the system matures and as more bus and rail lines open and connect to more parts of the City, it's inducing a ridership trend that allows people to find transit much more accessible than they might have in the past. Salvatrice Cummo [00:07:26]: And we think about like, who is riding? When I hear a million rides daily, I'm assuming that it's all workers. Blue collar, white collar, it doesn't matter. Right, all workers. But it seems as though there might be a significant difference. Maybe. I don't know. When I think about New York or dc, it's really normal for all workers, specifically white collar workers, to take transit every day. It's not as common in la. Salvatrice Cummo [00:08:00]: What do you think needs to change for public transit to become the go to choice for everyone? Ali Mir [00:08:06]: I think that's a fair assessment. I do think that there's cultural differences in who finds it normative to use public transit in other metropolitan areas throughout the United States and throughout the world. But as an advocate for transit in Los Angeles, I would say that our transit system in its current manifestation is relatively young. So we're talking about 1990s to present with the Blue Line originally opening with a connection to Long Beach. And I think it's an unfair comparison to New York or Boston or Chicago, who have had the legacy of multiple generations of transit ridership and development trends in those cities built around the existing backbone of public transit. Whether it's rail or bus. And so I think it's remarkable the growth that we've seen in transit ridership for a relatively young system in a traditionally car centric geography and culture. And I think that there is only the opportunity for increased growth and transit ridership. Ali Mir [00:09:11]: And so I think that we need the system to mature, and I think that we need choice riders to really understand what opportunities are available to them as transit riders in a way that is much more obvious in some of those other metropolitan areas because the systems have been functional for multiple generations. We're one generation in here. In the current iteration, I understand that the streetcar system that was dismantled in the past, you know, there was a transit culture in Los Angeles that was deep and historic. And we're trying to build on that legacy now with this latest iteration of the system. And we just need to build more momentum around it. I think that there are legitimate concerns around safety and security, but I think that the best way to enhance and to induce safety and security is to increase ridership and to increase ridership across all socioeconomic strata so that it's not concentrated on one type of person or on one type of, whether it's white collar or blue collar, but a diverse cross section that truly is representative of the city itself and how deeply diverse the city is from an ethnic or socioeconomic perspective. And so I think that the obligation is not exclusively on the agencies themselves. It's also on the people that live in the city really trying to understand how to enhance the fabric of the city through mobility and the choices that we make as individuals to allow for the city to curb congestion, you know, curb emissions associated with private vehicles by opting into using transit. Ali Mir [00:10:50]: And I think that that is as much as an individual choice as it is then ultimately becoming a collective choice. Salvatrice Cummo [00:10:57]: And speaking of like collective choice and a project that is getting us closer to that or continues to underscore the need for greater ridership. And to your using your words, like the fabric of mobility. Right. In transit. One of the projects that I've learned a little bit about and I would love to hear more of is the airport Metro connector to LAX. Right. And is that a project? Is that a good example of what it can look like at scale if we continue to do more of. And what does that mean really for LA's future with a project like this that is a beautiful model for mobility? Ali Mir [00:11:39]: Absolutely. I mean, I had the honor and privilege to serve as the planning Lee on that project as a consultant. And so I was able to see it sort of evolve over time. And it is, I take immense pleasure in seeing it operational and up and running because some of these large megaprojects, they take a lot of time to get built. There's a lot of processes that need to be followed and construction takes time in the city. And so to see it actually come to fruition and be operational has been really inspiring for me. I think that it is an example of what's possible when multiple jurisdictions get together to look for a shared solution. So LAX is a global airport and we are a global city that is going to be hosting many global events. Ali Mir [00:12:26]: So whether it's the World cup or the Olympics or Super bowl or the NBA All Star Game, you know, we are a global hub. And the Airport Metro Connector is an opportunity to be at a global stature in terms of what LAX is and what the city is. And it allows for a multimodal connection to the airport. So whether it's pickup and drop off of private vehicles, TNCs, multiple bus lines from multiple operators, not just LA Metro, but big Blue bus in Santa Monica or the Culver City Green bus, as well as rail connections to Metro system. And then eventually the automated people mover that will connect from the Airport Metro Connector station to LAX would allow a easy transfer for people that are trying to get to the airport or to get out of the airport. The other thing that is directly across the street is a consolidated, it will be a consolidated rental car facility. So instead of having diverse dispersed rental car facilities in and around the LAX area, a person can get on the automated people mover, go straight to the airport Metro Connector, walk across the street and rent a car. So it's not just one solution that it is providing. Ali Mir [00:13:40]: It is a multi pronged solution for mobility of all kinds. And it's also intended to reduce congestion off campus from LAX and then also on campus at LAX so that people aren't circling until the end of time in that famous horseshoe. So I think that this was a collaborative effort across multiple jurisdictions, across multiple agencies to really envision a solution that a multi pronged solution for more than one problem. And I think that that is, it is fantastic that it is up and running at least a year before we host FIFA World cup games. And I think it'll be transformative for visitors to our city to understand how to access our city through a new form of mobility that hadn't existed previously. Salvatrice Cummo [00:14:23]: Thank you. Design obviously plays a critical role right in all of this. And just by you sharing that there's a multi pronged solution to it's solving multi issues like one project is solving multiple issues. Wondering about communities and how future transit projects. You emphasize a lot about design being intentional based on the communities that they serve and those that rely on them. And so when we as practitioners are trying to spark interest, have our students spark interest in careers like planning and engineering early, how do we do that? How do we ensure that our students see themselves in this work? Is it solely about design? What is it about these careers or a career in transit that allows our students to see themselves in it? Ali Mir [00:15:15]: I think this is probably. I'm most passionate about this than any other aspect of the work that I do. I don't think that equity should be a consideration. I think equity is the lens through which we approach our work. It is the way that we deploy solutions, and it is also the output of our work. So it is not a consideration or a variable. It's a through line in everything that we do. And the way that I approach that or I look at that is that our communities are well versed in what they need. Ali Mir [00:15:49]: So how do we allow our communities and how do we empower our communities to. To be front and center in developing the solutions to the problems that they know that they have. And a huge part of that is workforce development and pipeline of talent from the very communities that are in need of planning solutions, design solutions, engineering solutions. And so I think community engagement and outreach are critical, and I don't think that they should be diminished in any way, shape or form. But I think that the planning leadership, the architectural leadership, and the engineering leadership needs to reflect the lived experience of the communities that we're serving. That experience cannot be understood in a book. It cannot be understood exclusively at one or two public meetings. It has to be based on a multi generational understanding of the communities that we're in and that we're serving. Ali Mir [00:16:46]: And so I think explaining planning as an abstract concept or a career path to a high school student is sometimes difficult. But I think that if you even start younger than that, you know, starting at junior high or I was able to do a module at my children's elementary school on planning concepts. And, you know, where should a park go? How can you get there? Should there be a parking lot or should you take a train or a bus? These are all tactile ways of understanding the lived experience in our communities that then sparks a curiosity and an interest in not just focusing on the problems, but coming up with a menu of solutions. And so I would strongly encourage anyone that is passionate about their community, is passionate about the block that they live on or their neighbors, and how things could be improved. To consider a career in planning in particular, because you're leading not just for changes now, but for generations to come. And that is a transformative position to be in that allows you to see the fruits of your labor in the short, medium and long term. Salvatrice Cummo [00:17:56]: Thank you for that. Shifting gears just a little bit on your advocacy work. You've spent some time in Washington advocating for transportation infrastructure. From your perspective, how is the future of goods movement in Southern California going to shape the jobs here in LA? Ali Mir [00:18:16]: So I think, you know, attending congressional briefings in D.C. on behalf of Southern California and specifically on behalf of transportation infrastructure, some of the things that we highlight are based on our economic output for the rest of the country. So, for example, 2/3 of all consumer goods purchased in the United States come through the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach combined. So ensuring enhanced port infrastructure and goods movement is not an exclusively Southern California issue to address, it is a national issue to address. So meeting with members of the House and Senate outside of California, sometimes that is new information that they weren't privy to previously. So I think providing that additional context helps them to understand that it's not just about throughput or vehicle miles traveled or congestion or emissions or greenhouse gases. It's also about how our entire economic structure is functioning nationally based on critical infrastructure that exists in Southern California. And I think framing it in that lens allows for a broader perspective that is bipartisan, it's not political at all, it's just a fact that's quantitative. Ali Mir [00:19:42]: So I think that has helped quite a bit. I also think that the global events like the World Cup and the Olympics, those are not Los Angeles's Games or California's Games, they're global games. And the United States is the host nation. It is not Los Angeles exclusively hosting this event. And so this is about presenting the best of what the country has to offer. Not just a singular city or a mega region in Southern California. And those two ports are at the center of where these Games are going to be held. And so balancing mobility solutions for spectators with the day-to-day users of the transit system and goods movement is going to be of critical importance. Ali Mir [00:20:29]: Not one of those three things can or should be sacrificed. And so it's about how to develop an approach that is taking all of those factors into consideration and is providing solutions for all three. And that's going to require support from above and beyond just the local agencies and I. So I think that there's a greater understanding around the importance of Southern California as a region to sort of the national tenor of trends in the United States. Salvatrice Cummo [00:21:00]: Now, thank you for that. As you said, 2/3 of goods movement falls through their two ports here. Ali Mir [00:21:07]: So consumer goods. Salvatrice Cummo... /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/39386955

Building the Future of LA Transit with Ali Mir, West Regional Planning Lead, Senior Vice President Episode 160 02/03/2026

Building the Future of LA Transit with Ali Mir, West Regional Planning Lead, Senior Vice President Episode 160 What does it really take to transform the way Los Angeles moves—and who gets to design the future of our city’s transit? In this episode of The Future Of Work podcast, host Salvatrice Cummo sits down with Ali Mir, Senior Vice President and West Regional Planning Lead (WSP) and a leader in regional planning, to uncover the stories and strategies behind LA’s public transit evolution. From his own transformative experience as a student riding every mode on the LA Metro—and realizing just how diverse and essential ridership is—to incorporating solution-based innovation related to equity, accessibility, and community-driven design, Ali Mir brings a personal and expert perspective to the future of mobility. Together, they explore how major projects like the LAX Airport Metro Connector are redefining connectivity for a global city, why goods movement through Southern California’s ports is a national concern, and what it will take for students and emerging talent to see themselves in careers shaping our infrastructure. Whether you’re a student, policymaker, or transit enthusiast, this episode invites you to imagine—and help build—a more inclusive, resilient future of work and mobility. You’ll learn: Why LA’s transit system is more vibrant and essential than many realize, serving a diverse cross-section of Angelenos How community insight and engagement are central to designing effective and equitable transportation solutions What the Airport Metro Connector means for LA’s role as a global city and the future of “multi-pronged” mobility projects How workforce development and talent pipelines from local communities drive transit and infrastructure sustainability Why strategic partnerships between community colleges, private employers, and public agencies are vital to bridging the gap between education and careers in infrastructure How one-to-one mentorship and industry outreach can transform student confidence and build the next generation of transportation leaders About the Guest: Ali Mir is a Senior Vice President with WSP in the U.S. WSP is one of the world’s leading professional services firms, uniting its engineering, advisory and science-based expertise to help shape communities. WSP operates in more than 50 countries and employs approximately 73,000 professionals. WSP in the U.S.’s team of 19,000 professionals pioneer solutions and deliver innovative projects across the transportation, infrastructure, environment, building, energy, water, mining and metals sectors. Ali leads the West Regional Planning Practice for WSP, which includes over 120 land use, transit/transportation and environmental planners across eight states and the Pacific Territories. He has more than 20 years of professional experience managing and directing transit, transportation, land use and real estate development projects from feasibility to final design. He has overseen projects for a variety of transit and transportation clients throughout California and the Pacific Northwest. Ali serves as a Board Member for Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, an Advisory Board Member for Mobility 21, a Southern California Transportation Advocacy organization, and as an Advisory Board Member of the METRANS Transportation Consortium. Engage with us: , & : @PasadenaCityCollegeEWD Join our newsletter for more on this topic: Visit: More from Ali Mir & WSP USA: Visit: LinkedIn: & Facebook: Instagram: X: Partner with us! Contact our host, Salvatrice Cummo, directly: scummo@pasadena.edu Want to be a guest on the show? Click to inquire about booking Find the transcript of this episode Please rate us and leave us your thoughts and comments on Apple Podcasts; we’d love to hear from you! /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/39386930

Transcript - Revolutionizing Higher Education for Working Learners in a Rapidly Evolving World with Eloy Ortiz Oakley, President and CEO of the College Futures Foundation Episode 159 01/20/2026

Transcript - Revolutionizing Higher Education for Working Learners in a Rapidly Evolving World with Eloy Ortiz Oakley, President and CEO of the College Futures Foundation Episode 159 Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:00:00]: Far too often, we assume as educators what they need instead of actually asking them, the employers and folks in the community, what they need. So we need to do all of those things, and we need to do it in a way that is as intentional as the way that we have been designing our curriculum for the last five decades. We have to have the same intentionality around designing curriculum in the multiple other ways that we now know work and work well for working learners. Christina Barsi [00:00:34]: 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 adjust so that we can begin to project where things are headed before we even get there. So how do we begin to predict the future? Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:59]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this podcast. Christina Barsi [00:01:08]: And I'm Christina Barsi, producer and co host of this podcast. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:11]: And we are starting the conversation about the Future of work. We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable, and how to attain one of our highest goals, more internships and PCC students in the workforce. We at Pasadena City College want to lead the charge in closing the gap between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. This is a conversation that impacts all of us. You, the employers, the policymakers, the educational institutions, and the community as a whole. Christina Barsi [00:01:45]: We believe change happens when we work together, and it all starts with having a conversation. I'm Christina Barsi. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:53]: And I'm Salvatrice Cummo. And this is the Future of work. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:59]: Hi. Welcome back to the Future of Work podcast. I am your host, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo. Today we're speaking with Eloy Ortiz Oakley. Eloy serves as the President and CEO of the College Futures foundation and is the former Chancellor of the California Community Colleges. And previous to that, he was the President of Long Beach City College. His work has focused on equitable access to education and economic mobility, aiming to reshape higher education to serve better today's diverse student population. Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:32]: Today, we'll explore innovative approaches to education that meet the needs of working learners and how educational institutions can better prepare students for the evolving workforce. Eloy, welcome to the podcast. How are you? Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:02:46]: It's great to be with you. I'm doing well. How are you? Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:49]: Excellent, Excellent, excellent. Thank you so much again for taking the time to chat with us here at Pasadena City College. And The Future of Work podcast. And, you know, one of my favorite first questions is always how we got here. So my question to you is your path to higher education. What sparked your interest in advancing these equitable opportunities and serving the working learner? Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:03:11]: Well, I came into higher ed as a working learner after serving four years in the Army. You know, I didn't go to college right out of high school. I went into the military and, you know, I served for four years. I became a father along the way. When I got out of the military, I was working odd jobs for several years, and then I came across a community college. I decided that it was time to get my higher education because it was clear to me that the only thing separating me and the work I had to do from those who were making money off the work I had to do was a college education. So fortunately for me, I found Golden West College. I just happened to stumble onto the campus, pick up a class schedule, and I enrolled in courses at Golden West College. Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:03:56]: So ever since then, I've been part of the California community colleges. All my kids have gone through the California community colleges, especially from the neighborhood I grew up in, Southeast Los Angeles. College education wasn't a priority. It was not then. It still isn't today. And for learners like me or for learners that I grew up with, that's what drove me, and that's what continues to drive me, is, you know, higher education shouldn't be about luck. I got lucky. Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:04:27]: There's a lot of people in my community who are a lot smarter than I was or I am, but they didn't come across community college. They didn't come across a counselor that helped them. They didn't come across a boss that encouraged them to go to college. And I did. So that's what's kept me going ever since. Salvatrice Cummo [00:04:44]: Excellent. Excellent. I love the fact that you are really open about. You were a working learner. You stumbled across community colleges and the value of community college did. For your own personal endeavors and professional endeavors. And that speaks true to a lot of our adult learners now and our working learners now. I think that you would agree that our working learners now are facing different challenges. Salvatrice Cummo [00:05:10]: Challenges like a traditional educational model. Right, right. And challenges like AI and the implications on curriculum with AI and the speed at which occupations are being produced and the speed at which industries are changing because of advanced technologies, yet we still have very traditional educational models. And so my question to you is, we know this, right? We're in it, we live it, we breathe it, we read it. We study it. Why is this group unique, working learners? And what challenges or obstacles are they encountering that we're not talking about, that we should be talking about? Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:05:49]: Well, there's a lot to unpack in that question and I'll first start with the fact that this demographic of learner has never been more important to the state or to this country. And the reason I say that is one. Working learners, adult learners, they are the traditional student today. More than 60% of people enrolled in post secondary education today, whether in California or across this country, are learners 25 years or older. People working with families. More and more 18, 19 year olds are in the same situation. We live in a state that's a high cost state. People have to work, they have to figure out how to raise their family, how to pay rent, how to, how to feed themselves and their family. Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:06:36]: Many working learners are not only supporting their young family, but they're supporting their extended family. So for many reasons, this demographic has become critically important. They're critically important as well because they are in the workforce now. Many of them in California alone, more than 6 million of them have had some college, no degree or no college at all. And they're working. And the skills that you need to continue to be competitive in the workforce, the skills that you need to be able to stay employed today, continue to change rapidly. And working learners need access to some sort of postsecondary education, an opportunity to upskill and to reskill continuously. And if we don't get it right now for these learners, then our economies are going to suffer because every learner will have the same challenges. Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:07:27]: Every learner is going to have to upskill and reskill multiple times, regardless of whether they got their bachelor's degree or associate's degree, they're going to have to continuously upskill and reskill. So it's, it's incumbent upon a state like California to figure this out and figure this out fast because this is going to make or break the California economy. It's already breaking the California economy because you see the challenges that working learners face every single day, the disparity in wealth, the challenges that they're having holding down jobs, holding down opportunity to pay rent. So for all of those reasons and many others, not to even mention the ethnic and racial backgrounds of most of our working learners, the income disparities that they already face, for all those reasons, we need to get this right and we need to do it with urgency. Salvatrice Cummo [00:08:21]: And I think not. I think, I believe when I hear you say access to postsecondary education and our working learners do need access to that. It's not enough, Right, that they're in the workplace for any of us, really, to be quite honest with you. I believe that there's also equitable access to employers and employer partnerships. And I believe strongly that it's incumbent upon the community colleges to create that access for our students. We've seen it. It's built into our narrative as a community college. I believe that we could do better, could certainly do better at it. Salvatrice Cummo [00:08:55]: You know, I can only speak for PCC and our efforts, but I'd love to hear through your lens how you envision these partnerships really helping our working learner align their new skills. And if you've seen any specific partnerships that you'd like to talk about, you know, let's share those as examples. And I'm talking to obviously someone who lives and breathes this work. Right. But I think for our listeners, sometimes our listeners may not really understand the value and the impact an employer, partner and private public partnerships can have, not just to the institution, but most importantly, the access to the student. So talk a little bit about your perspective on that. Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:09:36]: We live in an environment today, and we have for several decades. We just haven't really embraced it. Where first of all, learners, by and large, the majority of learners, survey after survey, whether it's Gallup, whether it's New America, any national or state survey, you see where learners are asked about their higher education experience. The number one reason that they say they want to go and get their education is to improve their economic mobility, to improve their economic outcome, to improve the lives of their family. That doesn't mean that there aren't secondary and tertiary benefits to higher education. That just means that learners today see higher education as a means to greater economic stability and resiliency. And so employers, when they're surveyed, they want skilled workers, they want individuals who can come to them and exhibit a number of soft and hard skills that they can really help support an employer in a community in the state. So the two have to work together, the post secondary provider. Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:10:42]: And this is true not just of community colleges. This is true of regional four-year colleges, of the University of California, of any R1 institution in the state. The two have to work together because as a state, first of all, we're a very big state. We really operate in economic regions, whether that's the Inland Empire, the Los Angeles county area, the San Joaquin Valley. And employers need a pool of talent. And so the education providers need to ensure that they are partnering closely. And partnership isn't even A good word anymore. Partnership is an overused term in higher education. Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:11:21]: Partnership can be anything from just we agree to meet every now and then and see what we can do to work together. Rather, we need a very close relationship and understanding that this relationship is necessary for both employers to receive the talent that they need and the information that they need about the talent coming as well as for the post-secondary providers to understand the changes that are happening in the workforce. And so where it works, you see huge benefits, particularly institutions that are designed around this model. And there are certain, certainly examples, certainly, you know, community colleges are a great example, but no longer the best example. Community colleges, many of which have arms, such as PCC or my old institution like Long Beach City College, arms of which are squarely focused on the employer. But the institution as a whole does not see that as an important relationship. And so to my community college colleagues, I'd say that design principle has to quickly change. The entire enterprise needs to be focused on the economic conditions of their learners in the communities that they serve. Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:12:39]: And so when it works well, it works well, just as it works at Pasadena City College or Long Beach City College. When there's that alignment, you see employment happening in the community. Learners from the community are connected to employers in the community and have that opportunity for economic mobility. But some of the best examples I see are in places like the University of Maryland Global Campus or Western Governor's University to a certain extent. Asu, they are designing with the working learner in mind. They are designing around those needs, they're giving them information, they're giving them information in real-time about the skills they're obtaining and the skills that they're going to need to articulate in the workforce. And those are examples that we in the community college space need to look towards so that we can continue to improve that real-time information and that opportunity to truly embrace the needs of working learners. Because the reality is whether you're 17 or whether you're 37, 57, you're coming to community college for that specific reason. Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:13:49]: And we need to do a better job of ensuring that we have the relationships with employers and that we're giving the learners the information that they need to have the economic future that they're looking for. Salvatrice Cummo [00:14:00]: Yes, and I really appreciate you saying that. Workforce efforts, relationships is not solely reliant on one area of the college, but rather it's embedded in the fabric of the college and workforce is fluid. Pathways to workforce can be seen and demonstrated across all pillars of the college. And it truly is everyone's responsibility. That's why our students come to us. So I really, really appreciate you saying that. And the other golden nugget that I got from that response was you said that these other institutions or these other enterprises are designing with the working learner in mind, which you and I both know requires a certain level of flexibility. Right? It requires a certain level of flexibility into these pathways. Salvatrice Cummo [00:14:48]: And so I pose this question to you is like, how do you envision creating more on ramps for those students to gain these working credentials? Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:14:57]: Well, certainly in my day job at College Futures, we are laser focused on creating more on ramps. And what I mean by that is there should be multiple paths to skill acquisition in the employer setting. If you're working with an employer, creating opportunities in that setting, translating the skills that you've learned on the job into other marketable skills. Employers working with post secondary institutions to offer upskilling opportunities on site. There are many employers in the state, whether Disney through Disney, Aspire, Walmart, Chipotle, Verizon, who have invested heavily in upskilling and reskilling the employees. We need to see more of that. The other thing we need to see is multiple pathways from the current post secondary providers. And since we're talking about community colleges, community colleges need to find more and better ways to personalize the learning to the needs of the learners in their communities. Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:16:02]: The beauty of community colleges is that they are part of communities. We need to do a better job of understanding the needs of the various learners and not just building a one size fits all opportunity for learners who decide to come onto our campuses, sit in our brick and mortar classrooms, and then, you know, be given the knowledge that they're looking for on the schedules of the administrators and the faculty, that is no longer going to work. Fortunately, in my view, we live in a place and time where learners now have agency. They are voting with their feet. We see that time and time again where regional colleges or regional universities exist and they're not offering the learners what they're looking for. Those learners are walking with their feet, they're voting with their feet. And so multiple pathways could mean a number of different ways of delivering teaching, learning comp C based models, short upskilling models, seat time, credit models, Yes, I think we're going to live with that for quite some time to come. But experiential learning models, there has to be multiple ways as well as multiple ways to access that learning. Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:17:17]: For example, having opportunities to enroll every month, not just at the beginning of the semester, having asynchronous and synchronous learning opportunities. So all these have to be part and parcel of the normal way that colleges organize and design for their learners. And understanding what their learners need is another piece. You know, far too often we assume as educators what they need instead of actually asking them, the employers and folks in the community, what they need. So we need to do all those things, and we need to do it in a way that is as intentional as the way that we have been designing our curriculum for the last five decades. We have to have the same intentionality around designing curriculum in the multiple other ways that we now know work and work well for working learners. Salvatrice Cummo [00:18:13]: What do you think is going to get us there? All those things are important. We know this. We inherently know that this is what it's going to take. But. Or that's the direction we need to lean in towards. But what is it truly going to take for us to. I don't want to use the word disrupt, but in essence that's what we're kind of doing just to almost reimagine and reorganize and reignite this very traditional system in which we work in. Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:18:37]: Well, I think we are at a point, and I know my colleagues in the faculty, my colleagues in the administrations and colleges and universities throughout California don't like it when I say this, but they no longer have a choice. We no longer have a choice. The disruption is here, and there's a reason why. There is billions and billions of dollars being poured into education technology companies that are providing numerous ways of helping learners access skills. There's a reason why a really quality university like Western Governor's University is growing by 6, 7, 8% every month. They're just shy of 200,000 learners right now. So the institutions that finally decide to disrupt themselves to make this happen are the ones that are going to thrive in the future. We see a lot of this happening in the California State University system here in California. Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:19:38]: California State University system is reckoning with some decades long challenges that they've never decided to address. The same thing is going to happen to community colleges. It's already happening in the far north, it's happening in other parts of the state. And so, you know, to my colleagues, I say, we've talked about this ad nauseam for the last 10, 15 years. Going forward, unless you take this seriously, then I'm... /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/39386800

Revolutionizing Higher Education for Working Learners in a Rapidly Evolving World with Eloy Ortiz Oakley, President and CEO of the College Futures Foundation Episode 159 01/20/2026

Revolutionizing Higher Education for Working Learners in a Rapidly Evolving World with Eloy Ortiz Oakley, President and CEO of the College Futures Foundation Episode 159 The demographic of students in California is changing and education must change with it. Dr. Salvatrice Cummo is joined by Eloy Ortiz Oakley, President and CEO of the College Futures Foundation, to unpack the challenges facing a massive and underrepresented sector of today’s learners—students primarily over the age of 25 who are working at the same time as attending school. They cover the impact of outdated educational models, the rapid pace of technological change, and the urgent need for flexibility and employer partnerships. Tune in for a forward-thinking discussion on disrupting tradition and embracing true urgency in reimagining the future of work and learning. You’ll learn: How institutions can remain relevant as learners seek education that directly fuels economic mobility. What the demographics of higher education students look like today and why constant re-skilling and up-leveling is a requirement for the current workforce. How community colleges can better personalize learning experiences to fit the needs of diverse students, rather than relying on “one size fits all” approaches. How to address the unique challenges facing working learners who juggle multiple responsibilities along with their education. About the Guest: Eloy Ortiz Oakley is an American educator, leader, and advisor. He is the President and CEO of the College Futures Foundation, where he leads California’s premiere philanthropic and post-secondary success organization focused on improving economic mobility for underserved learners through the lever post-secondary credential attainment. Previously, he served as Chancellor of the California Community Colleges for six years, leading the nation’s largest and most diverse system of higher education. He is considered a leading voice on improving equity in higher education and positioning institutions for the global shifts in the workforce and the future of learning. Engage with us: , & : @PasadenaCityCollegeEWD Join our newsletter for more on this topic: Visit: More from Eloy Ortiz Oakley & College Futures Foundation: LinkedIn: & & : @collegefutures Website: Partner with us! Contact our host, Salvatrice Cummo directly: scummo@pasadena.edu Want to be a guest on the show? Click to inquire about booking Find the transcript of this episode Please rate us and leave us your thoughts and comments on Apple Podcasts; we’d love to hear from you! /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/39386665

Transcript -Community Colleges Leading Economic Resilience - Future of Work Conference Panel Discussion Episode 158 11/18/2025

Transcript -Community Colleges Leading Economic Resilience - Future of Work Conference Panel Discussion Episode 158 Tony Cordova [00:00:00]: All roads lead to workforce. Everything that we do really is intended to be able to provide an opportunity for our students, our community members, our adult learners, whatever that is, they're learners, to be able to provide them an opportunity to get into these careers. And I say careers because it's more than just a job. I mean, we can get a job anywhere. We could go to McDonald's and have a job, but it's not that sustainable career that's going to be able to provide benefits, security, food on the table for our family and put us into that. So that's one of the core missions of what our community colleges focus on. Christina Barsi [00:00:40]: 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 adjust so that we can begin to project where. Where things are headed before we even get there. So how do we begin to predict the future? Elaine [00:01:04]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this podcast. Christina Barsi [00:01:13]: And I'm Christina Barsi, producer and co host of this podcast. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:17]: And we are starting the conversation about the future of work. We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable, and how to attain one of our highest goals, more internships and PCC students in the workforce. We at Pasadena City College want to lead the charge in closing the gap between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. This is a conversation that impacts all of us, you, the employers, the policymakers, the educational institutions, and the community as a whole. Christina Barsi [00:01:51]: We believe change happens when we work together. And it all starts with having a conversation. Hi, I'm Christina Barsi. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:58]: And I'm Salvatrice Cummo. And this is the future of work. It is my pleasure now to introduce and bring to the stage our Director of Operations for Economic and Workforce Development here at pasadena City College, Ms. Leslie Thompson. Leslie Thompson [00:02:15]: Welcome back. As Sabatry shared, my name is Leslie Thompson. I'm the Director of Operations for Economic and Workforce Development here at Pasadena City College. And I'm thrilled to moderate what promises to be an engaging and insightful panel discussion. Our panel today brings together exceptional leaders from education, industry, workforce development and community organizations, each bringing unique perspectives on mobilizing for recovery and regional renewal. In our discussion today, we'll explore innovative strategies for workforce development, the evolving partnership between education and industry, and practical approaches to Building economic resilience in our communities. So we're going to go down the panel here and have the panelists introduce themselves. And panelists, as you introduce yourself, can you share one lesson or moment from your experience that shaped how you think about resilience, whether in your organization, your community, or personal? Let's orient this in the human experience. Leslie Thompson [00:03:09]: Right. And we'll start with Monica. Monica Banken [00:03:11]: Hi, everyone. Monica Banken with the office of Supervisor Barger. I serve as her workforce and Economic Development deputy along with a few other titles as well, and sit on a number of different boards also focusing on workforce development across the county of Los Angeles and for various sectors for resilience. When I was young, I worked in the state legislature and I had this great bill. It was so fantastic. I wrote it. It was my baby, worked and nurtured it for a whole year. Got it all the way to the governor's desk and it got vetoed. Monica Banken [00:03:49]: Never had a no vote on it. I was so unhappy and so upset. Like, I cried. I really was upset. Also, I was 21 or 22, so that's part of it. Then a few days later, the governor introduced it as an executive order with his name on it. And then I was even more annoyed at that point because I'm like, it was good. Why didn't we you sign it? It taught me a lot of resilience and what goes around comes around because the people behind that ended up being investigated by the feds for taking illegal campaign bribes. Monica Banken [00:04:24]: So ended up working out in my favor. Leslie Thompson [00:04:26]: Dodged it. Very good. Very good. Tony Cordova [00:04:29]: That's a good one. That's a good one, right? Leslie Thompson [00:04:30]: That's a really good one. Tony Cordova [00:04:31]: Resilience and full circle. Thank you guys for allowing me to come up here today and have the conversation with you. My name is Tony Cordova. I'm the Vice Chancellor for Workforce and Economic Development for your California Community College Chancellor's office. That's a long title, right? I think that's why we use so many abbreviations and what we do. So in my role, I also get the honor to be able to serve the 116 community colleges, advocate for our eight regional consortias, really do the implementation of our Vision 2030 document, it's really the roadmap of how we're leading the state of California in the implementation. And there's a strong emphasis on workforce. So there's a lot of weight on the work that we're doing. Tony Cordova [00:05:16]: But there's a lot of visibility and a lot of greatness that's happening with that. When you asked a question about the resilience. It really, it made me start to think, right. It was one of those thought provoking opportunities for me to go back and reflect. And I always try to make something that's personable. So I went back in my history. I won't tell the number of years, but I'm also a Navy veteran, so I served in the US Navy and it was during the Persian Gulf War. So a lot of that really set that resilience up. Tony Cordova [00:05:48]: When you're having to be deployed for six months on times you're being displaced, you're being relocated from your family, you're being out in the middle of nowhere. And this was before cell phones, this was before the technology that we have today. You're just out there and you're doing what you need to do. That built up a little bit of that resilience. And then I came across a video. It was the speaker, Jocko, if you haven't heard it, he has a YouTube video and the subject aspect of it is, so you didn't get that job. Good. What are you going to do about it? What are you going to learn from it? Right. Tony Cordova [00:06:21]: And that's where I've always lived. My model is there's never a failure, there's always an opportunity. There's always something for us to take away from and look at how we're going to overcome and knock down those barriers. Don't let the governor knock you down. Right. I also have one of those bills. I won't go there. But that's a little bit about the resilience component of it is just look at everything as an opportunity. Leslie Thompson [00:06:46]: Wonderful, wonderful. Very good. No pressure down at the other end there. Go ahead, Lizzy. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:06:51]: My name is Lizzie Okoro Davidson. I am the director of the Women's Business Center. We are hosted right here at Pasadena City College. We are a state and federal funded resource for small businesses. So we just like to to say that we help small businesses launch and grow. And of course the title, it's in the name. We're a women's business center, so we do hyper focus on women entrepreneurs though it's open to everyone in Los Angeles and we just help really identify what are some of the challenges that women entrepreneurs face and how can we help them get over those hurdles, but also what are the opportunities? Where are women entrepreneurs really kicking butt and how can we continue to help them continue to kick butt? So yeah, and then in terms of resilience, I guess what comes to mind is I was a child actor from the ages. I know. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:07:46]: It's my fun fact. It's my, like, two truths and a lie. Leslie Thompson [00:07:49]: How do we not know that? Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:07:51]: I was a child actor from the ages of like, four or five until I was a senior in high school. It explains everything, right, Leslie? Leslie Thompson [00:07:58]: It's all lining up now. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:07:59]: It's not about me. And so, I mean, to me, you can't tell me anything. Like, I literally had to go into rooms from the time I was a little tiny child through my very awkward, you know, prepubescent adolescence and going to rooms where there were, like, superstars in there, you know, and you still had to walk in and give it your all and know that you were not going to give it the job because they've already given it to Raven, Simone or someone else. And so I just had to go through that, the constant rejection, because clearly I was not successful, because you would have. You would know me if I was. So go in there, still give it my all, give it my best, try my best, and be told no. And often with acting, it isn't about talent. It is like we're telling you no because we don't like the way you look. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:08:43]: We don't think you have what it takes. And it is personal. And I still had to say, you know, I'm still going to try. So for me, most people, it's not that you can't tell me anything, but I've really had to flex that muscle and build that over the years, and it served me well. So I would say that that's my personal example of resilience. Leslie Thompson [00:09:04]: That's another great answer. Thank you. And I don't know how we didn't know that about her, but I can't wait to lear more Fun fact. Fun fact after this, Kelly? Kelly LoBianco [00:09:12]: Thanks so much. I feel like I've already learned so much about my fellow panelists who I already knew, and it's so great. I'm Kelly LoBianco. I'm the director of the LA County Department of Economic Opportunities. So happy to be here. We're the county's economic development agency. So folks that don't know us, we oversee the LA County Workforce Board, our Office of Small Business, our community development activities and programs. So ultimately, if you're a worker, a small business, a major industry or community, or we're here to support your growth and opportunity and mobility. Kelly LoBianco [00:09:40]: When I think about resilience. So we were created three years ago thanks to the Board of Supervisors, Supervisor Barger, and the rest of the Board of Supervisors coming out of the pandemic and so between the pandemic and the fires, immigration enforcement actions, and everything in between, over the last three years, my team and I have talked a lot about, like, what resiliency means and that economic disruption is a norm. And so resiliency is something that we need to practice every day, from prevention to being able to respond to economic disruption. And so when I think about resiliency, it's really in the context of my team and what we've been through over the last three years and, like, shifting the paradigm. And I know people often say, like, hope is an action. We've been talking about how, like, resiliency is an action, and it has to be something we practice every single day. Leslie Thompson [00:10:29]: Excellent. Thank you. Thank you all for those responses. Going to start by setting the stage. We'll start with Monica. If you could take us back to those first few days when the wildfires began. What stands out in your memory, the moment you realize how serious this was and B, what the community needed right away most. Monica Banken [00:10:48]: Yeah, it was a very traumatizing few weeks for all of us. I know a lot of tears shed. And we were working pretty much 247 in our office, taking calls from people asking about which roads I could take to get out. Or this sheriff said this and a different sheriff said this, and I'm not sure, or where could I go? I don't know. It's late and I don't have a place to stay because my house burned down. So all sorts of questions came into our office. And we were just trying our best to keep up and provide people with real truthful information. So I think that kind of stood out to me a lot. Monica Banken [00:11:25]: This size and the scope I was receiving. Probably all of us were so many texts and calls personally from people saying, do you remember so? And so their house burned down. Hey, do you know my aunt? Her house burned down. So just on top of all of that, we all had a very personal connection and relationship with the Palisades and the Altadena community. Those were some of my recollections and what was needed, I guess everything at that moment. And we were really lucky. I had a lot of upset people, but we also had some people that really wanted to help. And there's one gentleman that we knew. Monica Banken [00:12:07]: He works in a foster care program. That place was evacuated, and he lived down the street. His house burned down. And he calls me the next day and say, what can I do to help? I know there's other foster youth being displaced. And I just thought, you know, there's so many people with these beautiful hearts and that even though they're going through something, their first instinct is, how can I help others? So got to see some really scary and horrible and sad things, but also some really beautiful, selfless acts of caring for others. Leslie Thompson [00:12:37]: That reminds us that this is about human need and human participation. We heard earlier also talking about how people turned up, showed up despite having been impacted themselves. Right. So we're going to move on. We're going to do economic and workforce recovery. We're going to do a little bit small business. So I'm just going to go down the line because I'm not going to be that flexible. So for Kelly, the first question. Leslie Thompson [00:12:58]: Kelly, your department, the Department of Economic Opportunity, plays a pivotal role in connecting displaced workers and small businesses to recovery resources. What's one innovation or lesson that should be institutionalized for the next disaster. Kelly LoBianco [00:13:12]: To like, build on what Monica said, like, we had a completely different vision for the last nine months of what our department will be working on. You know, everyone recognized the severity of the moment, that this was not a neighborhood and neighborhood issue. This is a regional, if not state, an unprecedented tragedy and disaster and that we were going to be on a long journey together for our recovery. And so, you know, I've been very grateful for the leadership of our board and for those in our region who have set the vision that we want community return and we want a rebuild and we want to invest in our workers and our small businesses and our community members throughout that process. But you know, the interesting thing about what's innovative is it's not really like innovative in and of itself. I think it's like what we really know, but it's spending the time in doing it. So I think when we were in Covid, there was a group of city and county and CBOs, CDFIs and other community business organizations that came together under this umbrella of Together for la, sort of grassrooted a connective infrastructure to get information and resources out to the small business community, to our entrepreneurs, and to make sure that we were harnessing resources and making it as easy as possible for folks to access all of them. I think about that connective infrastructure because we tapped into Together for LA when we saw the tornado in Montebello, we tapped into that infrastructure. Kelly LoBianco [00:14:42]: And when we see massive road closures or a public works disruption on a corridor and also in the windstorms and wildfires. And so I think it's spending the off time investing in that connective infrastructure so that when it happens, we're Just turning the light on and not building it from scratch and asking everybody, what can I do? Because there's a lot of goodwill, and it's good if we can direct people to something that's useful and impactful. And so in addition to that sort of, like, communication connective infrastructure, I think we've thought a lot about, there's this moment of, like, relief. There's this crisis moment. The fires were burning. People are having disastrous impacts on their livelihoods, both their personal and professional, and then there will be a period of recovery and rebuild. But we built a lot of things from scratch in that moment, too. We know from our conversations, community people needed cash relief. Kelly LoBianco [00:15:36]: We needed to activate partnerships at the local, state, and federal level to bring that relief and through our philanthropic partners. And we managed to do it with, like, blood, sweat and tears. And again, like a board that really, like, encouraged us to do that. It was a lot of work to build to then support the community. And so what we can build as, like, a permanent infrastructure to activate in those moments, I think is the innovation that I saw and that I want to make permanent so that we are ready in the future. Leslie Thompson [00:16:04]: Making that connective infrastructure permanent is important. And when you think about community colleges as a hub for resources for retraining workers, supporting displaced students, and rebuilding the workforce pipeline, I wanted to ask Tony how our system can better mobilize quickly and equitably after a crisis so that we can leverage our existing connective infrastructures or shore those up or create those for the first time ever, as the case may be. Tony Cordova [00:16:31]: From a personal perspective. One of the things that I mentioned, I was a Navy veteran, right? And when you're in the military, your goal is to be able to react and respond, right? We don't stand by. We go out there and we hit the charts, right? And that's been my mindset from day one, right, when I was a youth. So it just really resonated with me. But in my journey through where I'm at today, I've seen a lot of crisis, right? I mean, We've lived through 9, 11. I've lived through wars. I've been in wars. We've seen. Tony Cordova [00:17:01]: Seen the fires. We've seen tragedy. But going back to the resilience, we've been able to persevere, right? We've still been able to come out of that. It still hits everybody different. So there's a little bit of that PTSD aspect of it, because I remember from a personal perspective, when the fires happened, I happened to be driving through Right. So I was leaving the LA area up on the 5 and I looked in the rearview mirror and I saw the chaos behind me, right? But in my life I've seen a lot of that throughout whatnot. So immediately one of the things I did is I picked up the phone and said, we got to do something, right? We as the community colleges to our chancellor, what are we going to do? We got to be able to do something. So I'll get a little bit more into that one. Tony Cordova [00:17:44]: But to answer your question, let's break that down a little bit, right? When you start thinking about the hubs, the crisis hubs, one of the things that we've been talking about is some climate infrastructure and, and really talking about how our community colleges, I mean, heck, we've got community in our title, right? So we are part of the community and we act as some of those crisis centers and we develop these... /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/39037200

Community Colleges Leading Economic Resilience - Future of Work Conference Panel Discussion Episode 158 11/18/2025

Community Colleges Leading Economic Resilience - Future of Work Conference Panel Discussion Episode 158 We dive into a dynamic panel captured at the 7th annual Future of Work Conference 2025, presented by Pasadena City College. Leaders from education, workforce development, and local government shared invaluable insights on building resilience, navigating recovery, and creating pathways to sustainable careers. Moderated by Leslie Thompson, Director of Operations - the panel featured insights from Tony Cordova - Vice Chancellor of Workforce & Equity Development of California, Monica Banken - Policy Deputy at the office of Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Lizzy Okoro Davidson - Director of the Pasadena Women’s Business Center, and Kelly LoBianco - Director at Department of Economic Opportunity of Los Angeles County. From personal stories of overcoming setbacks to practical strategies for supporting displaced workers and small business owners after recent wildfires, our panelists discuss the critical role of community colleges, innovative funding partnerships, and the importance of equity in recovery efforts. Tune in as we unpack how local leaders are mobilizing for regional renewal, the challenges that persist—including barriers to sustainable funding—and what it means to build an equitable future of work, where lived experience and robust support systems truly matter. You’ll learn: How emergency response and recovery efforts have shifted towards investing in physical infrastructure to human capital. Why preparing an effective and resilient future workforce means valuing a diverse range of skills, from formal education to skilled trades. How effective teamwork between educational institutions and local government balances the disparate needs of the community’s current workforce, students, businesses, and residents simultaneously. About the interwoven nature of community recovery and workforce readiness. Watch the recording of the Future of Work Conference at PCC: Connect with us: Visit Email: Facebook: LinkedIn: & : @pccewd Find the transcript to this episode To connect with us about the podcast visit our Please be sure to subscribe, rate and review us on apple podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts! /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/39025300

Transcript- Episode 157: From Crisis Response to Workforce Readiness: Lessons in Regional Renewal from the Future of Work Conference with Mayor Victor Gordo 11/11/2025

Transcript- Episode 157: From Crisis Response to Workforce Readiness: Lessons in Regional Renewal from the Future of Work Conference with Mayor Victor Gordo Victor Gordo [00:00:00]: Our ultimate goal is to prepare people for the workforce of the future. And the workforce of the future is mixed. It's not just, you know, formal degrees in education. It's like I said, it's people who can work with their hands, who can be a part of the construction industry, the landscaping, you name it. Christina Barsi [00:00:24]: 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 adjust so that we can begin to project where things are headed before we even get there. So how do we begin to predict the future? Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, vice president of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this podcast. And I'm Christina Barci, producer and co host of this podcast. And we are starting the conversation about the future of work. We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable, and how to attain one of our highest goals, more internships and pcc. Students in the workforce. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:16]: We at Pasadena City College want to lead the charge in closing the gap between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. This is a conversation that impacts all of us. You, the employers, the policymakers, the educational institutions, and the community as a whole. We believe change happens when we work together. And it all starts with having a conversation. I'm Christina Barci. And I'm Salvatrice Cummo. And this is the future of Work. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:48]: Thank you for joining us this morning. Mayor Gordo, you have been absolute champion and leader and have been the most extraordinary partner to this institution. And we are incredibly grateful, not just for this particular subject matter, but in all capacities at Pasadena City College. And when we look back a little bit of where we were in the beginning of the year, I want to kind of explore a little bit of what you feel makes this partnership between PCC and the city so unique and why it's important. Victor Gordo [00:02:24]: You know, first, thank you for having me. It's amazing that on January 1st, we were celebrating and this was literally the theme for this year's new year celebration, the best day ever. Little did we know that six days later, on the 7th, we would be looking at the worst day ever. And for, frankly, I do hope it's the worst day ever. I hope we never have to see anything like that, and certainly not something worse. And the partnerships that were forged, including, and especially the partnership with PCC as A result of that disaster, I think, reminds us all that our futures are interwoven not just as institutions, but as people. In Pasadena and Altadena, the student population, teachers, professors, elected officials. You know, our future is interwoven together. Victor Gordo [00:03:23]: And what we saw was a response that reflects a community that recognizes that. Salvatrice Cummo [00:03:29]: Thank you. And when I think back, I think of the beautiful coordination that happens so quickly, effortlessly, with zero planning. It just all came together. Was there anything that struck out to you the most during that time? Victor Gordo [00:03:44]: Well, I. I do think, you know, what stood out to me the most is people's desire to be a part of one. The crisis as it was developing. People's willingness to not only support their neighbors and their family, but come out and support the broader community. When PCC moved immediately, the convention center in the city moved immediately to open up disaster centers. People showed up. People showed up with donations, people showed up. Some people didn't have donations to give, so they just gave their time. Victor Gordo [00:04:21]: And so that willingness to be a part of the solution is what stood out to me the most. And, you know, it wasn't. I mean, we say effortlessly, but it's really the result of good planning by all of our institutions. In Pasadena, we had the emergency operations center open within 40 minutes of the fire striking. Within 90 minutes, we had the evacuation center open and staffed. I know PCC moved swiftly to ensure that it was doing its part to help people, and within hours and had its efforts moving to contribute. So we're all grateful for that. And that's all the result of thinking ahead, planning, understanding that we do live in a disaster area and that we will be relying upon each other in an emergency. Salvatrice Cummo [00:05:12]: Thank you for sharing that, because I think from a community's perspective, it was just beautifully well coordinated and put together. As an outsider, we don't know that there's years of planning, there's committees that are put together, there are countless meetings, and planning when in the event of fill in the blank, this is how we operationalize. And so that's a testament not only to our planning as committees, but also for me, it felt that their community can trust us in doing inactivating. Victor Gordo [00:05:46]: I think it was Winston Churchill who once said, you know, no plan meets first contact with reality. And what I believe he meant by that was, we can plan for the inevitable, we can plan for crisis, but we have to understand that it's just a plan. And the minute we go to execute the plan, something is going to be wrong, and we have to be prepared to shift gears and adjust. I Would say to you that this plan was very well thought out, very well conceived, but we also had the nimbleness, in the spirit of Churchill's statement, to adjust. You know, we prepared for a windstorm, for example, and had to quickly shift and adjust to a fire and a windstorm. And then we had to shift and be nimble and provide temporary housing and help people with things like food, insecurity, rent, finding their loved ones, finding their pets. And so we not only had a plan in place, but we had the ability, because good planning leaves room for the ability to be nimble as conditions change. So I congratulate all of you for being a part of that. Salvatrice Cummo [00:06:58]: Yeah, thank you. I also wonder, too, in this process, and it's not the process, but in this experience, we know very well how local government and education work together. But wondering if you discovered or. Or have a better understanding now on how critical that partnership is and your view now, the partnership between local government and education, has that changed? Is it better? Did you learn new discoveries? Victor Gordo [00:07:27]: You know, I did. I learned quite a bit more than I ever wanted to. But now we know, we have this experience, shared experience. You often think of public safety and emergency response as the job of the city, the county, its police department, its fire department, maybe the state, the National Guard. You don't often think of the response in an emergency also coming from institutions like the Rose Bowl. You know, the Rose bowl suddenly was moved into action as a staging area for first responders. We had over 4,000 people there at the Rose bowl, shifting in and out, essentially living there, providing fire rescue services, all sorts of services. And then you think about institutions like Pasadena City College, again, don't often think about an educational institution. Victor Gordo [00:08:21]: Everybody thinks, well, fires happened. Kids, you know, students get the day off, and teachers and professors and administrators get to go home. I think we learned in this experience that that's not what happens. You know, PCC and other institutions, educational institutions, including our school district, quickly reached out and mobilized and became a part of the public safety network that was needed to have a response that helped people. Salvatrice Cummo [00:08:50]: There's no doubt about there's a level of trust in mobilizing and operationalizing these plans. And this is really our first time on this side of town, really on this side of the state, where we've had to do that very swiftly. And to your point, that level of trust that is between the institutions and local government is incredibly important, especially during times like this. Is there any advice that you would give to other cities that are in this planning process being proactive about emergency response. Any advice that you would give other cities on how they can be better partners to institutions? Victor Gordo [00:09:29]: I think the key word there is partners. It's really difficult to establish a partnership in the midst of a crisis because everyone is reacting and moving to execute. And so we have been very fortunate in Pasadena that through the leadership of Dr. Gomez, Dr. Cuomo and others, we've built a partnership over time. I wasn't calling the reception desk at PCC asking for the president. I was texting Dr. Gomez saying, Jose, you know, let's work together. Victor Gordo [00:10:02]: And he was texting me. And so we have that relationship established before the crisis, and we were able to respond, get our respective institutions to coordinate together, to work together. But that's because the work was done in advance to build that partnership, that trust and the shared commitment to this community. Salvatrice Cummo [00:10:24]: Is there a level of community investments that you're seeing kind of shift based on this experience that we've had here, or are you comfortable with the way things are now? Victor Gordo [00:10:33]: Well, one of the things that I'm buoyed by is, sure, there's a level of community investment that's needed for our built infrastructure, parks, streets, people's homes, business community. But I think we're also appropriately focused on the human infrastructure and human capital. Were focused on people. We went from plans and people to people and plans. And what I mean by that is now we're focused on, you know, how do we help people remain in this community, how do we help people prepare to be part of the workforce that rebuilds this community so that they can remain in this community. That's an important pivot point psychologically for us, individually and as a community. And I think it'll pay dividends for this community. You know, I think in the future, our success coming out of this crisis will be measured by our ability and success at helping people transition from a crisis, be a part of the solution, and maybe even attain new skills to help rebuild this community. Salvatrice Cummo [00:11:45]: Thank you. What do you think that's going to take from our local government side and from institutions for that shift? Victor Gordo [00:11:52]: It's going to take building on that partnership. You know, the city of Pasadena, you know, our primary mission is not education. Our primary mission is ensuring streets are safe, ensuring that our parks, our libraries are safe and clean. But we're also in the people business, and PCC's primary mission is to educate. And so I think we've got to marry those two goals. You know, our interest is in preparing the city and the community of the future, physically, emotionally, Your business is to prepare people to participate in that by providing the skills and the education needed to do that. And so I think we have a shared and common goal and improving this community. And we each have a separate, but again, interwoven mission. Salvatrice Cummo [00:12:43]: Yeah, I think I saw that beautifully represented pre and post. Unfortunately, this disaster is that we all have our respective talents and our domain expertise and our assets, and we can do greater together. We can expand services together better when we are collective, we can scale programming, we can provide resources. And I think that there's this spirit and this trust in this partnership that together we can do more. And there's no need to worry about duplication of efforts because we have our own respective domain talents and resources. Victor Gordo [00:13:21]: Absolutely. And that goes back to the partnership, understanding the city, understanding what PCC can bring to bear in terms of effort, resources, and PCC and other institutions, understanding not just what the cities can do, but where the city's limitations are in terms of. We were focused on the fire itself, public safety, as others backfilled some of the other needs, others, like Pasna, City College, understanding that our mission was first and foremost the physical safety of the community. And so, you know, goes back to partnership, having that understanding of one another's strengths and I won't say weaknesses, but limitations in terms of resources, in terms of what, you know, jurisdictions, and then having the trust that, you know, we're going to focus on our mission, use our resources as best we can, and then we have that reciprocal trust that Pasadena City College becomes because we've built that partnership will fulfill its mission within its jurisdiction and with the available resources. So that trust, that understanding and that partnership, again, is important in advance of the crisis. Salvatrice Cummo [00:14:35]: Sure. I think the one thing that keeps me up at night, when I think about our role as an institution in this recovery process and shifting gears just a little bit and leaning in towards recovery, what keeps me up at night is the balance. How do we balance all the needs all at the same time? How do we balance the needs of our workforce, our workforce here at pcc? How do we balance the needs of our students? How do we balance the needs of our business community? How do we balance the needs of our residents? And so for us, we think about, when we think about our programming, we take all of that into consideration and how we respond, both from an educational, programmatic perspective or also business technical assistance with some of our, you know, our SBDC and our WBC that responds to our business community. So I wonder through your lens, how are you seeing balancing that infrastructure when we're supporting all our constituents, our businesses, and in a way that, that is productive and not chaotic. Victor Gordo [00:15:35]: Yeah, hard to do. Salvatrice Cummo [00:15:36]: I know, I know. Victor Gordo [00:15:37]: Well, I, I think, you know, one of, one of the things that that's special about our institutions is a lot of our institutions are populated both on the staff side as well as on the people who are being educated here, or in the city's case, rely on services. They're populated by people who know this community well, people who have been a part of this community. So the first answer I would have is, you know, we focus on helping people, recognizing that many of the people overwhelmingly are also part of our institutions, including pcc. Now, having said that, you know, you still have the mission and goal of education in the midst of everything that's happening. And so that's, I think, where the balance has to be struck between your core primary mission of continuing education and to educate people as you also contribute to the community component. And I think PCC did that exceedingly well. I think all of our institutions did that exceedingly well. Now, could we do things better? Absolutely. Victor Gordo [00:16:46]: And those are conversations that, you know, are ongoing. You know, what would we do differently? What would we not repeat at all. Salvatrice Cummo [00:16:58]: Here to share any of those, what we did and more than welcome to. Victor Gordo [00:17:03]: Yeah, and what would we say, hey, let's do. We should have done this more. Those are all the questions that we should ask ourselves as a city, college, as a city, as a community, because there are going to be a lot of things in each of those categories that we need to recognize. Salvatrice Cummo [00:17:20]: You know, part of that formula of recovery is also paying hyper close attention to workforce development. Right. We, you mentioned it earlier. We have great partners like the Foothill Workforce Investment Board, our local agencies, county agencies, ourselves in this effort and equation of workforce development for the city of Pasadena. What does that look like for the city? What is your wish or what is your primary focus? I should say, when we think about recovery in the arena of workforce development. Victor Gordo [00:17:56]: You know, in the arena of workforce development, I mean, I go back to our interwoven future and again, our success as a community. To be able to respond post fire and post crisis to the needs of this community is interwoven with our ability to prepare the workforce that's needed for that, you know, and again, one of the measures of our success will be did we do the work to prepare people, not just young people, but people across the spectrum to be a part of the needed workforce. Without that workforce, it's going to be very difficult to rebuild Pasadena And Altadena, you know, as we think about that, preparing them with the skills and the education necessary. And I say both because, you know, some require an aa, a ba, an ma, a doctorate degree, even a law degree, but others require the skills that people like me don't have. You know, I'm a lawyer. You don't want to see me with a hammer in my hand because it's not going to look pretty or be pretty. But we need people with skill sets to work with their hands. As we prepare people to rebuild. Victor Gordo [00:19:11]: We should also keep in mind that in the past, when we've done that, we've not made these careers, you know, and we have to demand fair wages, benefits, all of the things that we know contribute to a healthy, successful family unit. If we don't do that, then we will have missed an opportunity to help people not just be a part of the recovery, but thrive in the recovery. Salvatrice Cummo [00:19:39]: Thank you for mentioning that. The skills trades. I personally know the support that the city of Pasadena, specifically you, have given PCC around building our career pathway programs in apprenticeships, in other skilled trade programs. What advice would you give other cities on how to lead these efforts with their respective institutions? Victor Gordo [00:20:04]: Back to the guess the word of the day, Partnership. You have to build partnerships and you have to understand who's best positioned to achieve a part of your goal that ultimately, you know, brings together multiple institutions to achieve the ultimate goal. In this case, our ultimate goal is to prepare people for the workforce of the future. And the workforce of the future is mixed. It's not just, you know, formal degrees in education. It's like I said, it's people who can work with their hands, who can be a part of the construction industry, the landscaping, you name it. So I say to communities, get together with those institutions that can certify programs like Pasadena City College. And that's what we've done here. Victor Gordo [00:20:56]: And those who can provide the training, and that's the trades. And the trades will also provide the pathway to decent working conditions. And so I think we have to be thoughtful and deliberative on how we do things. The city can provide jobs, as can other large institutions. We can provide training opportunities, but the trades and PCC are in a better position to teach and train that workforce. And so in Pasadena, with Pasadena City College, we're bringing those efforts together then together with large employers like Huntington Hospital, who has a tremendous need for bedside assistants, nurses. So it's not just trades, it's not just formal education. It's also lab technicians for some of the med Tech companies that are coming to town. Victor Gordo [00:21:53]: It's also nurses,... /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/38944715

From Crisis Response to Workforce Readiness: Lessons in Regional Renewal from the Future of Work Conference with Mayor Victor Gordo Episode 157 11/11/2025

Transcript- Episode 156: Building Resilient Communities: Insights Into The Upcoming Future of Work Conference with Dr. Salvatrice Cummo and Leslie Thompson 10/21/2025

Transcript- Episode 156: Building Resilient Communities: Insights Into The Upcoming Future of Work Conference with Dr. Salvatrice Cummo and Leslie Thompson Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:00]: When we remove these barriers and we have our systems start speaking to each other a little bit better, we naturally build our communities a little stronger. They become more adaptable and in the long run, more equitable access to the resources and the programming that we have across all agencies, across all systems. Christina Barsi [00:00:25]: 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 adjust so that we can begin to project where things are headed before we even get there. So how do we begin to predict the future? Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:50]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of. Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:53]: Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this podcast. Christina Barsi [00:00:59]: And I'm Christina Barsi, producer and co host of this podcast. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:03]: And we are starting the conversation about the future of work. We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable, and how to attain one of our highest goals, more internships and PCC Students in the workforce. We at Pasadena City College want to. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:20]: Lead the charge in closing the gap. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:22]: Between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. This is a conversation that impacts all of us. You, the employers, the policymakers, the educational institutions, and the community as a whole. Christina Barsi [00:01:37]: We believe change happens when we work together. And it all starts with having a conversation. I'm Christina Barsi. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:44]: And I'm Salvatrice Cummo. And this is the Future of Work. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:50]: Hi. Welcome back to the Future of Work podcast. I am your host, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo. And today we're. We will actually be flipping the script here at the Future of Work podcast, where I will be interviewed by one of our colleagues here at Pasadena City College, Director of Operations for Economic and Workforce Development, Ms. Leslie Thompson. Leslie, how are you today? Leslie Thompson [00:02:12]: I'm doing well, thank you. How are you? Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:14]: Fantastic. It feels a little awkward that I'm not the one asking questions, but hopefully it won't be too hard on me. Leslie Thompson [00:02:21]: Thank you. It's good to be back on the podcast. And I will go easy on you. I think you know some of these answers. We're talking about the Future of Work conference that is happening at Pasadena City College on Tuesday, October 28th. It's our annual. It's our seventh annual, actually. And this year's topic will be focused on rebuilding and resiliency after the devastating Eaton and Palisades fire in the region. Leslie Thompson [00:02:45]: So, as you know, in the wake of Recent challenges, from natural disasters to economic disruptions, communities across our region have shown incredible strength. But as we move forward, it's not just about bouncing back. It's about building systems that can withstand future shocks. And it's in that systems building where we're going to focus for our Future of Work conference. Salvatrice Cummo [00:03:02]: That's right. Naturally, in the first stages of any disaster, post disaster, it's immediate response, it's what does the community need now, what do our residents needs and what are our business needs. And now we're in the phase of what do we need to do and how do we position resources, et cetera, to help rebuild and renew and build back resiliency. Not to say that there isn't resiliency, there certainly is. Our community responded beautifully in the wake of the fires. But now we need to discuss and find solutions around long term rebuilding. What is that going to take? Who needs to be at the table and how do we start braiding our resources, assets and talents to do so? Leslie Thompson [00:03:50]: I love that you said long term because resiliency is a, the resilience process is a long term game. Right. It's going to take minutes to rebuild. And that's exactly where community colleges like PCC play a vital role. We're not just education providers. PCC and other institutions like this are anchor institutions in our communities. You want to talk a little bit about how PCC has responded? Salvatrice Cummo [00:04:13]: Sure. You know pcc, we are a natural convener, natural hub for partnerships. I say that because our focuses and our strengths are in the workforce, new talent development, upskilling the existing talent business, advising rapid response partnerships. And PCC is well positioned, has been well positioned to respond. And it kind of begs the question of are we and how do we set the model for other community colleges to respond in natural disasters. I'm providing very light strokes here. Right. But there's so much depth into how our community college responded and there's much more depth into how we are going to position this college and this community for a rebuild. Salvatrice Cummo [00:05:05]: And I think what we need to focus on and continue to focus on as a community college, but then again also set the path for other community colleges, like a blueprint if you will, on what does it take for us to be great conveners, great talent developers and great at delivering wraparound services. Leslie Thompson [00:05:25]: When I hear those things, and I hear things like we're natural conveners and our goal is to partner with other institutions, the word that comes to mind is collaboration. That sense of collaboration really kind of shines through in what's coming up next and the Future of Work conference. Maybe you want to talk a little bit about collaboration as it relates to the conference. Salvatrice Cummo [00:05:44]: You're right, Leslie. You know, community colleges are natural conveners because of the infrastructure that we have. And we could not do the work without a collective group of thought leaders to support in this work. And one of our very important thought leader in building resiliency and rebuild within our community is the county of Los Angeles Department of Economic Opportunity. They have always been a stellar partner to us and I'm really looking forward to forming a regional table with them that allows for a coordinated space for recovery, small business support and workforce solutions. I feel strongly and I believe strongly that between us and the county there's amplified work that we can do. We can extend our bandwidth on the programming and the resources that are available to our community. Leslie Thompson [00:06:42]: I couldn't agree more. I think it's a huge step forward and truly a model for how education and government can partner to drive long term resilience. Salvatrice Cummo [00:06:50]: You know, the idea of really breaking down silos, one of the positive things that comes out of a response to a disaster like this is engagement where everyone comes out of their silos and we do this work together and aligning efforts regionally and that means very important things to our community. And our community should demand it as well. Right. We're sharing strategies, we're sharing data, we're sharing outcomes that not only benefit the community at large, but very specifically workers, employers and communities across Los Angeles county, not just in our backyard. When we do this kind of work, yes, it benefits local, but it also accelerates even further into the region. Leslie Thompson [00:07:37]: Right. Which is so important and why regional partnerships are so important to this work. But the conference will also feature a big announcement that will allow us to have a greater impact. Isn't that right? Salvatrice Cummo [00:07:46]: That's right. Speaking of regional reach and regional impact, Pasadena City College has been awarded 1.5 million in funds from the California Community College Chancellor's Office to support their initiative around LA Rebuild. And again, this speaks volumes to how community colleges respond to in the wake of such disasters. The Chancellor's office immediately went to work and tried to capture funding for the colleges that were impacted so that we can again accelerate and amplify and extend the programming and the support that our community needs. We will be targeting very specific workforce training, small business support, which is critical to the solution. Thinking back of my conversation with Lizzie Davidson, who is our director of the Women's Business center, and the work that her and dawn who is the director of the Small Business Development Center. The work that they've been doing in response, it's been overwhelmingly beautiful to watch, but also underscores the value in having these various departments that could focus on rebuild and resilience and recovery, not only with our student population, but our residents and our employers and our existing workforce. Going back to the purpose of these funds, it's really about that. Salvatrice Cummo [00:09:25]: It's really about extending the reach within our training efforts with workforce, our small business support and readiness initiatives that helps us respond faster and stronger when such disruptions occur. Leslie Thompson [00:09:40]: That's awesome news. We see time and time again how without the funding, without the financial support, it's hard to get initiatives off the ground. So the fact that the Chancellor's office stepped up in a big way and right away super timely and really great news for PCC and other awardees as well. So with this investment and continued regional partnerships, it really feels like LA county is like setting the stage for a more connected and future ready economy, wouldn't you say? Salvatrice Cummo [00:10:07]: Absolutely, absolutely. I mean, this is a good example or the ideal example of how systems, with our integrated relationships that we have within these systems, start working together. You know, systems are complex, they're not easy. From an outsider's perspective, looking in, one could really say, well, they could easily do xyz, yes, but we're all public serving agencies and with that comes different complexities and systems. And I strongly, really, really strongly believe that we, as body of systems, municipality, county, higher ed, we are working really, really well and removing those barriers within our systems so that we could have lasting impact and lasting solutions. I think the other value when we remove these barriers and we have our systems start speaking to each other a little bit better, is that we naturally build our communities a little stronger. Our communities become stronger, they become more adaptable and in the long run, more equitable access to the resources and the programming that we have across all agencies, across all systems. There is no other way to say it other than that's the way it really needs to be and it should be. Salvatrice Cummo [00:11:33]: And sometimes responding to disasters such as these helps us take a critical look at the systems and start looking at greater solutions for our communities, but also more importantly, removing those barriers and having greater access. Leslie Thompson [00:11:49]: Beautifully said. I would also like to point out that as I'm hearing you speak, I'm thinking about. This is our seventh Future of Work conference. Every year we have common themes that keep coming up in one way or another. We've been trying to address systems barriers. We've been trying to create collaboration. We've been trying to build these partnerships every year. It's been kind of a, if not an outright theme, kind of an underlying theme this year because of the need to address the Rebuild initiative and the devastating fires that happened in January, this is a super important initiative, but it's a common theme for the Future of Work conference and for attendees who've been in the past, they can expect us to dig deeper into these important topics and more. Leslie Thompson [00:12:33]: And for those of you who've never come, we invite you to join us at the Future of work conference on October 28th. Salvatrice Cummo [00:12:40]: I love how you said that, Leslie, because it's really about having that solution based framework, that mindset, and creating stronger synergetic alignment across our region. Beautifully said, Leslie. I know you and I are both really looking forward to the conference every year. It's really amazing just to see the collaboration, the work, the effort, and every year something great comes out of it. There's always, always a partnership that comes out of it, a solution that transpires. I'm looking forward to this year. Absolutely. Leslie Thompson [00:13:16]: So am I. I feel like I always learn something, even, you know, being part of planning, you know, throughout the years we lead up to the conference, it happens. And every time I'm there, I'm like, this is awesome. And it doesn't matter how much you plan or what you expect or that you know who the panelists are going to be, you know how the setup is going to be. Once you get those folks in a room and they start talking, there's always something special that happens. And I really look forward to it. Well, thanks for letting us flip the script today, Salvatrice. How did it feel being the interviewee? Salvatrice Cummo [00:13:42]: Actually felt really great. Leslie Thompson [00:13:43]: Oh, you're pretty good at it. I told you. You knew all the answers. Salvatrice Cummo [00:13:48]: Thank you, Leslie. Leslie Thompson [00:13:49]: Thank you. Salvatrice Cummo [00:13:52]: Thank you for listening to the Future of Work podcast. Make sure you subscribe on your favorite listening platform so you can easily get new episodes every Tuesday. You can reach out to us by clicking on the website link below in the show Notes to collaborate, partner or just chat about all things Future of Work. We'd love to connect with you. All of us here at the Future of Work and Pasadena City College wish you safety and wellness. /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/38647390

Building Resilient Communities: Insights Into The Upcoming Future of Work Conference with Dr. Salvatrice Cummo and Leslie Thompson Episode 156 10/21/2025

Transcript- Episode 155: Rebuilding Community After Disaster: What It Means To Create Solutions Rooted In Equity with Lizzy Okoro Davidson, Director of the Pasadena Women’s Business Center at PCC Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:00:00]: I think that by actually going to this conference, learning about the strategies, learning about this, hearing the stories, seeing the support that you can get, finding, you know, community within the attendees at this conference, it's so, so important. And then you can come and learn about the Women's Business center and learn about how you can really just very quickly, very easily sign up to become the client and become a part of this ecosystem. Christina Barsi [00:00:29]: 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 adjust so that we can begin to project where things are headed before we even get there. So how do we begin to predict the future? Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:54]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City. Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:59]: College and host of this podcast. Christina Barsi [00:01:02]: And I'm Christina Barsi, producer and co host of this podcast. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:06]: And we are starting the conversation about the Future of Work. We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable, and how to attain one of our highest goals, more internships and pcc. Students in the workforce. We at Pasadena City College want to lead the charge in closing the gap between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. This is a conversation that impacts all of us, you, the employers, the policymakers, the educational institutions, and the community as a whole. Christina Barsi [00:01:40]: We believe change happens when we work together. And it all starts with having a conversation. I'm Christina Barsi. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:47]: And I'm Salvatrice Cummo. And this is the Future of Work. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:53]: Hi, welcome back to the Future of Work podcast. I am your host, Salvatrice Cummo. As you know, we are preparing for our seventh annual Future of Work conference to be held at Pasadena City College in just a few weeks on October 28th. And we're excited to give you a sneak peek into what we'll be discussing on stage with one of our panel speakers today, Lizzy Okoro Davidson, Director of the Women's Business center here at Pasadena City College. Lizzy is an LA based entrepreneur, consultant, speaker and previous guest on this podcast. She founded and Bootstrapped Bunch magazine in 2011 and now leads the Power of Play Children's Museum. Lizzy has over a decade of experience in media consulting and public speaking working with brands like Nike and Adidas. Together we'll be discussing how the Women's Business center is key in supporting local businesses in Los Angeles after the fires and how the Women's Business center is collaborating with community colleges to create solutions that are rooted in equity and economic opportunity. Salvatrice Cummo [00:03:02]: I am thrilled to have Lizzy join us on this podcast again. So let's get into it. Welcome, Lizzy. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:03:07]: Thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited to be back. Salvatrice Cummo [00:03:10]: Thank you. It's been a year since we spoke last, and a lot has has transpired since then. Between then and now, the anniversary and there's been a series of events that has happened. Give us a little bit of insight on what the first year has been like. Successes, challenges, opportunities, all that good stuff. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:03:32]: Yes, my goodness, it has been a year. So we opened up our doors October 3, 2024, and things were great. They were wonderful. The community was so excited to have the center on campus at Pasadena City College and were just so thrilled about all the opportunities that we were looking at to help build and foster community and entrepreneurship both at the community college and of course, to every entrepreneur in the San Gabriel Valley. And of course, as we all know, the fires happened in January. So very quickly, we immediately went from just being in this hyper optimistic, excited phase of how do we bring these programs to women entrepreneurs? And how do we really help them tackle all of the challenges of what it means to not only be an entrepreneur, but a female founder or a woman in this space. And then it became, how do we just help people recover? And that just became, you know, most or the bulk of the conversation around what types of programming and advice and mentorship that we could provide. So I will say that the challenge was obviously the fire, but it also brought an opportunity for people who literally did not know that we existed or that any sort of program like a women's business center existed. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:04:50]: They were just so grateful. They were like, you know, unfortunately, they're coming to us under duress and really unfortunate, sad circumstances. But it really created a sense of belonging. You know, people saying that they felt seen and heard and understood as an entrepreneur and as small business owners, because not everybody who comes to us is an entrepreneur. They, some of them maybe purchased a business and so that's how they came to lead their organization. But they were just so excited and so grateful that something like this existed. And they have also been become our champions and our evangelists and have given us the opportunity to be a part of conversations where we weren't able to reach them just through our own efforts alone. Salvatrice Cummo [00:05:34]: So, yeah, yeah, it certainly has been quite the run. I mean, the first year, you didn't have a chance to just take A deep breath and it's just. You just hit the ground running. To say that the fires impacted our community is an understatement. Right? It changed everything about our community. And the Women's Business center played a very important role and continues to play an important role at the time when the impacts happened and post and now really focusing our attention on rebuild. So share a little bit about how you partnered with and what it looked like for a women's business center housed within a community college like ours, and how did you partner with PCC to help with the initial assistance to our community? And what are some things that you've been able to do and accomplish within this year and where do you see the efforts kind of going and continuing the support for the rebuild? Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:06:35]: When people have asked about the relationship between Pasadena City College and the Women's Business center and how we've been able to help the community at large, I feel so grateful, honestly, for so many reasons, but I feel so, so grateful. We are hosted at Pasadena City College. I mean, if you want to talk about a partnership and just the wraparound services, the support that I've received, that other folks who are my counterparts at different centers across California, across the United States, they have a totally different experience than what I have because of the amount of support that I have from the college. And one thing that really resonated with me very on that both you and other members of the executive leadership team all expresses that when you talk about Pasadena State College, you're really talking about a community college. And the community part, it needs to be underscored in bold, all caps, right? It's like, we are here. We are a part of the community. We are for the community. We have to put the community first. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:07:37]: And immediately from day one, I remember getting on a zoom call with all of management and our president, Dr. Gomez as well, and immediately creating, you know, just even an Excel spreadsheet to help us track and say, like, okay, who can do what? How can we plug in? How can we attract students and community members who need support? How can we understand and get ahead of any requests that our community has and have a better understanding of what they need? And Lizzy, what do our entrepreneurs need? Dawn, who's the director of our Small Business Development center, what are you seeing? And how can we immediately just have ears and eyes on the ground so that we can then create tools and strategies that help our community? So that was one part of it. The second part, of course, was that Pasadena City College, we have two campuses and where my, my Office and center is hosted immediately was offered up as a space for the entire Los Angeles county to every single. Every single organization from Los Angeles county and any sort of auxiliary support service, fema, sba, the Small Business Administration, who are still present to this day on that campus, all came and set up shop so that we could have a disaster recovery zone or location right there, utilizing the space that we have and making sure that the community and all of the people that want to support those who were rebuilding after the fire had exactly what they needed in one central place. So I thought that was just amazing and brilliant. And it really. Having that spotlight on Pasadena City College allowed for the work that we do at the Women's Business center to be seen to a wider audience. And so from that, of course, we had Paris Hilton pick up the phone and say, hey, well, you're literally again with your boots on the ground, eyes and ears to the ground. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:09:32]: You have a direct path to the community that I'm trying to reach. She has become a philanthropist who's very involved and cares a lot about women across different issue areas. And entrepreneurship is something that's near and dear to her heart because she understands what it takes to build a business and how much support women entrepreneurs need. And so because of that, we were then able. She was like, I want to just, you know, write a check. I want to write a check. You tell me how best we can distribute it. We decided that that support would come in the form of grants. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:10:06]: Originally, we're going to give 11 small business owners who were impacted by the fires a check for $25,000 each. And 11 is her favorite number. So that was where that number came from. GoFundMe.org heard about what we were doing. They said, okay, we'. And then within 48 hours, we had over 200 small business owners apply. And so less than 48 hours. Less than 48 hours. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:10:31]: I want to say it was actually 24 hours, honestly, but I think it was like closer to 48. Somewhere between there, it was very quick and obvious that there was a need. And so then they decided, okay, why don't we increase it to a little bit over a million dollars? So I will say that there is a clear through line that because of the support of Pasadena College, because of all of the efforts that Pasadena City College did, to say, hey, we are going to immediately react to the community. We're immediately going to do what we say that we do, which is show up for the community at large. And we are the eyes and ears of the community. And we know best of what they need. Those opportunities have now, you know, come through my door. So, very, very grateful. Salvatrice Cummo [00:11:18]: Yes, absolutely. So are we. Yeah, and so are we. Lizzy, we are incredibly grateful for your leadership, your network, your team. So much talent housed at the Women's Business center, starting with you. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:11:31]: I think so too. I think I have class, team, but thank you for the compliment. Salvatrice Cummo [00:11:36]: Of course, of course it starts with you. It really does start with you. You know, we in previous conversations talked about the unique differences that women entrepreneurs face. And specifically you shared a fact that I'm going to read here, is that 42% of all new businesses in the United States are started by women. But women are 20 times, 20 times more likely to be denied a traditional business loan than their male counterparts. So fast forward 2025, right? We opened up in October 2024. We are in October of 2025. All these things that we've been faced with that we've been able to accomplish in this one year, how has that influenced your approach to helping women owned businesses recover after a disaster like this? Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:12:36]: I can't tell you how much I love this question because I think, you know, when I came into this role, I was very grateful that I had the opportunity to my own right and to really say, okay, well, these are the programs and that I think are important and I'm going to implement a certain vision. And from beginning day one, no matter what happened with the fires or any other curveballs, I said I want to look at what are the opportunities and growth areas and strengths that women entrepreneurs already have and how can we 10x that. And then on the other hand, how do we, you know, address any of those challenges? Yes, and of course, but how do we also say, okay, women, you're maybe leaving money on the table in certain areas or have you thought about going in this direction? How can we introduce, how can we mitigate some of those problems or challenges by actually introducing them to new concepts, new opportunities? And so of course, with the fires happening, the focus just became on, like, how do we get immediate cash to women entrepreneurs, whether it be through disaster recovery, loans or grants. But I also then thought too well, this just, there's no better time than the present to continue that original focus and strategy, which is you should be making money, you know, hand over fist all the time in your business as much as possible. So again, I thought, okay, well, we have an amazing, amazing advisor on staff, Deandra, who is a beauty professional. And women lead in certain industries, health, wellness, beauty, fitness. I think I Probably mentioned that in the last podcast, Childcare. Those are areas where women are already excelling. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:14:22]: So why don't we help 10x that again? So we started a beauty professionals accelerator called beyond the Chair. And we did four weeks. We had a small cohort, but the feedback that we got was incredible. Over the course of four weeks, they understood marketing, branding, how to really promote their services in unique, creative ways. We brought in three beauty professionals, skincare, hair and makeup, celebrity stylists to sit on a panel and speak to this cohort for two weeks. For two weeks. I'm sorry, for two hours. We couldn't get them to stop talking, like the whole entire cohort, which is. Salvatrice Cummo [00:15:03]: So that's good news. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:15:04]: Yeah. And I mean, these are women. I'm talking about their portfolio and rosters, their Beyonce works with them. You know, they have over a million followers combined on all social platforms. So to be able to bring those people in and have them speak to that cohort was just an amazing, amazing experience. And they're still reaching out, saying, you know, please have this again. We want you to do this again. We want our friends who are in the beauty industry to be able to take advantage. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:15:33]: So that's one, right? That was one idea is like, let's do this beauty accelerator to help women understand how to really build their business or continue to build their business and be successful. And then we also launched the READYLA accelerator, which is a procurement accelerator. And for anyone who does not know what procurement is, that's totally fair and fine. But essentially, how do you work with the government? How do you sell your services at the state level, local level, city level, federal level? Because that was one of the biggest ways that I found that people are, you know, making huge amounts of money. Right. So let's just say, for example, you have a balloon making company or a balloon arch company that. Where you might provide balloon arches for personal celebrations, birthday parties, et cetera. You can sell that to the government, right? Like, there are opportunities. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:16:26]: There are so many things that come down the pipeline that so many of our entrepreneurs are not aware of. The thought behind it and why I was so gung ho about making sure that. That we continue on with that programming is we need to diversify revenue streams. We need to help our small business owners understand all of the opportunities there are to make money. We, of course, prioritize letting in any business that was impacted by the fire for that reason, because we were like, you know, we want our small businesses to stay in the San Gabriel Valley. We want them to stay in Pasadena and Altadena. We don't want them to take their business and leave and go anywhere else because it's, it's absolutely crucial to our local economy to have these businesses that were impacted by the fires stay here. So that is what my thinking is, that is what my strategy is. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:17:17]: And it's always going to be how do we make sure that we're, you know, making 100,000 years and making millionaires and making billionaires contributing back to our. Salvatrice Cummo [00:17:27]: Local economy, contributing back into our communities and building a strong local economy. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:17:34]: Exactly. Salvatrice Cummo [00:17:35]: And when one is strong, we help the others become strong. As a collective. As a collective, we have these beautiful stories and beautiful impacts. And I'm going to ask this last question. Okay, so, because when you said the word strategy, it triggered a thought in my mind and I thought, well, what other strategies or initiatives? But you've already mentioned too, you know, so it's probably not a fair question, but is there anything that stands out to you when you're speaking to these entrepreneurs and business owners, you know, post disaster in their efforts? In our community's efforts to rebuild and build resilient companies, is there anything that stands out for you that's been the most impactful and effective strategy or, and, or initiative that you're saying, Salvatore, this is it. This is the golden ticket. Like this is what's going to help our business community become even more resilient than they are now. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:18:37]: It has honestly been community, literally that has been every single and in person events in particular. Like as soon as we hold anything in person, I mean it's going to come as no surprise or no shocker. We are dying for connection in all areas of our life. It's like everything is digital, everything is online and people are stronger together. And so when we have done things in person, like these accelerators, like workshops we've done in the wake of the fires, we started hosting pop up advising. So we typically do a lot of the one to one advising virtually. And so we were like, okay, well again, boots on the ground, let's go meet our, our small business owners where they are in convenient locations and have our advisors set up shop with a laptop and just be able to talk them through certain processes, answer questions. And you know, some people were in tears with gratitude. Lizzy Okoro Davidson [00:19:34]: That's how happy they were. Some of them just wanted to meet other business owners. That was one of our most successful ones, was one where we did, we brought together restaurant owners because if you don't know, Pasadena has some of the best food and most amazing Restaurants and, you know, they. They were definitely impacted by the fires. If their actual establishment wasn't impacted by the fire, they were, you know, a lot of the foot traffic slowed down. So they just want to be able to talk... /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/38570710

Rebuilding Community After Disaster: What It Means To Create Solutions Rooted In Equity with Lizzy Okoro Davidson, Director of the Pasadena Women’s Business Center at PCC Episode 155 10/14/2025

Rebuilding Community After Disaster: What It Means To Create Solutions Rooted In Equity with Lizzy Okoro Davidson, Director of the Pasadena Women’s Business Center at PCC Episode 155 In anticipation of the 7th Annual to be held on October 28th 2025, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo brings back Lizzy Okoro Davidson, Director of the Pasadena Women’s Business Center at PCC and panel speaker, to touch on all the progress made by the center since opening its doors last year. Lizzy shares how the Women’s Business Center, with the full support of Pasadena City College, pivoted swiftly from fostering entrepreneurship to acting as a vital hub for recovery, connection, and hope for women and small business owners in the wake of the LA fires. Tune in for this sneak peek into the upcoming Future of Work conference as we explore how partnerships between community colleges and organizations like the Women’s Business Center play a crucial role in mobilizing for recovery and rebuilding after an unprecedented disaster. You’ll learn: Why community is vital for entrepreneurs, especially during times of crisis, and what can be done to foster it where it does not currently exist. How the WBC is harnessing in-person community events, targeted education, and major funding support from philanthropic partners like Paris Hilton to empower women and small business owners. Why it is so important to focus on the unique landscape for women founders, focusing on leveraging their strengths and addressing systemic barriers. How WBC’s free accelerator programs are teaching small business owners to diversify revenue and build resilience, post-disaster. About the Guest: Lizzy Okoro Davidson is an LA-based entrepreneur, consultant, and public speaker who serves as the Director of the Women’s Business Center at Pasadena City College. With over a decade of experience in media, consulting, and public speaking, Lizzy has worked with leading brands such as Nike and Adidas. Before working with the Women’s Business Center, she founded Bunch Magazine in 2011. She has experience managing a team of 100+ creatives including writers, photographers, stylists and art directors in a dozen countries over the course of six years. Throughout her career, Lizzy has been dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs and fostering inclusive economic growth by providing the tools, resources, and support they need to thrive. Engage with us: JOIN THE FUTURE OF WORK CONFERENCE: , & : @PasadenaCityCollegeEWD Join our newsletter for more on this topic: Visit: More from Lizzy Okoro Davidson & Pasadena Women's Business Center at PCC LinkedIn: Website: Partner with us! Contact our host, Salvatrice Cummo, directly: scummo@pasadena.edu Want to be a guest on the show? Click to inquire about booking Find the transcript of this episode Please rate us and leave us your thoughts and comments on Apple Podcasts; we’d love to hear from you! /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/38570215

Transcript- Episode 154: Future-Proofing Global Trade: The Next Era of Ports with Mario Cordero, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Long Beach 09/30/2025

Transcript- Episode 154: Future-Proofing Global Trade: The Next Era of Ports with Mario Cordero, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Long Beach Mario Cordero [00:00:00]: When we started this program at Jordan High School, the ACE program, a few years back, there were two brothers, twin brothers whose parents, immigrants from Mexico, attending Jordan High School. And because of the ACE program, they really got into the field of engineering. So we kind of ignited a field that they weren't really familiar with. Those two kids today are about to graduate in the engineering school of Cal State Long Beach. Christina Barsi [00:00:29]: 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 adjust so that we can begin to project where things are headed before we even get there. So how do we begin to predict the future? Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:54]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cumo, vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this podcast. Christina Barsi [00:01:03]: And I'm Christina Barci, producer and co host of this podcast. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:06]: And we are starting the conversation about the future of work. We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable, and how to attain one of our highest goals, more internships and PCC Students in the workforce. We at Pasadena City College want to lead the charge in closing the gap between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. This is a conversation that impacts all of us. You, the employers, the policymakers, the educational institutions, and the community as a whole. We believe change happens when we work together, and it all starts with having a conversation. I'm Christina Barci. And I'm Salvatrice Cumo. And this is the Future of Work. Hi. Christina Barsi [00:01:54]: Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:54]: Welcome back to the Future of Work podcast. I am your host, Dr. Salvatriz Kumo. Today I'm joined by Mario Cordero, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Long Beach. Mario has spent his career at the intersection of law, policy, and global trade. He previously served as Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission under President Obama and now leads one of the biggest seaports in the United States. Under his guidance, the Port of Long beach has become a leader in both international commerce and environmental innovation. In our conversation today, we'll talk about how ports are shaping the future of global trade, how policy and infrastructure decisions ripple through local communities, and why sustainability has become just as important as cargo volume. Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:45]: Mario, it's a pleasure to have you with us today. How are you? Mario Cordero [00:02:48]: Oh, good, thank you. Saratres. Is that how you pronounce your name? Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:52]: Salvatore? Yeah. You did it. Mario Cordero [00:02:53]: Well, all right, so thank you for this kind of invitation. So excited to be here with you and again to tell our story and work with the academia in terms of what that future is for the next generation. Salvatrice Cummo [00:03:05]: You bet. You bet. Thank you. I wanted, you know, typically I start my podcast and thinking about what led you to this work. And the maritime industry is not where you started, from what I understand, but it was where you were led to. So can we talk about that journey? How did you. What led you to this industry? Mario Cordero [00:03:24]: Well, I think I'd have to say faith and destiny. And the reason I give that answer is because I've been very blessed in my life to have these tremendous opportunities that have been before me, given the fact that, you know, my parents are immigrants from Mexico. Neither one of them had a college education and my dad was a laborer, my mother was a housewife. So I was born in Los Angeles to the son of Mexicano immigrants. So they had one ask of their three children that they had, I'm the oldest, that we should all go to college. And hence those were the marching orders. And again from there, I think that I decided to go into the profession of law. Initially, I chose engineering because my father wanted me to be in a profession and the only professionals he ever ran into at the aircraft company he worked at were engineers. Mario Cordero [00:04:16]: So he wanted to make sure that we worked with our brain and not with our hands. And he would say that in Spanish. But the reason he would say that because he worked hard. And of course, you know, he was a laborer, simple laborer, and he just wanted to make sure his children moved up and terms of opportunities that were presented by this country. So my profession that I chose as I commenced to be a freshman at Cal State Long beach, was to move forward with the quest to be a lawyer, of which I am still a licensed attorney. But in 2003, the mayor of Long beach, the then mayor, Beverly O', Neill, appointed me to the Harvard Commission of the Port of Long Beach. And I served there eight years and I became really interested in the subject matter of port authorities, maritime, international trade. I continued to practice law. Mario Cordero [00:05:04]: Commission is not a full time job, so you continue with your full time job. And that's how I entered into this sector. And then thereafter, eight years later, after being appointed by Beverly Mu, I get this call from the White House unsolicited. That's why I said faith and destiny led me here, asking me, President Obama, if I was interested in being considered to be appointed to the Federal Maritime Commission. So am I going to say no? And then the rest is history. Salvatrice Cummo [00:05:33]: That's right. That's. How do you say no to an opportunity like that? Right, Right. But it speaks to the value of your work and the ethics of the work and the drive and the passion and fulfilling your parents vision for you. I too am a daughter, daughter of two immigrant parents. It was the same thing we came here. We came here for a purpose and a reason. It was to provide better life and leverage the opportunities that are available at our fingertips here in this country. Salvatrice Cummo [00:06:01]: That story resonates with me and so many and so many in our community. So thank you. I really thank you for sharing that with me. It was beautiful, absolutely beautiful. I also want to think about speaking of life and where we are right now with tariffs and policy and all of the noise around that, you know, those things, to us as someone who is, or many who are not in that industry feel like those are very abstract things. They don't impact us in any capacity. Or maybe we feel like we don't have control over those things yet. They do. Salvatrice Cummo [00:06:38]: They do have impact on our daily lives. And so I'm curious about how those shifts are showing up at the port of Long Beach. Mario Cordero [00:06:47]: Great question. So the issue of tariff policy is certainly not new in our history with regard to the application of tariffs. If you look back into the whole issue of the historical implementation of tariffs, even in the prior century, the movement to apply tariff policy was twofold. One, to protect domestic manufacturing and, and two, to address trade imbalances. So history tells you that terror policy to try to address those two issues have not been all that successful. Now we're talking about a globalized world of international trade that has existed for quite a number of years. What's interesting about today is there's a third reason to move forward with tariff implementation. As we see the administration presenting this third factor, which is as a negotiation to. Mario Cordero [00:07:44]: Hence, that's what has created some uncertainty ever since the declaration of the move to move forward with tariff implementation back in April, termed Liberation Day. And since that time it has had an impact and it has created uncertainty certainly in the maritime trade industry and in the business sector for that matter. And as far as the average American, the consumer, I think you'll start seeing that a more visible impact in terms of price increases. So again, I'm certainly not there in Washington to determine the good or the bad about this particular issue. I mean, there's some legitimate concerns that the administration has about the role of the United States in terms of manufacturing, in terms of dependency on one region with regard to manufacturing. And of course protecting American jobs. But clearly it has created uncertainty and we're still in that period. So hopefully at some point the business community will have some comfort that there's more certainty in the application and in the movement of these tariffs. Mario Cordero [00:08:58]: So we've seen that we went from 145% tax on China back in late April, and now it's substantially diminished with some preliminary agreements. And of course, now we're looking to November in terms of what that final trade agreement between the USA and China, the two leading trade partners in the world, what those final numbers are. So I think at the end of the day, yes, they've had impacts tariffs, but I think the concern that everybody has is the uncertainty of what those final numbers are, whether it's Asia, whether it's the eu, whether it's even Canada, Mexico. I think again, we'll see how this plays out next year. Salvatrice Cummo [00:09:37]: Yes, we may have to revisit this conversation next year to see where we're at and what impacts those are going to have on our daily lives and communicate that in a way that really resonates with our community. Speaking of policy, this year marks, from what I understand, the 20th anniversary of the green Port policy, and I believe it was formed back in 2005. Is that correct? Mario Cordero [00:10:00]: That's correct. Salvatrice Cummo [00:10:01]: Excellent. And then I've read the progress on this policy. What is one thing that you are most proud of as it relates to that policy? And kind of where do you see this going towards in the future as it relates to any breakthroughs or measurable impacts for the future? Mario Cordero [00:10:18]: So let's go back to the year 2003 when the then mayor of Long beach appointed me to the Harbor Commission. And her directive to me was she wanted someone on that Harbor Commission that had some sensitivity to the concerns of the neighborhoods and communities, more specifically with regard to the environmental impacts that communities suffered from port operations. Water quality, air quality. So that was my role in fulfilling that direction. In 2004, I presented a concept that we needed to be a green port. Now, Salvatore, back then, that most definitely was not popular in this industry. Salvatrice Cummo [00:11:01]: No, it wasn't. Not at all. Mario Cordero [00:11:04]: So the reason I say the concept was presented in 2004, it took some time to get enough support and a consensus by my colleagues on the commission to move forward to declare to the world that the port, Long beach, we are going to be a green port. It was formalized in January of 2005 by the act of the then Harbor Commission, declare that policy. In answer to your question, and I think this is Very important for students in academia. Everyone wants to make a difference, and hopefully a difference for the positive. So for those who want to make a difference in whatever career choice you make, what was more satisfying personally to me, that I acted on the directive of the mayor, which I agreed with, by the way, and that policy that was presented to this Harvard Commission in 2004, and finally I had enough support to move forward with it, most definitely made a difference in the port maritime industry. So I'm most proud of the fact that I could say that I made a difference that led actually to the call from the White House. Five years later. I didn't seek a position in the Obama administration. Mario Cordero [00:12:21]: I was happy practicing law here in Long Beach. My family's here. I'm on the Harbor Commission. Why would I want to go to Washington, D.C. and for less money, by the way. And the reason, I'm told, once I get there, when I present the question to the White House counsel over breakfast at the West Wing, I said, how did my name even come up in this conversation? And the answer was that the President wanted to appoint people with subject matter expertise. And I think President Obama was very good at doing that. But second, he wanted people, at least for this Federal Maritime Commission that had some sensitivity to some of the environmental sustainable issues that needed to be talked about. Mario Cordero [00:13:05]: And hence, in a meeting, my name came up, or better said, the Port of Long beach came up and they referenced there was this guy out there named Cordero who moved forward a green port policy. And the President said, contact that guy. So I think the green port policy, how that personally was an attribute to myself, although I don't like to talk about myself, but I'm answering your questions. To be candid. How much could a son of immigrants ever ask, one, to be a presidential appointee and two, that have a difference in this port sector, that today Port of Long beach is seen as a leader in environmental sustainability. And that I attribute to my colleagues, the commissioners and the present commissioners and the staff at the Port of Long beach, who, you know, been very blessed to have a tremendous staff at the Port of Long beach over the many years even preceding me, who acted on the directive of a policy declared by the Harvard Commission back in 2005. Salvatrice Cummo [00:14:05]: That's beautiful. And to me, when I hear you share that, it is the legacy, the legacy that you've created and you continue to build upon. Mario Cordero [00:14:15]: I didn't go to Washington thinking that I'm going to do this so I could come back and be the CEO of the Port of Long Beach. That was the furthest thing from my mind, you know, and that led to this job, that experience. And it led to the fact that I believe I'm the first Mexican American ever to be hired to be a CEO or executive director of a major port. And of course certainly the first in California given the population or percentile that we have in the demographics of the Southwest, which is a tremendous honor, that I certainly can't complain about my life or my career. Which goes back to my answer that I gave you. How did this happen? It was faith and destiny. So God's been very good to me. Salvatrice Cummo [00:15:04]: I love that story. It's about alignment too. It's about natural calling and natural alignment as well. It's the opportunities were presented to you, you were open to it, you were willing to put in the work, the expertise. And it was recognized, noticed and celebrated. And thinking about that moment and what you created, that has had a legacy. You're creating legacy there at the Port of Long beach and transformational movement at the Port of Long Beach. What would you say or what are you seeing kind of as the next breakthrough as it relates to reducing environmental impacts? Mario Cordero [00:15:44]: If I could answer a twofold response to that? Salvatrice Cummo [00:15:48]: Sure. Mario Cordero [00:15:48]: I think the next breakthrough for the Port of Long beach is when we are. When we accomplish our goal of zero emission operations. Right now our goal is to have zero emission cargo handling equipment at the Port of Long beach. Currently San Matrice. Of our six container terminals at the Port of Long beach and we're part of the largest container complex in the country. 20% of our cargo hanging equipment at our terminals are already zero emission. So that's not a great percentage. However, it's more than any other port in the country. Mario Cordero [00:16:19]: So our quest is zero. We're committed and we'll continue. Which includes zero emission trucks by year 2035. The second part of my response is what's the next step after that? How do we make a difference in the quest of renewable energy? And here we presented the concept of peer wind. That is a concept where the Port of Long beach stages and integrates the largest turbines, wind turbines in the world, and barge them up the California coast to central Northern California so that we could accomplish the vision of our mayor, excuse me, of our governor and our mayor, by the way, but our Governor Newsom, who has a vision of having 25 gigawatts of wind energy by 2045, I think certainly with the demand of energy that we're going to experience as a community not just in California, but in the USA in The global community for that matter. We absolutely need various sources of energy to accommodate the demand of our growing population. And last, the technology that's coming, data centers, AI. So I think that's going to be something for the Port of Long beach that certainly fits our value proposition in terms of not only do we pride ourselves in our commercial growth, we moved a record amount of containers in 2024, 9.6 million. Mario Cordero [00:17:45]: But we pride ourselves on how we do that and how we make a difference as a port to better our communities and our neighborhoods. And last, to address the security issue of making sure that we have the reliance on energy from various sources and in this case, moving the needle on renewable energy. Salvatrice Cummo [00:18:05]: What was impressive to me when we were just doing our research and reading up about all the things Port of Long beach, what was impressive and I don't know that our community outside of Long beach really knows this. But while emissions, from what I understand and correct me if I'm wrong, while emissions are being reduced, cargo is going up. One would think if cargo goes up, then emissions go up, but that's not the case. We're still seeing cargo increase, but the emissions are going down. And it's amazing, it's amazing how that's happening. It speaks to the commitment of the Port of Long Beach. And when I read that and when I heard that, I thought that is something to celebrate. That is something to voice and to and to build on that narrative. Salvatrice Cummo [00:18:50]: Am I right or is there a disconnect between the reduction of emissions and increase of cargo? Mario Cordero [00:18:58]: You're absolutely right. Let me give you the metrics or the empirical evidence to support that. So, you know, in 2005 we committed that we would be a port that would prioritize reducing harmful emissions from port operations. So right now we're celebrating 20 years of leading green and what we've done at that point. And I will say the Port of Lumber hasn't done this alone. We've worked with our regulatory agencies, the industry stakeholders, the carriers, the truckers, our tenants and our community, our elective officials. You know, I mentioned I was appointed by Beverly o', Neill, but I since that time we've had Mayor Bob Foster, Mayor Robert Garcia and currently Mayor Rex Richardson. And I can represent to you every one of those mayors prioritize this subject matter. Mario Cordero [00:19:53]: So it's been an effort by many. So the result has been that I can represent to you. Based on our latest air quality inventory report that's done by a third party vendors, not our staff, we have reduced diesel suit by 92%. Now, anybody who's driven the Long Beach 710 freeway, if you go back to 2005, San Ba trees, we literally had dilapidated trucks with black smoke coming out of the tailpipes because these were secondhand trucks that were primarily owned by immigrants who bought the cheapest truck out there, used to move containerized cargo within the region. Very polluting trucks. The vessels back then that came into the port and at birth had black smoke coming out of the smokestack. So over the... /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/38397130

Future-Proofing Global Trade: The Next Era of Ports with Mario Cordero, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Long Beach Episode 154 09/30/2025

Future-Proofing Global Trade: The Next Era of Ports with Mario Cordero, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Long Beach Episode 154 In this episode of Future of Work, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo speaks with Mario Cordero, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Long Beach and former Chair of the Federal Maritime Commission. Mario shares how the Port pairs competitiveness with sustainability, why the Green Port Policy still matters twenty years on, and what it will take to move toward continuous operations across the supply chain. From tariff uncertainty to zero emission goals and major rail investments, he connects policy choices to real impacts on prices, jobs, and the communities that live next to our gateways. You’ll learn: What the Green Port Policy has achieved since 2005, including major reductions in diesel soot, NOx, and sulfur oxides, while cargo volumes grew Why the Pier B on the dock rail expansion is central to speed to market and removes hundreds of trucks from freeways with each train How tariff shifts create uncertainty for business and consumers and what steadier policy signals could mean for local jobs What a move toward 24/7 operations would require across terminals, warehouses, and labor, and why the greater cost is doing nothing Why embracing AI as a tool, not a threat, is part of building a future-ready workforce About the Guest: Mario Cordero is Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Long Beach, one of the world’s leading seaports and a recognized pioneer in green port initiatives. Appointed CEO in 2017 after serving as Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission under President Obama, he oversees a staff of more than 500 and a $761 million budget. A longtime Long Beach resident, attorney, and former Harbor Commissioner, Cordero spearheaded the landmark Green Port Policy that has become a model for ports worldwide. He has also served on the boards of the American Association of Port Authorities, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco’s Los Angeles branch, and the L.A. County Economic Resiliency Task Force. Named to the Los Angeles Business Journal’s “LA500” list of top civic leaders for seven consecutive years, Cordero continues to champion sustainability, infrastructure investment, and workforce development at one of the nation’s busiest trade gateways. Engage with us: , & : @PasadenaCityCollegeEWD Join our newsletter for more on this topic: Visit: More from Mario Cordero & Port of Long Beach LinkedIn: Website: , , , : @portoflongbeach Partner with us! Contact our host, Salvatrice Cummo, directly: scummo@pasadena.edu Want to be a guest on the show? Click to inquire about booking Find the transcript of this episode Please rate us and leave us your thoughts and comments on Apple Podcasts; we’d love to hear from you! /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/38396875

Transcript- Episode 153: How Integrating New Media In Education Can Realistically Prepare Our Workforce With Rob Greenlee Founder of Spoken Life Media 09/16/2025

Transcript- Episode 153: How Integrating New Media In Education Can Realistically Prepare Our Workforce With Rob Greenlee Founder of Spoken Life Media 00:00:00 Rob Really, as you think about personal brand, for me, it's about building relationships and building trust. If a person understands that you're out there to contribute and participate and be involved, I think that the online media world is a terrific place to start that path for you. And I think it also has benefits being able to connect with future employers, being able to connect with people that are working at other companies. 00:00:29 Christina 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. 00:00:42 Christina But we need to understand how to change and adjust so that we can begin to project where things are headed before we even get there. So, how do we begin to predict the future? 00:00:54 Salvatrice Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College, and host of this podcast. 00:01:02 Christina And I'm Christina Barsi, producer and co-host of this podcast. 00:01:06 Salvatrice And we are starting the conversation about the future of work. We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable, and how to attain one of our highest goals: more internships and PCC students in the workforce. 00:01:20 Salvatrice We at Pasadena City College want to lead the charge in closing the gap between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. This is a conversation that impacts all of us. You, the employers, the policymakers, the educational institutions, and the community as a whole. 00:01:40 Christina We believe change happens when we work together and it all starts with having a conversation. I'm Christina Barsi. 00:01:47 Salvatrice And I'm Salvatrice Cummo, and this is the Future of Work. 00:01:51 Salvatrice Hi everyone, and welcome back to the Future of Work Podcast. I am your host Salvatrice Cummo. Today, we will be talking about the podcast industry and how new media is becoming a prominent tool for all of us, and where we see it heading in the future. We will also discuss how this new media and traditional education should overlap. 00:02:11 Salvatrice With that being said, we want to welcome none other than Rob Greenlee, Vice President of Partnership at Libsyn: the first podcast hosting platform. Mr. Greenlee has a rich background in new media, starting with the early days of the internet and was, of course, one of the ones, the first ones to jump into podcasting space back in 2005. 00:02:31 Salvatrice At Libsyn, Rob does everything from developing podcast content, distribution, paid subscriptions, advertising opportunities, and its podcast partners. He has been at his role since 2019, and we are absolutely thrilled to have him with us today. Good morning, Rob. 00:02:49 Rob Good morning. It's great to be here, Salvatrice. I appreciate the opportunity to join you. And as I love to do podcasts, this is like right in my wheelhouse. So, what I like to every day, so this is fun for me. 00:03:01 Salvatrice Well, thank you. I'm glad it's going to be fun. It's fun for me too. So, I'll tell you what, why don't we just jump right in if you don't mind. I've got a list of questions for you and I think that this is going to be super exciting to better understand again, new media and the braiding of education and the future of work. 00:03:17 Salvatrice So, with that said, Rob, if you could share with me what led you really to this path and this work, and why it's something that really kind of continues to be of interest to you and drives you in this space? 00:03:32 Rob Yeah, I think from the highest level, it's really, for me, I'm a marketing guy. I got a marketing degree in college and I spent years working in the grocery industry of all things pre-internet. And so, got kind of basically attracted to the internet as a marketing vehicle, and as a marketing tool to create deeper connections with customers, and then utilizing content to help reach customers in a different way and to build trust relationships and to build direct relationships. 00:04:03 Rob I had a really strong background in advertising, promotion, PR, and all that kind of stuff. So, you can kind of see how that was like, well, this is the way that I can reach a global market with what I'm doing. And I actually started to do that. It basically turned into a career. I walked into a radio station, created a radio show back in 1999, and then started to use that content online, and build an audience and build distribution and all that kind of stuff. 00:04:28 Rob And it really took me down a path of being a content creator online. I had never been really a content creator prior to that. So, it was really kind of a new frontier for me. And it really helped me, I think in a lot of ways, expand my skillset, build some confidence, not like what I spent years doing in playing competitive sports. You just get in and you start refining your skills and you get better and better and better, and you help others along the way. And that was kind of what got me into this. 00:04:55 Salvatrice Great. I imagine that you've seen media just evolving so rapidly, I think, in the last, I would say 7 to 10 years. I would even say less than that. And I wonder if there's emerging platforms that you're noticing that we need to pay attention to as new media continues to evolve. What are you seeing right now in this role, what are you seeing as emerging platforms? 00:05:18 Rob Well, I think the emergence or in some cases, I think if you have a historical perspective on online media, it's a little bit of a return to the values of the earlier days, at least in the podcast medium or video, was a very important part of podcasting. I mean, a lot of newer people to podcasting don't realize that, but in the early days of the podcast medium, about 30% of the market was video podcasts. And that was delivered to listeners via a download, just like the audio is today. 00:05:47 Rob But when we saw YouTube start back in 2007, it basically siphoned all that content away from the downloadable version of video into more of a streaming experience and free hosting and just massive potential of audience building on the YouTube platform. And so, I think what we're seeing right now is kind of a return to that to some degree. 00:06:10 Rob And I can't say that I can speak to specifically why that's happening here over the last couple of years, but I do think that there is kind of this ubiquity of internet access now and fast speeds that is enabling video to kind of go to another level. 00:06:26 Rob So, I think about kind of the cutting edge trends. I think and also, in combination with many people are kind of consuming less mainstream media. So, when I see corporate media, I think people are starting to have trust issues with corporate media. So, now, they're kind of gravitating over to independent voices and I think to some degree, that's happening around podcasting too. 00:06:49 Rob I think the trust factor is one of the biggest drivers I think of the digital media landscape right now of anything. And just the diversity of voices, the diversity of thought - I know that there's a lot of tension around misinformation and things like that. But if you can cut through that kind of cloud of misunderstanding, I guess, and really get to common sense, you can start building trust. 00:07:15 Rob And I do think that the digital medium right now is really starting to plow in that direction. And video is becoming more and more important. That's not to say that audio isn't very important. I think both of them can ride together and help each other. And I do think that there's people out there that are primarily video consumers and there's people out there that are primarily audio consumers, and there's some that like to do both. 00:07:36 Rob So, I think it makes sense that we're pushing a little bit harder on the video side. And I think we're all still trying to figure this out. And I think the video transcends into other platforms other than podcasting too, like TikTok and reels and Facebook and LinkedIn, and these other types of platforms are also becoming more and more important in people's lives. 00:07:57 Salvatrice Yeah. You've mentioned corporate medium and the trust factor. Folks are just not trusting corporate media right now. And what I'm understanding is that individual voices are dominating the space and it has been, I think - I think it's a combination of our environment, current events, social events. I think that it's obviously amplified right now as it should. I'm a firm believer of it. 00:08:22 Salvatrice But what trends do you think that you're seeing or what behaviors perhaps are you seeing with corporate media right now in building the trust back? And I ask this question because as educators, specifically within community colleges, it's important for us to have a relationship with our employers so that it informs curricula. 00:08:41 Salvatrice But when you have a space, for example, the space that we're talking about right now with new media, where employer AKA the corporates are not valued in this space, it's really individual voices. Like I wonder how do we as educators build for potential occupations in this space. So, that's why I was asking that question about what corporate is doing. Are they reexamining their approaches because that's going to inform us on how we build up for these potential occupations. 00:09:12 Rob I think that it's really a matter of finding voices in those organizations that can build trust. That may be difficult for some organizations to accomplish. And other ones, it'll be smooth sailing. But I do think that people generally trust people. I don't know that ... at least over the last few years have been growing in their trust of brands. 00:09:33 Rob So, I think as you think about how people communicate and be successful online in a career or as part of a company, I think those personal relationships that are developed with people representing those companies has become increasingly important over time, which also drives back to a different kind of skillset that needs to be valued in those companies or those corporations or those media companies that are trying to build trusted personal brands. 00:10:05 Rob And one terrific way of doing that is video. And another one is doing a podcast that's trying to help others, trying to communicate value, building some level of entertainment, but yet driving value to listeners. So, you can see how the trends in the marketplace are shaping the content creation side of the online media world. And I think it does propel us in a direction. 00:10:30 Rob I think younger people are seeing this. I don't think it's lost on them, the impact of TikTok and Facebook and Twitter and podcasting and especially, YouTube. I think it's having a transformational impact on our culture and our society and our education system about how we value skills. 00:10:50 Rob I think one of the most important skills, and this is something I developed when I was younger, because I didn't really have presentation skills because I played competitive basketball and I didn't talk. So, I've had to grow up in this medium and learn how to present and communicate, and going from not really speaking very much because I had a little bit of a speech impediment when I was younger, to getting up on stage and keynoting at events around the world, and doing podcasting is something that I've had to learn how to do, and had to struggle at times to learn how to do. 00:11:25 Rob And I think that's going to be more and more the journey that we see younger people go through. Some people have natural abilities in this area and other people don't and they have to learn how to do it. They have to just get out there and put themselves out there and start building their community and building trust with other people. And I think it's going to be key to success in pretty much every career. 00:11:46 Rob To some degree, I'm not saying every career needs to have a podcast or every career has to have a large video brand out there that's associated with them. But I do think that the skills that are needed are the same. Just like what we're doing here, trying to do this conversation, I think a lot of people do video calls, I think a lot of people get in front of their supervisors or their boss and need to present themselves on a microphone or in a call or something like that. And these are all skills that are relatively new. 00:12:16 Rob I think the pandemic really exposed the need. I mean, I laughed when I saw a lot of the mainstream media personalities that are so professional in the studio being forced to become podcasters. They failed miserably for the first three or four months until they got their act together. So, I think that was a terrific example of the transformation that we've experienced here over the last couple years, because we were all locked home. 00:12:43 Salvatrice Right. The skillset of presentation is, to your point, transferable across all occupations, across all sectors. But I wanted to maybe kind of unpack a little more about the skillsets because I heard two things. I heard building the skillsets for our new talent, but then I also heard that there's the skillsets within existing organizations like corporates and others that they have to build upon. 00:13:09 Salvatrice Is there any other skillsets that you're saying Salvatrice, like yes, communication's important. Yes, presentation's important. But are there any other perhaps technical skillsets or soft skills that we need to be paying more attention to? 00:13:21 Rob Yeah, I do think that there's technical skills that are important on this and one of them is creating an environment that is clean sounding, looks good. Like I've set up in my office here, especially after the pandemic started because I started doing so much online video. You know, I got studio lights in here, I got a higher quality camera. You know, I have audio gear, you can see I have a professional microphone. 00:13:45 Rob But I am a podcaster and I've done live radio for many years as well. So, I'm a little bit ahead of the curve. I didn't buy this mic like last year, I bought it 2009. So, if that tells you anything, how long I've had this, but it's just a matter of learning about how to create content online and creating quality audio and video. 00:14:05 Rob Because as you look to the future, I think many people are going to be judged on that, and how they show up in their videos, whether it's dressed up for an interview or doing a call with some sort of media company that wants to just do a recording with you to talk about your company or your job or what you're doing. 00:14:25 Rob I like what we're doing right here. This is a common practice for me that I've been doing actually for, I don't know, probably since 2010. I've been doing things like this. So, it's just a matter of getting yourself positioned and knowledgeable and trying to get as good a quality of production of what you're putting out because it will reflect on you, your professional skills. 00:14:47 Salvatrice As I heard you say that, I was thinking through rapidly all the services within our career center and we don't do any of this. I'm sitting here going, why are we not preparing our students in front of the camera? Hello? Like we just went through a pandemic, everything's been flipped upside down, why haven't I spearheaded that momentum around preparing our students to be in front of the... /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/38201930

How Integrating New Media In Education Can Realistically Prepare Our Workforce With Rob Greenlee Founder of Spoken Life Media Episode 153 09/16/2025

Transcript- Episode 152: Why Apprenticeships Are The Pathway To A Sustainable Future Workforce 09/02/2025

Transcript- Episode 152: Why Apprenticeships Are The Pathway To A Sustainable Future Workforce 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 too much? Is it because, well, like I haven't been sold on the value? It's like let's dig in deep, so speak to us. 00:00:37 Christina 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. 00:00:50 Christina But we need to understand how to change and adjust so that we can begin to project where things are headed before we even get there. So, how do we begin to predict the future? 00:01:02 Salvatrice Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College, and host of this podcast. 00:01:11 Christina And I'm Christina Barsi, producer and co-host of this podcast. 00:01:15 Salvatrice And we are starting the conversation about the future of work. We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable, and how to attain one of our highest goals: more internships and PCC students in the workforce. 00:01:29 Salvatrice We at Pasadena City College want to lead the charge in closing the gap between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. This is a conversation that impacts all of us. You the employers, the policymakers, the educational institutions, and the community as a whole. 00:01:49 Christina We believe change happens when we work together, and it all starts with having a conversation. I'm Christina Barsi. 00:01:56 Salvatrice And I'm Salvatrice Cummo, and this is the Future of Work. 00:01:59 Salvatrice Welcome back, this is Salvatrice, your host. I'm joined today by my friend and colleague in Economic and Workforce Development here at Pasadena City College, Ms. Leslie Thompson, who is our Director of Operations. Welcome to the show, Leslie. 00:02:16 Leslie Hello, thank you. 00:02:18 Salvatrice This is a really good time for us to pause and have some one-on-one dialogue. I think you and I are involved in this work so intimately and I have the honor and the privilege to interview so many individuals across this county and across the country. 00:02:34 Salvatrice You and I have never really talked about some of this stuff. I mean, we do outside of course, the podcast, but we never really take a moment to talk about some of the things that you and I face everyday within our work, and how it really influences the direction of the podcast. Real time, real talk. 00:02:53 Salvatrice So, you and I had attended the Future of Work Conference. First of all, we put on our own Future Work Conference, but what I meant to say is that we did attend the economic forecast not too long ago. 00:03:05 Salvatrice And a reoccurring theme that comes up at a federal level, at a state level, and at a local level are apprenticeships, and how valuable they are, not only to the student, but more importantly to the employer and their role in shaping our future talent. So, I kind of wanted to spend some time like you and I chatting about it. How do you feel about that? 00:03:27 Leslie I think that's great, I think apprenticeships are a fun topic. I mean, for a long time, everybody's talking about internships, but internships are also valuable. But apprenticeships are unique in a lot of ways and I think it's a worthwhile topic for sure. 00:03:37 Salvatrice We have seen some issues with apprenticeship. There's the obvious of the administrative part of itm and the coordination that involves the Department of Labor, but what else are we seeing? What is the root issue? Why aren't we doing more of it? 00:03:53 Leslie I think there's also issues with labor unions and trying to align apprenticeships within that structure so that it makes sense for everyone involved, that we're not trying to take away jobs or take away opportunities from folks. We're trying to create pathways into those trades, particularly the trades - just trying to create pathways into those arenas. 00:04:12 Leslie So, there's a labor component, not just department of labor - but like labor unions, if you're talking about certain trades. There may be issues there. 00:04:20 Leslie The flip side of it, like you said, administrative challenges for the colleges who are trying to navigate this work. Like with any new program, there are always a lot of, not just learning curves, but kind of roadblocks or things that look like roadblocks, but they're not really roadblocks, we just don't know yet. 00:04:36 Leslie So, there's a lot of learning that has to happen, but I know it's an area of focus across the region, across the state. At the state level, it's an area of focus and that's where we're headed and it's super important. 00:04:47 Salvatrice You were a former employer at one point in your career, technically. Had I come to you and said, "Look, we need to build an apprenticeship program with your organization." How would that sit with you? Erase the fact that you know what you know now, but at the time. 00:05:04 Leslie No, if I'm just like average employer, and I know we're talking about apprenticeships, but I also liken it to like even just internships. If someone were to come to you as an employer and say, "I would like to create a partnership with you whereby I provide you with students to do work for you, but here's a bunch of rules." 00:05:21 Leslie It has to be meaningful, it's not like you can't bring an intern in like go fetch coffee. It's like it has to be tied to program of study. You have to meet all these rules, you also have to have all these insurances in place because we can't just send our students out there if you don't have all your ducks in a row. " 00:05:35 Leslie It would depend on the size of the employer. I think in this scenario that you're describing, I would consider myself a small business at that point, I mean small to mid-size business at that point. And I don't know that I would've had all those ducks in a row. I think I would've because it was tied to the college at the time. 00:05:50 Leslie But your average small employer may not have all those ducks in a row that they need to accommodate that request. And it would depend on what the apprenticeship looks like. What's the ask? Like how are you tying it to a program of study? What am I going to get out of this when I complete this apprenticeship? I'm going to be certified or I'm going to have some sort of degree, and I'm pretty much guaranteed a job, I hope. 00:06:09 Leslie After I get out of it, it depends on if I'm the employer, if I can provide those things, those educational components, and if I can guarantee that trajectory, that would limit my engagement. I might be like, this is a lot. 00:06:20 Leslie That's why it's important for the practitioners at the colleges and other entities to be well-versed, to have the pitch on hand. When you're out there talking to employers, like this is why it's better, this is why it's great. And I don't know that that works the same for apprenticeships as it does for internships, but that's what I liken it too, the request to place interns. 00:06:40 Salvatrice I agree with you. I agree that it is overwhelming for an employer. I would imagine that it would be incredibly overwhelming because there's many moving parts. It's not as simple as what most employers might be used to as an internship or a paid internship. 00:06:54 Salvatrice Although, internships do have agreements and MOUs with employers, but they're not tied to the Department of Labor, they're not tied to potentially unions. And typically, within an apprenticeship program, you certainly could have one employer. If this one employer is securing (just throwing a number out there) - 50 placements. 00:07:19 Salvatrice Okay, then let's do an apprenticeship program with that solo employer. But typically, what we see is there are multiple employers in a cohort of an apprenticeship program. There could be four, there could be five, very specific to an industry, for example, plumbing or ... 00:07:37 Leslie An electrician. 00:07:38 Salvatrice An electrician, that's right. I mean there's so many different, what we like to call trades, very specific, high-skilled, high-certified occupations, well-paying. I'm going to underscore that as well - well-paying occupations. So, I think it merits us to pause and really talk about why is it important? Why does it matter? 00:07:58 Salvatrice Why does it matter that employers get involved in the apprenticeships and students do too? Why does it matter that colleges make a concentrated effort in developing apprenticeships? And lastly, why does it matter for our federal and state government to support the apprenticeship programs? 00:08:18 Leslie I think from a college perspective, obviously, it matters to colleges because for apprenticeship programs to be viable, you have to have a certain percentage of classroom component. So, you need the colleges to be partners, and I think, again, we've made the argument and had the conversation time and time again, why community colleges are the best place for all things workforce. 00:08:36 Leslie Like it makes sense that the community colleges are going to drive this, it makes sense that we're going to be integral partners because there is a component for classroom learning that enhances the on-the-job training that these students receive at the employer level, so the colleges have to be involved. 00:08:53 Leslie Why is it important for employers? Because they get a hand in actively kind of molding the workforce that they're going to be hiring from. And in many cases, they hire maybe the people that they have as apprenticeships and they get them and they've trained them and it's just great for them. 00:09:08 Leslie But again, they're going into this workforce that that employer and the next employer and two other employers in the industry, all employers in that industry are going to be pulling from, and it makes that pool that much better. So, it's just win-win for everyone. And then from the student perspective, it's paid on the job training that leads to, as you said, in many cases, high-paying occupations, it's win, win, win. 00:09:31 Salvatrice It really is, and I do want to acknowledge though, Leslie, that we've come to some barriers around apprenticeship in the cost associated in developing apprenticeships. 00:09:42 Salvatrice So, for us, yes the outcomes are all win, win, win, but there are real serious hiccups around the development of apprenticeships because of the high cost involved, and I think that's why we're seeing this influx of money coming from the state, and assisting the colleges. 00:10:01 Salvatrice I feel like the colleges have done a really good job in vocalizing like, look, we want to do it too, we're all in it. But A, we need the human capital first, and in order to have the human capital to fulfill these kinds of apprenticeship programs or our engagements, we need the capital itself. So, I just feel like we're in a really good sweet spot right now to do some serious work. 00:10:26 Salvatrice So, knowing that Leslie, what do we do from here? And what do we do from here when we know that the cost associated with these apprenticeship programs is really one of the biggest barriers. I feel like that's the biggest thing. Although the state's being super awesome right now and acknowledging that and providing more. 00:10:45 Leslie So, I think that yes, that funding is one of the primary barriers because without the money we can't do anything, but I think there are other barriers as well. The state is given money, I think when they're issuing for the grants that just came down, you get the planning grant, they're acknowledging that you're going to get money to spend time to do the planning, because that's going to take some effort. 00:11:05 Leslie And then you have execution, even the state seems to be acknowledging that this is going to take a minute. And it's not just about giving you money and telling you to hit the ground running, you have to plan this out and you have to do it because there's other barriers, like limited employer engagement. We have to figure out how to address that. And we've had this ongoing employer engagement issue, so that's one of the problems. 00:11:20 Leslie Another one of the barriers is the regulatory barriers. Meaning that regulations related to apprenticeship's vary by state to state, they're nuanced in some cases. And you have to learn all that, you have to know all that, that's another barrier you have to work with. 00:11:36 Leslie The education and training resources, the community colleges, again, are the best place to do it, and they have to be prepared to supplement that on-the-job training with relevant classroom experience and relevant curriculum. And the curriculum may have to be updated. 00:11:51 Leslie There's so many things that have to happen, it's not just money. The state is handling that component, it is a big component for sure because without the money we can't do all these other things, we can't even do employer engagement without some money, everything takes money. 00:12:02 Leslie So, there are a number of barriers, I think, that funding is just one. So, where do we go next? I think we start addressing each of those barriers as we can as we go. The funding is a big help, the state providing that funding and creating that kind of call to action by saying, "Hey, this is what we want to do and we want to have X number of apprenticeships by this year - giving that kind of goal for the community colleges I think is really great, and then funding that goal is also really great. 00:12:25 Leslie But in terms of next steps, we're in the planning phases, at least at PCC, we're in the planning phase. We need to be intentional about that and what does that mean, and how do we address all the other barriers? Because that's what the planning stage is about, addressing the other barriers. 00:12:44 Salvatrice That's right, I also wonder, when you were talking about program development and curriculum and curriculum redesign or implementation or fill in the blank - I wonder if there's elements of ed code that gets in the way. There are industries that are traditional, and curriculum design can wait a year. 00:13:06 Salvatrice And that individual that goes through that apprenticeship is still going to... /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/38011470

Why Apprenticeships Are The Pathway To A Sustainable Future Workforce Episode 152 09/02/2025

Transcript- Episode 151: Powering the Future: Rebuilding Resilient Workforces for Tomorrow with Tracey Pierce, Chief People Officer at LADWP 08/19/2025

Transcript- Episode 151: Powering the Future: Rebuilding Resilient Workforces for Tomorrow with Tracey Pierce, Chief People Officer at LADWP 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 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 adjust so that we can begin to project where things are headed before we even get there. So, how do we begin to predict the future? Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:56]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this podcast. Christina Barsi [00:01:05]: And I'm Christina Barsi, producer and co-host of this podcast. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:08]: And we are starting the conversation about the future of work. We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable, and how to attain one of our highest goals: more internships and PCC students in the workforce. We at Pasadena City College want to lead the charge in closing the gap between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. This is a conversation that impacts all of us, you, the employers, the policymakers. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:39]: The educational institutions and the community as a whole. Christina Barsi [00:01:42]: We believe change happens when we work together. And it all starts with having a conversation. I'm Christina Barsi. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:50]: And I'm Salvatrice Cummo. And this is the Future of Work. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:56]: Hi. Welcome back to the Future of Work podcast. I am your host, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo. Today, we're joined by Tracy Pierce, the Chief People Officer at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Tracy brings a rare blend of public and private sector experience to one of the largest municipal utilities in the country. With over 30 years in HR and organizational leadership, from healthcare systems to global corporations, she's now helping guide LADWP's workforce through a time of huge change, innovation, and opportunity. We're talking about what it means to lead people through transformation at scale, especially in a city like Los Angeles that's actively rebuilding, whether it's recovering from natural disasters, keeping up with tech change, or tackling climate goals. Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:47]: Tracy's work is part of a bigger story about how we build stronger, more, more resilient systems from the inside out. Tracy, welcome to the show. Tracey Pierce [00:02:57]: Oh, thank you. I appreciate the invite, and I'm glad to be here. Salvatrice Cummo [00:03:00]: Thank you for joining our cal,l and thank you for being a part of this podcast. Tracy, I'd like to just jump right in and talk about your journey and what led you to LADWP. Tracey Pierce [00:03:12]: Well, I think it's a culmination of many things I've always followed. Big transformational work. I think that's what I enjoy the most. Areas that are looking to evolve from wherever they are. It's great learning for me. It's taken me to three continents, and the ability to say, yes, I'll give that a try, is kind of how I got here. My last Organization started at 55,000 and ended at 170,000 through acquisition and mergers. And so the opportunity here, although unexpected because I've never worked at a utility, it was really several interactions that took place, and I was so impressed with the CEO, Janice Canaroth, that I said, yes, I would want to work from that person because I think I could learn a lot from her. Tracey Pierce [00:04:02]: And I think what LADWP is facing is something I'd like to be a part of. So that's really kind of how I got here. Salvatrice Cummo [00:04:10]: Fantastic. Fantastic. Well, LADWP plays a vital role in keeping LA running. Right, we know that. And the city is in the middle of rebuilding across many focuses. Infrastructure, climate, resilience, and even equity. What does rebuilding LA look like for you in your seat? Tracey Pierce [00:04:32]: It's significant, but it's also something that's been planned and mindful anyway. We knew we were going to have the World Cup. We knew we were going to host the Olympics. We were. Tracey Pierce [00:04:44]: We know we have 4 million customers that we're trying to ensure that we give high-quality, low-cost water and power to. So, those things are always at the forefront with our customers and our community being probably the top priority. And this element of continuous improvement, where the complication comes of an unexpected, you know, the fire unexpected. And I think the Los Angeles, for the size of the city, has always had a capacity to show resilience and come out better and stronger. And quite frankly, that's what I suspect will come from this is that we're going to end up being better and stronger in the rebuild. It allows us to be innovative. It allows us to do things that we're on the project to do quicker. Is it a choice you would make? No. Tracey Pierce [00:05:33]: But again, with A community full of people that all their paths have led them to this great city and to be part of this community. We know how to take up where we are and progress forward. And I think that's one of the most impressive things that I've learned in the time that I've been here. That is what Los Angeles is made up of. A lot of migrants that have kind of come to America, made it great, and have made the city great. And we get the pleasure of being in service to those people. Salvatrice Cummo [00:06:00]: Yes, it's certainly like a community of collective impact. It's so large, it's considered a country. It's considered its own country at this point. You know, to have those impacts that are desperately needed. A utility like LADWP plays a critical role in all of that. And one of the major goals I think that I understand is around sustainability and clean energy. And I was wondering, what is your approach to those goals, and how are you building teams to kind of take that on? Tracey Pierce [00:06:34]: Yeah, we have significant goals around sustainability and clean energy. Things like delivering energy with net-zero kind of greenhouse effects. That's one of ours. Greenhouse gas emissions. That's one of our building local sources of water supply through water recycling, groundwater emissions, and all kinds of other projects that require skills that we have today and emerging skills that we need to recruit for tomorrow. All of these are really huge undertakings. And we're doing it with the idea that building a workforce that has the capacity today, but also the knowledge to grow with what we're facing. And so for an HR person, that means every time I look at a role, I look at the role of what the role can emerge to be. Tracey Pierce [00:07:21]: When you talk about alternative fuels, when you talk about hydrogen, and yet I have to meet our organization where they are, because we have a lot of great people that we also want to make sure that we take them along the journey. So that's a skill up. So identifying. Are you organically growing? Are you skilling up, or are you hiring quicker, faster in partnership with the city to bring that talent in space? It is daily work and regular discussions to make sure we prepare ourselves for. And we don't wait to deliver on those things. We have to be prepared to move quickly but wisely. Salvatrice Cummo [00:08:01]: Right. Salvatrice Cummo [00:08:01]: And speaking of that, being prepared quickly and wisely, and you mentioned something incredibly important, which is upskilling the existing workforce. And so we continue to have these conversations. Yes, those are two really big goals. But we're also being faced with how AI and automation play a role in executing and implementing some of these goals. And I'm curious to hear from you. As AI and automation become more embedded into the water infrastructure, how are you building your teams, or how are you acquiring new talent or upscaling the existing talent to be more comfortable with it and not be overwhelmed by these new tools? Tracey Pierce [00:08:40]: Probably the most important thing is to meet people where they're at. There's a lot of perceptions that are often wrong, that to accept and kind of use AI means someone's losing their job, when in actuality the reality is the use of AI will be for those kind of very simple repetitive things so that your team and staff can go on to more complex things. It's not about replacing people, it's really about ensuring when you do the work that you are able to do your work and get to the work that drives the, the deliverable to the ratepayer as opposed to those kind of simple reoccurring thing. That's number one. And where does it make sense to use AI? It's not a blanket slate. You have to be incredibly thoughtful as to where AI makes sense. We're never going to lose the desire and the need for the human touch as we interact with our community and our ratepayers. And I would not want anyone to think that we will be so automated that somebody can't have a conversation with a person if they're having difficulties with their service or something like that. Tracey Pierce [00:09:45]: So, first is to educate and make sure that people understand. The level of maturity that AI is today is not necessarily where we will use it. It is that we want to evaluate how it can further enable us to be more efficient, more accurate in the services that we render with whatever technology, frankly, not just AI, whatever technology. Most recently, we had a significant implementation of Workday, which just brings a lot of legacy platforms, different verticals into one integrated system. And with that technology, it requires that you just look at your work differently. It's no longer vertical divisions, it is a holistic, integrated. So I have to know what's going on in payroll, I have to have conversations with people in benefits in order for the system to really benefit us. So AI is one component, but today the most important component I think, is making sure that our employee has a development plan, has a continuous improvement mindset, and is committed to ensuring that we give the best service to our rate payer. Tracey Pierce [00:11:02]: And in doing so, we'll identify how the other pieces integrate to that to make us better at what we do. That was probably very long winded. Salvatrice Cummo [00:11:11]: Oh no, it's perfect. It's Perfect. Because it kind of makes me think about, you know, you mentioned an integrated system across all areas, because that integration is essential to the development of people and the services that are being offered. And I wonder, it makes me think about innovation in general. Innovation within a legacy system like LADWP. What does that look like? How do you do that? And maybe even just the example of that integrated system across departments is a good example. But I often wonder because we struggle with it too, right? We're a huge system of community colleges, and it sometimes can become quite challenging to do innovation that's in an environment that's embedded with such heavy policy and culture that sometimes is resistant. So what does that look like in an organization as essential as LADWP? Tracey Pierce [00:12:05]: I think it's really critical that you have a lot of conversations with your employee based around what the goals of the organizations are. Help people understand what's in this. For me, I think one of the reasons that I'm sitting in the Chief People Officer role, a role that didn't exist before Janice, is to further the importance that none of this works without the human in the conversation. So innovation is a word that lots of people like to throw out. But innovation may be something as simple as why wait for a new employee to arrive before you start the onboarding process? What would it be like for that person to receive a welcome letter and have all their equipment ready to go, and to have a buddy when they arrive? Depending on where the organization is, that could be considered innovation all the way over to the ability to put in underground equipment to make sure that we lessen the burden and the danger of having overground wiring. There's different levels of innovation depending on where the organization is and what it is we're talking about. So I think the first thing to do is to identify what is innovation or what's the improvement with the situation and the condition that you're referencing. It's a very broad, applicable word. Tracey Pierce [00:13:33]: So speak and integrate it where it makes sense. You don't innovate for innovate sake and nobody uses the tool or nobody uses the process, then that was a waste. So getting an understanding and bringing people along is critical. Absolutely critical. You got to bring the staff along. I know, by the way, very clearly in all my years what I continue to learn. The subject matter experts are the people doing the job. My job as a leader is one, to listen more than I speak, and then two, to make sure people know that they've been heard. Tracey Pierce [00:14:06]: And if we are going to use a suggestion, galvanize people around it. And if we're not, which is as important, explain why they're not right so that people know they were heard, and this is why the decision was made. I think those are all critical to innovation and to get the innovation to stick within the organization. Salvatrice Cummo [00:14:26]: And how do you combat resistance to it? Tracey Pierce [00:14:30]: Resistance is often part of just a fear. I don't understand it. I don't know what we're doing, why we're doing it. And therefore, what I am comfortable with is what I will stay with, redefined as resistance. Why are you resistant? What is it? What could we do to make you more comfortable? And 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, 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. Tracey Pierce [00:15:09]: 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 take the necessary steps to adjust, you know, to adjust. But articulating the why and what the impact is to those who have to conform to it I think is very, very critical. And so I don't like to use the word resistant or believe that they're not well informed. And so we need to do better in that space. Salvatrice Cummo [00:15:34]: Yeah, I really liked how you reframed that. Just in the reframing of words makes it more digestible and easy to hear. Because you're right, it's just information. And until we all have the appropriate information, then we can move forward with solving a problem, thinking differently about how we operate. Even the examples you used on onboarding, right? Tracey Pierce [00:15:58]: Yeah. It seems very simple when you hear it. Well, yeah, of course. Right. But that's not what you're doing. It's not that simple. Salvatrice Cummo [00:16:04]: That's right. That's right. I want to shift gears just a little bit on what we just experienced. We experienced the disasters, most recently the L A fires, unpredicted. Just an absolute heartbreak for the L A region. And with climate changes being what they are, we know that we're going to continue to see more, unfortunately, of some of these natural disasters. And so I'm curious, from your perspective about your workforce strategies, how does that impact or not the workforce strategies that you have in plan for LawDP? Tracey Pierce [00:16:39]: Oh, no, it absolutely impacts the approach. You know, first of All I should give a shout out to that incredible team that got so many people back up and running in a time frame that people are still talking about. The work that was done from the day one to day 14 was incredible. And so I say again, you don't wish for a fire, but I have to tell you, if a fire has to happen to la, they could not be in better hands with the emergency response team that we had from LADWP and you know, as much from the fire and other city organizations. They really came together and worked as a team and got the community back on track. So that was fantastic to be a part of under such a terrible situation. Salvatrice Cummo [00:17:24]: That's right. Tracey Pierce [00:17:25]: What it ends up doing as far as your workforce is the readiness. And frankly, it is not just. I think there was a tsunami warning this morning. So yesterday evening, all through the evening, we were having a chat to say, where are we? What do we need to do? When we look at the types of teams that we're building around emergency management, we have a whole office that's around emergency management and we're making sure that the office is populated with subject matter expertise, but also with a trained team horizontally across the organization where each department had to contribute personnel to be part of that team. So that when we are informing our staff, it's not because the emergency is here. So there's a lot of proactive preparation work that is occurring that I don't know would be occurring 15 or 20 years ago. Right. I think often on the back end of emergencies, fantastic minds get together, think and come up with responses so that anything in the future would not go that way. Tracey Pierce [00:18:38]: It would. That return would be faster, would be quicker, would be far more responsive. So what does that look like in work? I can tell you our customer service department, as an example, did not go down. We still had in multiple language service, and we were still delivering in minutes to the customer. So you train people for those situations that you hope never happen. Right, right. And I think we are far more conscious in a place like California. Everybody should have that out bag. Tracey Pierce [00:19:11]: If there's an emergency, it's in your car, and you go right. You don't you have an emergency exit plan with the family? I mean there's other places you would go that. That sounds like a foreign thing, but that shouldn't be a foreign thing. Today, just given we're speaking specifically about weather, but how people operate today, the sensitivities that we're all currently facing, you have to be empathetic and sensitive with your workforce. Not knowing what they had to go through to even get to the office. Salvatrice Cummo [00:19:40]: That's right. Tracey Pierce [00:19:41]: Right. So I'd like to think we have a huge sensitivity around that. We had employees that were impacted by the fires ourselves. And as a public entity, you well know, we took care of our own. We made sure people knew that we were in support of them. And I was so proud. That's all I can say. I was just really proud and very humbled how people came together. Tracey Pierce [00:20:03]: So our job now is to be proactive and have a workforce that understands emergencies can happen. Hope we never need these skills, but we are going to train to make... /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/37826075

Powering the Future: Rebuilding Resilient Workforces for Tomorrow with Tracey Pierce, Chief People Officer at LADWP Episode 151 08/19/2025

Powering the Future: Rebuilding Resilient Workforces for Tomorrow with Tracey Pierce, Chief People Officer at LADWP Episode 151 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 workforce. You’ll learn: How LADWP is preparing for the future through workforce training and development The role of AI and automation in transforming the water and power sectors How disaster recovery and emergency preparedness are integrated into workforce strategies Why LADWP prioritizes community involvement and values its civil service employees The importance of partnerships with community colleges in developing a workforce ready for tomorrow's challenges About the Guest: Tracey Pierce is the Chief People Officer at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), the largest municipal utility in the U.S. She joined LADWP in August 2024, after serving as Senior VP of Learning & Development at CommonSpirit Health. With over 30 years of experience in Human Resources across healthcare, solar energy, semiconductors, and publishing, Tracey has led large-scale transformations, talent development, mergers, and crisis management initiatives. She oversees all HR functions at LADWP, focusing on workforce innovation, strategy, and union relations. Originally from England, she holds an MBA in International Relations and Marketing, a Master of Public Administration, and is a seasoned executive coach. Engage with us: , & : @PasadenaCityCollegeEWD Join our newsletter for more on this topic: Visit: More from Tracey Pierce & Los Angeles Department of Water and Power LinkedIn: Website: & : @LADWP & : @LADWP1 Partner with us! Contact our host, Salvatrice Cummo, directly: scummo@pasadena.edu Want to be a guest on the show? Click to inquire about booking Find the transcript of this episode Please rate us and leave us your thoughts and comments on Apple Podcasts; we’d love to hear from you! /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/37826030

Transcript- Episode 150: 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 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 getting an education. But we need to understand how to change and adjust so that we can begin to project where things are headed before we even get there. So, how do we begin to predict the future? Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:03]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this podcast. Christina Barsi [00:01:11]: And I'm Christina Barsi, producer and co-host of this podcast. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:29]: And we are starting the conversation about the future of work. We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable, and how to attain one of our highest goals: more internships and PCC students in the workforce. We at Pasadena City College want to lead the charge in closing the gap between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. This is a conversation that impacts all of us. You, the employers, the policymakers, the educational institutions, and the community as a whole. Christina Barsi [00:01:34]: We believe change happens when we work together, and it all starts with having a conversation. I'm Christina Barsi. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:52]: And I'm Salvatrice Cummo. And this is the Future of Work. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:57]: Hi. Welcome back to the Future of Work podcast. I am your host, Dr. Salvatrice Cummoumo. Today's guest is Maria Salinas. Maria is the President and CEO of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. She made history as the first woman and the first Latina to lead the organization, bringing a wealth of experience from both the corporate world and the civic space. Today we'll be talking about what it means to rebuild Los Angeles, not just physically or economically, but in a way that supports long term opportunities for everyone who calls this region home. Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:33]: We'll also explore how public private partnerships and employer led workforce methods and models are shaping what's next for the work in LA. Maria, such a pleasure to have you here. Welcome back. Maria Salinas [00:02:47]: Thank you so much for having me. It's such a pleasure to be here with you. Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:51]: You bet, you bet. We're going to dive right in. I have the privilege of knowing who you are and your work and knowing about your journey. But for those who might be new to you, and the organization. Can you share a little bit about this is my favorite question, by the way, of all my guests, is how you got here. What led you to this point of CEO and president of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, if you could share your journey for us? Maria Salinas [00:03:16]: Oh, absolutely. I think, you know, a leadership journey sometimes is definitely not, at least in my case, not planned. I know a lot of times we talk about, you know, the importance of planning, and I would say it's more the importance about being intentional about the work that you do. And I think for me, my whole career, when I look at, you know, being intentional about being in business, have a finance background and wanting to make sure that I understood all the different elements of, you know, finance, accounting, and how that really moves decision makers in business by just understanding the numbers. So, you know, that's how I ended up in my job with organizations like Ernst and Young and the Walt Disney Company and even to go off on my own and do my own consultancy with major organizations and to be able to be, again, intentional about, you know, the work that I was doing and how that could lead to greater decision making by business leaders. So through the course of that, you know, I developed an expertise in an area that was highly sought after in terms of serving on nonprofit boards, community boards, with civic organizations. And at the core of who I am, I've always been a person that wants to do more in community, whether it was through education or through some other kind of civic work. And just wanting to see the communities being lifted up, I think is in its broadest sense. Maria Salinas [00:05:02]: And so to me, the leadership journey was about bringing those two pieces together. My professional expertise and then love for community, and before I knew it, you know, was serving on some pretty big boards here in Los Angeles, had the opportunity to do some really sophisticated work in the business space. Mergers, acquisitions, sales, transactions, I mean, that all is really led to me even taking leadership roles on boards. I was the chairwoman of a community bank in Los Angeles. I had been the board chair of my alma mater, the University at Loyola Marymount University. Really high profile roles that really, you know, test your leadership, right? Because when you're in those boardrooms, you need to make decisions that are in the best interest of the organization that you're serving. I think that caught the attention of the Chamber. And when I was initially having the conversation about the role, my first instinct was, well, I'm not a Chamber executive. Maria Salinas [00:06:17]: As I looked into it further, it really resonated with me, the impact that a role like this, leading an Organization as prestigious as the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the impact that that could have in the broader Los Angeles community in lifting that up, in lifting up members and communities together alongside each other for the benefit of having greater economic mobility in Los Angeles. Salvatrice Cummo [00:06:52]: I love that. I mean, you're leading a group of collective to create that impact. And your role in lifting up the community takes a strong effort to do a lot of the collaborative work of the Chamber. And again, you know, bringing thought leaders such as ourselves in one space to figure out how do we create greater impact, how do we have broader reach, how do we solve XYZ problem? And that leads me to kind of think about, of course, again, so I have my own lens, right through my lens, I know very well the work of the Chamber and the value and the impact and how wonderful the Chamber to have a Chamber of Commerce, LA Chamber of Commerce specifically within our community. And for those who may not understand or quite get the concept around chambers or, or sometimes, you know, we may think we have an idea of the work of a chamber and certain things get overlooked, it'd be really great for our audience to truly understand what the Chamber actually does. You know, again, I have a close look at it, but some of our audience members may not. It would be great to hear from you. You know, what does the Chamber actually do? Maria Salinas [00:08:02]: Absolutely. Yes. So the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce is actually a regional chamber. So it's one of the largest chambers by far in Los Angeles. Very influential across the state and also across the country. It's recognized as one of the chambers that oversees one of the largest economies that we have here in Los Angeles. I mean, the state is recognized now as the fourth largest economy. But when you really look at the greater Los Angeles area, it's a big driver of being that fourth largest economy. Maria Salinas [00:08:43]: So, you know, at its core, the Chamber is the business advocate. We represent the interests of businesses. But I think that the LA Chamber goes deeper than that. The LA Chamber is really about the broader Los Angeles region and everything that it includes. We have a vision that says a thriving region for all. It doesn't say a thriving region for business. It's a thriving region for all. And so when I think about that, and I think about all the great thought leadership that came into the Chamber to define that vision. Maria Salinas [00:09:23]: It was about realizing that we're the caretaker of this region and the caretaker of an economy as well as the caretaker of a community, of the well being of the community. So we define it a little broader than maybe others might be thinking of just, you know, strictly focused on that business lens. I think we go broader in that regard and understanding that every element of a community has an impact on the regional economy. So if you're in the education field, you are developing the workforce of the future, and that is something that is very critical to businesses. If you are in government, you are developing the policies that businesses need to operate in, so you become a very important constituent stakeholder for a chamber. So when I think of the role of the Chamber, it is in its broadest form as being a caretaker of this region. And I think we do it through ways that, you know, we always talk about our convening power. We can bring together multiple views and come to the table to provide a solution. Salvatrice Cummo [00:10:45]: I love that. You know, with that said, you and I have seen, and our audience, I'm sure our members have seen as well, that Los Angeles has gone through quite a bit between pandemic recovery, natural disasters, economic shifts. What role is the Chamber playing specifically in that regard in helping LA rebuild? Maria Salinas [00:11:05]: That is like our core work. It really is. You know, if everything that you just mentioned, the economic shifts, how are we making sure that we understand those shifts, that we understand how to respond to shifts that are happening? That to the extent there are policies that are enacted, how do we make sure that there's a good education of the broader ecosystem that understands and can implement policies that are enacted more recently? The wildfires, you know, itself on the rebuilding, there are so many different implications for an organization like the Chamber to be an advocate for home building, to be an advocate for the environment, and to be an advocate for preparedness in general. I mean, these wildfires really took a toll on the economic landscape of these particular neighborhoods. And so how do we make sure that we restore that as quick as possible? That may mean having policy changes. And that's where the Chamber comes in to weigh in, to speak to elected officials, to state organizations, to meet with local leaders and ensure that they are hearing the voice of maybe small businesses or maybe neighborhood associations or maybe residents that are seeing pain points. Insurance is one that comes up a lot. And organizations like a Chamber of Commerce lean into those pain points. Maria Salinas [00:12:57]: That's what we do. That's our job. Salvatrice Cummo [00:12:59]: Thank you for sharing how the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce is really aiding in the rebuild because of all these shifts that we have been faced with, as we mentioned earlier, pandemic recovery, natural disasters, and now the rebuild. And. And of course, our economic shifts. And we've had our attention taken away from what's right around the corner from us in exactly three years, maybe a little bit less, are the Olympics. And so big moments like the 2028 Olympics are just right around the corner for us. How are you thinking about these events not just as a global spotlight, but as an opportunity to build lasting infrastructure and create opportunities for la. Maria Salinas [00:13:43]: Yeah, thank you for asking that question because I think this is LA's moment, probably not the only moment, because we're LA, but LA28 is going to be one of the largest Olympics, the biggest Olympics by far in Olympic history. There will be five new sports that are introduced. There are 206 countries that will be participating in the Olympics. This is a no build Olympics. So meaning Los Angeles has all the venues and facilities that will be available for to carry out these Olympics. This will be the Olympics that will have more female athletes than in prior Olympics. So those are just a little, little few facts that I have garnered as I've met with the LA28 team. I think it's incredibly important for all of us to play a role in the preparation of the region to host the Olympics, to host visitors that are expected to be somewhere. Maria Salinas [00:14:54]: I think it was shared that we expect to host 15 million tourists that will be coming into the region for the Olympics. So I think that that's says a lot about the importance that Los Angeles is going to have on the world stage. The LA Chamber is committed to be a good partner with LA28, with the City of Los Angeles and all the ancillary groups involved to make sure that we have the best experience not only for the visitors, but for the residents of this region as well. That means that we want to make sure that people can participate, that people can attend, that people can go to activations that there are tickets that are affordable. I understand there'll be something like 13 million tickets and about a third of those will be under $100 that our businesses are ready to enter, contracting and to do work in preparation for the Olympics. And if those businesses aren't that, that they're ready to have the influx of visitors, that they've got the inventory and that they've got a little marketing and signage and that they understand the paths, the transportation paths to head into, you know, the venues that you have. These venues are not concentrated just in the downtown LA area. It's, you know, Pasadena will be a venue here. Maria Salinas [00:16:30]: There are many, many opportunities for members of this region to participate. And at the end of the day we believe that it's an economic opportunity for many. And again, how do we lift up communities to take advantage of being on the world stage? So it's going to be a very exciting time. And I tell my team, I'm like, this is a moment in history. And to be part of the Chamber during this moment, moment in history, is very important for us to play a role, and we will play a role. Salvatrice Cummo [00:17:10]: Thank you. There's so many moments, so many moments that the Chamber is playing an incredible role in the history of Los Angeles as a region. And I'm glad you mentioned the small vendor community and the small businesses that are being impacted. I mean, this is going to be another example of how an event, anything massive happening to Los Angeles creates economic shifts, creates lasting infrastructure, and probably calls out some of the things that we thought, well, it's going to call out areas of improvement. Right. And that's okay. And that's okay. That's the natural part of evolving as a region. Salvatrice Cummo [00:17:48]: And then kind of tying the loop around private public partnerships is, if I'm not mistaken, I believe our Women's Business Center is working collaboratively with your team on a vendor stadium accelerator so that we can prepare the small business community to compete for spots within the stadium. Oftentimes, you know, you and I see it all the time. We see the small business community wanting to participate in such large, beautiful events, and it's the greatest thing for them in all areas of business. However, it requires a certain amount of access to capital, it requires a certain right amount of employees, it requires efficiencies in their processes, and the list goes on and on. So we thank you, too. Thank you for allowing the team to work with our team on that accelerator. I think it's going to be fantastic. Maria Salinas [00:18:39]: And you know, the other thing to mention, you know, you talked about the public private partnership, the get in the game. We launched the game initiative to help specifically those small businesses, those local small businesses that are looking to understand what that procurement process is. So we wanted to be a little fun about it and we said, we want you to get in the game. And we know that training is important, that technical assistance is key, and the access to capital that you mentioned, all those elements are really important. Salvatrice Cummo [00:19:15]: Yeah, thank you for doing that. I mean, that's a huge thing. I mean, the procurement process in itself is complex for those who are in it day to day, like you and I. But then you have a vendor small business who wants to get in the game, and it's layered with so many different variables and processes, and it's like, how do we navigate this thing? Maria Salinas [00:19:35]: You know, absolutely. And I think a lot of that, what we're trying to do with our get in the Game initiative is to make sure you're clear on what the rules are, like, what your compliance requirements are. But to also understand that it's not just these Olympic items. There's so many other things that are mentioned, like all those countries, all the sponsors that will be doing activation will need support. That's right, the supply chain here in Los Angeles, so. Salvatrice Cummo [00:20:07]: That's right. I mean, it takes a community. Well, this full circle, full circle. It's going back to what you started with, which is it takes a community to uplift a community. And you're leading that effort for the region. And. And it's beautiful. Thank you. Maria Salinas [00:20:22]: Exciting. Salvatrice Cummo [00:20:23]: Very exciting. Incredibly exciting. And I've seen it in action and have been a part of some of those conversations. And it goes without being said that the LA Chamber does impressive work around advocacy like no other organization I've ever seen, to be quite honest. And I'm not biased, I'm not just saying that because you're sitting here in front of me and as a member of your board. But I'll tell you what, I mean, anytime we, as a city, as a region, Los Angeles region, have stumbled across a pain point, the LA Chamber has always been there, front and center, trying to figure things out, specifically around the arena of policy. And so we thank you very much for those efforts because it creates strides, it solves problems. Maria Salinas [00:21:09]: Thank you for saying that. Because I think it's important that there's an organization and there are several others that can lean in to things that are hard and rebuilding is hard, global are hard. There's so many things that are hard. But you need an organization that can kind of be your firefighter, you know, in the context of the public policy landscape. Because some of these things are not easy to figure out. But when you know that, okay, this is a state issue, so we need to follow up at a state level that's important for us to recognize. Salvatrice Cummo [00:21:55]: Yes. Speaking of complexities, you and I have been in this conversation about workforce development, which is very different from economic development and the Chamber, you specifically talk about employer led workforce development. And so what I thought what we talk about a little bit is really what that means. I've seen you advocate for employer led workforce development. Let's talk about, you know, really what that means and how it's really helping people prepare for jobs, for the jobs of tomorrow. Maria Salinas [00:22:26]: Yeah, no, definitely. And I think I completely enjoy working with our educational institutions. I think a lot of people know that I have a special... /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/37627820

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 150 08/05/2025

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 150 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 critical to long-term resilience, and what an employer-led approach to workforce development means in practice. You’ll learn: What the LA Chamber actually does and how it balances business needs with community well-being Why rebuilding LA means investing in policy, preparedness, and people How the “Get in the Game” initiative is helping small businesses compete for Olympic contracts What employer-led workforce development looks like 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. Engage with us: , & : @PasadenaCityCollegeEWD Join our newsletter for more on this topic: Visit: More from Maria S. Salinas & Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce LinkedIn: Website: , , : @LAAreaChamber LinkedIn: Partner with us! Contact our host, Salvatrice Cummo, directly: scummo@pasadena.edu Want to be a guest on the show? Click to inquire about booking Find the transcript of this episode Please rate us and leave us your thoughts and comments on Apple Podcasts; we’d love to hear from you! /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/37627800

Transcript- Episode 149: 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 07/22/2025

Transcript- Episode 149: 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 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 adjust so that we can begin to project where things are headed before we even get there. So how do we begin to predict the future? Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:43]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cumo, Vice President of. Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:46]: Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this podcast. Christina Barsi [00:00:52]: And I'm Christina Barci, producer and co host of this podcast. Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:55]: And we are starting the conversation about. Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:57]: The future of work. Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:59]: We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable equitable and how to attain one of our highest goals, more internships and pcc. Students in the workforce. We at Pasadena City College want to lead the charge in closing the gap between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. This is a conversation that impacts all of us. You, the employers, the policymakers, the educational institutions, and the community as a whole. Christina Barsi [00:01:30]: We believe change happens when we work together. And it all starts with having a conversation. I'm Christina Barci. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:37]: And I'm Salvatrice Cumo. And this is the Future of Work. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:42]: Hi. Welcome back to the Future of Work podcast. I am your host, Dr. Salvatrice Cumo. Today I am speaking with returning guest Dr. Noel Hasegaba, Chief Operating Officer at the Port of Long Beach. Dr. Hasegaba has been a key leader in shaping the port's sustainability strategy, guiding digital transformation and driving infrastructure investments that connect global trade with local economic development. Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:09]: With over a decade at the port and prior experience in both public and private sectors, he brings a wide lens view of the supply chain's evolving role in LA's resilience. In this episode we'll explore the port's role in rebuilding the Los Angeles's economy, the insights gained from the supply chain crisis and what it will take to modernize logistics and prepare Future Ready workforce. Dr. Hasegaba, welcome back to the show. It's a pleasure to have you again. How are you? Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:02:39]: I'm doing very well, Dr. Kumo. And thanks again for having me. It's always a pleasure to talk to you. Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:44]: Thank you so Much. We're going to dive right in. I mean, you're a returning guest. We had such a great conversation at the first round, this second round, diving a little bit deeper into some of the work that you've been focusing on. And I want to just to remind our audience about who you are and how you came about this work. How did you find your way into this world of supply chain and what kept you here? Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:03:06]: Well, it's a story I'd like to tell because I hope it inspires those who are watching to pursue careers in supply chain logistics. I fell into the industry like so many others when I was in college and even in graduate school. Supply chain, logistics, distribution, management, they weren't career paths that were well known or promoted. I was working at the time in the private sector after having served in public service at the municipal level. And I stumbled across this opportunity this way. I was attending an event that was hosted by the Port of Long beach, and I had purchased my ticket online. I showed up the day of the event, picked up my seating assignment. I walked to the table where I was assigned and every seat was taken. Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:03:54]: So there was either a mix up or someone took my seat by mistake. And so I ended up not complaining or doing anything. I simply looked for another seat at another table. And at that point in the program, there were only a few tables that had open seats and they were tables furthest away from the podium. So I found the seat and sat down. Lo and behold, the person sitting right next to me happened to be the director of human resources for the port. And we did some small conversation. She asked me about my career path and I told her. Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:04:24]: And I had to leave a little early, so I excused myself politely and she asked me for another business card, which I thought was a little interesting, but I gave her my business card. And 10 days later, in my mailbox at my work office, I received the job bulletin for what eventually became my first job at the board. So it was not. It was not something I was planning for. I mean, I think it's providential, but it's been an amazing run. I've been with the Port of Long beach now 15 years, have held four different leadership positions with increasing responsibility. And I love what I do, I love the organization and the fact that I can sit down with folks like you to talk about all the exciting things that I get to do here at the port. Salvatrice Cummo [00:05:06]: That's amazing. What a beautiful story to remind us about how things just happen. They happen for a reason. And you were there. It was an Alignment. It was your purpose and alignment. And I love that story. And while your time there, you've had some time through your leadership roles and kind of thinking through the economy from when you started and now. Salvatrice Cummo [00:05:25]: Right. And just major issues and opportunities as well. Right. Like we've had some real significant highlights in the last decade. What would you say during your time where you told yourself like something major has to change here in how we conduct ourselves or just business in general? Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:05:41]: A great question. Because it forces us to reflect on what's working, what's not, and to think about the future in a thoughtful way, which sometimes we're too busy to do. I will tell you that the supply chain crisis that was triggered by the pandemic forced us all to rethink how we do business here at the port of Long beach, but also across the supply chain. And I like to say, Salvatrice, that prior to the supply chain crisis, ports in general, they were invisible. And no one really thought about ports. They didn't really give much thought to what a port does. But when folks started going to the store to buy appliances or to buy apparel or footwear, and the store shelves were completely empty and the excuse they were given by the store clerks was stuck somewhere at the port, it forced people to understand what a port does and more broadly what supply chain is. So I like to say that during the supply chain crisis, ports went from being invisible to being infamous because everyone was blaming us for the shortages, for the delays, and all of a sudden we became important. Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:06:49]: And so today I think most people understand what a port does. So that's one thing, but the other thing we learned is how to collaborate and coordinate better logistics and supply chain. It's a team sport and it's a system of systems. And we're all better together to the extent that we can collaborate, share information, share data, and put each other in the best position to optimize our operations. And for that reason, last year, for example, calendar year 2024, that was our all time best in terms of container volumes. Would you believe that we handled more cargo than ever in our 114 year history with zero congestion, zero delays? And that's because we learned during the supply chain crisis how to work better, how to be more efficient, how to, how to share information. So I think that's certainly one area that we have learned from one area that is going to help us build into the future. Because during that timeframe we also continue to invest aggressively in our infrastructure. Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:07:53]: I mean, we've invested more than $5 billion in the last 15 years. And we're on track to invest another $3.2 billion. And that's just the Port of Long beach alone. So as we build out our infrastructure, we're also enhancing our operating practices, our operating procedures, to make sure that we're maximizing the benefits and advantages of our infrastructure. Salvatrice Cummo [00:08:15]: Would you say there were any other wake up calls to change? I mean, you gave a really great example of when grocery stores are saying, well, our shelves are empty, blame the poor. You know, what were some other wake up calls that you can say, Salvatore? This was a moment where I said to myself, this had to change. Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:08:34]: Well, during the supply chain crisis, we experienced a significant shortage in the workforce all throughout the supply chain. And I'm not just talking about dock workers, truck drivers, rail operators, I'm talking about warehouse workers, those who work for companies that provide critical services to ports like ours. And it was a wake up call in the sense that 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. And that is why here at the Port of Long beach, we have industry leading programs and initiatives to support our partners across the supply chain in the area of workforce development. Salvatrice Cummo [00:09:24]: Excellent. Would you say those are something that an initiative or a programming that you've led? Because I'm kind of curious about what are some of the changes that you particularly have led or have witnessed where you say to yourself at this moment, because we've done this, it makes the port stronger and more prepared for the future of work. Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:09:44]: So it's evolving. Salvatrice Cummo [00:09:45]: Okay. Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:09:46]: When I first joined the port back in 2010, we had a very strong education program where we endeavored to collaborate with our local school district, in this case Long Beach Unified School District, our community college, our state university, and create a pathway, a pipeline to expose young students to port and logistics and supply chain. And we started with one high school, Cabrillo High School in Long Beach. And that program is now about nine years old. It's the Academy of Global Logistics and it is now a district wide pathway so students who are in high school and can choose that pathway. And what that does is that it sets them on a path to explore careers and logistics at the community college level and at the state university level as well, whether it's Long Beach, State or other universities. Well, today we have three other pathways. Salvatorese, partnering With Jordan High School, for example, in Long Beach Poly High School and others. And we're developing different pathways focused on stems, focused on sustainability, careers and automotive repair. Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:10:56]: And this is all in an effort to broaden our efforts as a port authority and get as many of our youth in our local community to benefit from careers in logistics. So that's one area. The other thing we're doing, and I think we're doing fairly well, is we're also partnering with our trades and our unions, and we're asking them, what are your needs? What do you forecast in the future you will need in the form of skills? And we're partnering with them, as well as a community college to develop curriculum and programs to start attracting youth into those career paths. So we're taking a very comprehensive approach. It's not something that you would expect a port of 40 like ours to do, but we believe that if we want to be successful in the future, we got to invest in our workforce. And they may not end up working for our port, but they may end up working for a terminal operator, a shipping line, a rail company, a trucking company. And we want to do our part to make sure we have that workforce ready to do that. Salvatrice Cummo [00:12:01]: Thank you. Thank you for doing that. That's. That's a big lift. It's a big lift, and it's a big commitment, especially for an entity as large as a Port of Long Beach. And. But you mentioned something very important where you said, we're also partnering and we're also talking with the local unions to identify the needs gap so that we can build a comprehensive program. So typically, when we hear employers talking about programming, it's very singular, focused in their area. Salvatrice Cummo [00:12:32]: Right. Whereas you're saying. No, we recognize that while, yes, we're preparing the upcoming workforce into pathways such as the Port of Long beach, there are other areas of expertise that are needed out in the industry as a whole. And so congratulations. Kudos on that. Because it is difficult to do. Everyone thinks it's really easy to do those kinds of comprehensive programming and integrated work. That it's very, very difficult. Salvatrice Cummo [00:13:00]: It takes. Right? It takes. There's a lot of moving parts layered with policy and all that good stuff that we follow. So thank you. Thank you for doing that. I want to congratulate you on that because that's a big lift, but it's a lift worth, especially preparing for the future of work. So thank you. Thank you for that. Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:13:17]: Well, that's very kind of you, Salvatrice. And I will say we have an amazing team Here at the port, who focuses on that entirely. We have a workforce development team under our government relations division, and they're really the ones who are moving the needle and establishing those critical partnerships. So thank you for recognizing that. Salvatrice Cummo [00:13:35]: Excellent, excellent. I want to shift gears just a little bit and talk about public perception. Right. We all face that as entities. Community colleges do, too. The perception has definitely shifted in the recent years. And you kind of alluded to that moments ago with the story about the grocery stores. But how have you seen it change, even from, you know, let's just say five years ago. Salvatrice Cummo [00:14:00]: Okay, five years ago to now? How have you seen the public perception change, and how has it affected collaboration across sectors? Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:14:08]: I love the question because when I first joined the port back in 2010, the world was different. And I'm not exaggerating. Right. The world itself was different. The industry was different. And so much has changed. And throughout that time, I'm pleased to say that based on the surveys that we have done, perception, the community perception of a port like ours has actually improved. And the reason for that is because we've become much more responsive to the needs of our surrounding communities and neighborhoods. Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:14:38]: For example, this year, 2025, marks the 20th anniversary of our green port policy. And Salvatrice, back in 2005, when the port of Long beach made that bold declaration that it was going to be a green port, there was so much resistance. There were so many naysayers that were saying and were suggesting that that would never be possible. Well, here we are, 20 years later. Every category of emissions has decreased significantly. I mean, it's been an extraordinary run, all thanks to the collaboration of our industry partners, the ships, the operators, our dock workers, everyone pulling together to invest in cleaner equipment. We invested in cleaner infrastructure. So that's one reason why perception of a port like ours has improved. Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:15:28]: In general, though, as you noted, people in general are more knowledgeable about ports and logistics. They now understand that most of the products that we buy from stores like Walmart, Home Depot, Target, et cetera, those products weren't manufactured in the U.S. they came from overseas. Asia in most cases. And so those goods have to get here somehow. And that's how people start making the connection between what they buy from the store and how it gets here. And that has been an incredible lift for us because now it's easier to explain to the public who we are, what we do, and how we support them. For example, we just released our economic study. Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:16:12]: The Port of Long beach alone supports 1 in 17 jobs in the region. That's over 700,000 jobs, Salvatore. That's over a million jobs in California. California. And that's almost 3 million jobs across the United States. So we're a massive economic engine, and we want to promote that. Right. We want the public, we want the Los Angeles region to know that their port assets are working for them. Salvatrice Cummo [00:16:40]: You say 1 in 7 or 1 in 17. Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:16:42]: 1 in 17 across Southern California. And that's just the Port of Long Beach. Right. When you combine Long beach and Los Angeles together, the numbers are essentially doubled. Salvatrice Cummo [00:16:52]: Wow. Salvatrice Cummo [00:16:52]: Spectacular. Well, speaking along that same thread of local jobs and the workforce, how have the recent tariffs or trade policy impacted these local jobs now? And how do you see them being impacted or not for future? Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:17:09]: That deserves its own program. Salvatrice Cummo [00:17:12]: It sure does. Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:17:13]: That has certainly been top of mind for us. It's been an unprecedented, uncertain time. When President Trump was campaigning last summer and when it was looking like he was going to be reelected, there are a lot of people who are thinking as it relates to trade policy and tariffs, we've seen that movie before, right? We lived it back in 2018, 2019. But I will say this. When you compare what happened in 2018 and 2019 and what's going on this year, just in the. In the last six months, it's vastly different. I mean, this is not just a rerun of that movie. It's not even a sequel. Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:17:51]: It may include the same characters, but it's a completely different approach to trade policy and tariffs in terms of scope and scale. I mean, think about this. The retaliatory tariffs announced on Liberation Date applied to virtually every single trade partner that the U.S. has. So back in 2018, 2019, it was primarily focused on certain key trade partners. For example, China. And by the way, that was an important fact. We were disproportionately impacted back then because China at the time, they accounted for about 70% of our business here in Long Beach. Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:18:25]: Today, that's down to 60%. Salvatrice Cummo [00:18:27]: Okay? Dr. Noel Hacegaba [00:18:28]: And so we're keeping a close eye on tariffs because they certainly influence. They certainly impact cargo flows, they affect consumption. Right. So far, we haven't seen the brunt of it. I mean, as a matter of fact, we've seen the opposite effect, because a lot of shippers motivated to get their product in before tariffs go into effect, they've been doing what we call a lot of front loading. So they've been advancing their shipments. So for that reason, for the... /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/37486625

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 149 07/22/2025

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 149 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 from invisible to essential, and how the port is now investing in people, partnerships, and innovation to keep the economy moving. You’ll learn: What the supply chain crisis taught port leaders about resilience, visibility, and coordination How the Port is investing $3.2 billion in clean infrastructure and digital modernization How tariff policy and global trade decisions ripple through local jobs and LA’s economy Why “goods movement is the economy in motion,” and what that means for every Angeleno About the Guest: Dr. Noel Hacegaba is the Chief Operating Officer at the Port of Long Beach, the nation’s second-busiest seaport, where he oversees daily operations and long-term strategy. He led the Port’s response to global supply chain disruptions and is currently spearheading its digital transformation through the Supply Chain Information Highway. With over 26 years of experience in both public and private sectors, including managing a $200 million portfolio at a Fortune 500 company, Dr. Hacegaba brings deep expertise in logistics, infrastructure, and economic development. He holds degrees from USC and a doctorate from the University of La Verne, and serves on multiple national industry boards. Engage with us: , & : @PasadenaCityCollegeEWD Join our newsletter for more on this topic: Visit: More from Dr. Noel Hacegaba & Port of Long Beach LinkedIn: Email: Websites: , , , :@PortOfLongBeach Linkedin: Partner with us! Contact our host, Salvatrice Cummo, directly: scummo@pasadena.edu Want to be a guest on the show? Click to inquire about booking Find the transcript of this episode Please rate us and leave us your thoughts and comments on Apple Podcasts; we’d love to hear from you! /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/37486610

Transcript- Episode 148: Building Belonging: How the YMCA Shapes Community Recovery with Victor Dominguez President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles 07/08/2025

Transcript- Episode 148: Building Belonging: How the YMCA Shapes Community Recovery with Victor Dominguez President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles 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 to make our communities and businesses stronger is at the core of getting an education. But we need to understand how to change and adjust so that we can begin to project where things are headed before we even get there. So, how do we begin to predict the future? Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:03]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this podcast. Christina Barsi [00:01:11]: And I'm Christina Barsi, producer and co-host of this podcast. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:29]: And we are starting the conversation about the future of work. We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable, and how to attain one of our highest goals: more internships and PCC students in the workforce. We at Pasadena City College want to lead the charge in closing the gap between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. This is a conversation that impacts all of us. You, the employers, the policymakers, the educational institutions, and the community as a whole. Christina Barsi [00:01:34]: We believe change happens when we work together, and it all starts with having a conversation. I'm Christina Barsi. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:52]: And I'm Salvatrice Cummo. And this is the Future of Work. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:54]: Welcome back to the Future of Work podcast. I am your host, Dr. Salvatrice Cumo. Today, we're joined by Victor Dominguez, the first Latino President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles. With over 24 years of service in the organization, Victor has held roles spanning from Executive Director to Chief Mission Advancement Officer. Under his leadership, the LAY has expanded programs like the Foster Youth Initiative, launched the Center for Community Well-being, and led powerful regional responses during times of crisis. We will be talking about how the YMCA redefines its role in Los Angeles as a central force in rebuilding community post crisis, especially through youth development, nonprofit collaboration, and systemic support. Victor, welcome to the show. Victor Dominguez [00:02:45]: Thank you. Salva Terese. Really appreciate being here. Thank you for having me. Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:49]: You know, I want to start our conversation by first thanking you and all of the work that you put into our response here with the Eaton fires. You were the first one to come aboard with us and respond to our crisis and we are incredibly grateful for that work. You were here with us every single day. And so thank you. Thank you for jumping in and helping out. Victor Dominguez [00:03:12]: Thank you so much, Reece, that the feeling is mutual. You were the first partner we called and the first partner to say yes and to stay committed to this work. I'm so forever grateful to PCC and the care that you have for your students, for your faculty, for your staff, but also for those who have been impacted by the fire. Salvatrice Cummo [00:03:30]: Thank you. Thank you. And you know, I like to always start the podcast with how did you get here? And so if you don't mind, let's dive right in, and then we'll circle back to how you've helped us here at PCC and helped our communities. You know, you've been with the YMCA now for over two decades, from what I understand, and I'm always curious about what drew someone to this work. So what drew you to this work initially, and what has kept you committed to the work? Victor Dominguez [00:03:58]: Great question, and thank you for that. When you say two decades, it's a long time to look back on why I'm here. But as I look back, it brings such joy to my heart because I can remember myself as a second-grade student at Bushnell Way Elementary School in Highland Park, California. Here, just here in Southern California, the teacher asked the question of what do you want to do as a career? Or essentially, the question was, who do you want to be when you grow up? And as she asked me that question, I looked right at her and I said, I want to be you. I want to be a teacher. I want to help kids. And as I gone through my school career, as I got to high school and I looked at a school, a college to attend, the first thing that I looked for was who's best at producing teachers. And that is why I applied at Cal State Fullerton and to train and to study to be an elementary school teacher. Victor Dominguez [00:04:47]: And during that time, there was another incredible human being who was my supervisor and said, Victor, you are great at student teaching, but I feel that your potential to and your heart could do really good work in working with community-based organizations. And that is in what started my career in working in the nonprofit sector. Been in the Y for 24 years. It has probably been the best decision that I've ever made. With the exception of saying or asking my wife to marry her, as well as the two kids, we decided to ensure that we can have a great family unit. But professionally, the why isn't a career. Professionally, the why has been a calling it's been a calling because as I look and read, and particular as we look at today with the fires, we look at some of just the things that are around us that are happening, that at times are out of our control. But as I look at the hurt, as I look at the opportunities and the potential of every child, it fills my heart, which is why I am still doing what I'm doing today. Victor Dominguez [00:05:45]: But most importantly, why I can still see myself for another couple of decades being there to support families. Hopefully, when this is all said and done, there'll be less stories of whether it be chronic disease or whether it be learning gaps or whatever it may be. I just hope that one day in the LA Y in particular, as we set our vision to show that everyone has a positive Y experience. I just hope that everyone has a positive experience, period. Salvatrice Cummo [00:06:10]: What a beautiful story. That's quite the journey. And the fact that you knew so young that this is what you wanted to be of service. And the theme is just being of service to the community. And you've, you know, you've taken that to heart. And speaking of being of service to the community, I shared earlier, you know, how impactful the Y was with us in responding to this devastating fires not too long ago. You know, I know what it looked like at ground level. Our audience may not. Salvatrice Cummo [00:06:36]: And so I wanted to ask if you could walk us through what did that look like at ground level when the Y comes in and assists with such a devastating crisis that we had, such as the Eaton fires. And how does that change, really, the lens and the perspective, how people see. Victor Dominguez [00:06:52]: The YMCA for many people that were not on the ground to see the devastation and to see the need, but to visualize it on television. Television said one story in regards to the devastation, being on the ground and being able to have conversations and to see the hopelessness, to see the resources that were so desperately needed, to see the confusion, but also to see individuals that gave of themselves, gave their time, their resources, or the opportunity to give a hug to those who were confused, to those who did not know what tomorrow is going to look like or where they were going to live or for their kids, when's that next meal? And being on the ground really demonstrated and illustrated so much why the importance of institutions like PCC and the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, how we can be conveners of bringing people together from different backgrounds, from different segments of life to be of service to others, not just in the moment of devastation, but just in the moments of realities that we face every single day. And so Salvatrice, as I reflect back the why, that is who we are. That is who we are today and every day moving forward. We're an organization that is focused on the overall well being of our community. That is why within the new vision of our organization being the center for Community well Being, it is important that we are place based. It is important that we are community-centered. But it's critically important that we are people-focused so that we ensure that everyone in Los Angeles has a sense of belonging. Salvatrice Cummo [00:08:37]: I'm glad you mentioned that because that is a shift from perhaps maybe the traditional lens or mindset of our community when they think about the YMCA as a facility, as a central hub of a facility. But rather, you said it beautifully, just the center for Community Wellbeing and how the YMCA showed up for the community as an example in response to the fires. You know, that shift in mindset on how the community views the YMCA. Really curious kind of thinking through what that transformation might look like for communities moving forward in this vision of the Center for Well-Being. Victor Dominguez [00:09:14]: The YMCA Metropolitan Los Angeles. Today, we are the oldest and largest youth and family-serving nonprofit in the county of Los Angeles. About a half a million people in our 28 operating centers and our 210 program sites. But here's the challenge to that. In our service area of LA County, there's 10.1 million people who reside here, and we are impacting 500,000 individuals. There are so much opportunities that if we do not meet the community where they're at, the community then is not going to change their perception of the YMCA Metropolitan Los Angeles of being that traditional gym and swimming. We are a swimming gym in this sense; we have an incredible impact in our gymnasiums. We literally save lives in our swimming pool. Victor Dominguez [00:09:59]: But the why is so much more. The work we do with faith-based organizations, the work we do in community centers, in senior centers and teen centers, the work we do on the street with homeless population, the work we do with foster care, the work we do in regards to newcomer immigration population. There's so much incredible work that the only difference from then and now is that we're sharing it, we're telling our story, and we want to ensure that everyone in Los Angeles understand that the why is there for them. Salvatrice Cummo [00:10:33]: Thank you for sharing all of those examples of how YMCA is embracing the community and expanding beyond the Jim and Swim vision and original intent of the organization. And you have so many examples and so many initiatives. One that stands out the most to me is the initiative around foster youth can you share with the audience programs such as that? What does it reveal about the role of nonprofits and how it really kind of shapes more than just the future of the specific youth? Victor Dominguez [00:11:05]: There are 20,000-plus kids in the foster care system in Los Angeles County. In an average year, a foster child could move three times. And so when we look at consistency, when we look at opportunities for kids to have that sense of belonging, to have a home, to have a place they know that is stable and that they can attend and go there when they need a resource or may have a question, that's the reason why we, the YMCA Metropolitan Los Angeles having 28 operations, 210 program sites, all of that is great, but if we do not leverage that for good to meet a need in regards to foster care, kids here in Los Angeles so desperately need in regards to that consistency. So when a child now starts in Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles and they move to the South Bay or they then move to the Anaha Valley, the one consistency that will be there is their local Y. And that the promise we have made that a child between the ages of 12 to 26 that is currently in the foster care system will have free YMCA membership, free YMCA programs, no questions asked. And the whole purpose behind this is to ensure that integration happens, to ensure the fact that a kid can learn to swim, they can learn about civic engagement, they can learn about leadership, they can have resources such as mental health, food, and other essential items that may be needed. But the power behind this, to get to your question in regards to the role of nonprofits, this initiative will also be very intentional in partnerships. I often say that 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. Victor Dominguez [00:12:56]: And if we're really going to look at creating that overall economic stability to create that long sense of belonging for the 20,000 individuals that are currently in our foster care systems, the nonprofit organizations have to work together. So I am opening up all of our doors. And so any nonprofit in this space or a nonprofit that can bring a youth program or service into our YMCA buildings are now open and we have currently 40 plus confirmed partners, our main partners being right now DCFS. I held a press conference with Director Brandon Nichols to make this commitment as well as Superintendent of LAUSD Alberto Carvalho. The three of us, with the 40 other partners, are committed to working together. Salvatrice Cummo [00:13:44]: What a beautiful example, and thank you for answering it in that way. It's about collective impact. It's about how the collective responds. And this is a beautiful example of how partners come together for a mutual outcome by leveraging each other's resources and assets and talent. Those types of initiatives are successful, you know, and I'll get into a little bit later on how you measure success outside of numbers. But you know, this is the Future of Work conference. And the YMCA is very invested clearly, in people and in community. So thinking about those two things, the future of work and how the YMCA invests in people and community, how is the YMCA outside of what you just shared with the Foster Youth Initiative, assisting and nurturing young people in building confidence and resilience and true pathways into success of whatever that pathway might be, whether it's through their career development, whether it's through personal development. Salvatrice Cummo [00:14:46]: Tell me a little bit more about that. Victor Dominguez [00:14:48]: Today, being the oldest and largest youth and family serving organization, the Y is uniquely positioned to be in front of many youth. Whether that be a day camp experience, whether that be sleepaway camps, we have the ability to create memories to last a lifetime. Today, the YMCA Metropolitan Los Angeles is the largest childcare and after-school provider. We also have unique initiatives, such as, as I just discussed, the Foster Youth Initiative or the Summer Get Teen Initiative, where every teenager in the county of LA has complete free access to all of our whys. Our camps today engage thousands of young people for free because they were impacted by the fires. As I mentioned, what we are currently offering to those who have been impacted by the fires, we also have the opportunity for young people to be civically engaged, to have that community pride through our youth and government program. And so there's so much Salvatrice that the Y doesn't provide. We have the facilities, we have the scalability, we have the people, we have the trust in our brand with all communities throughout Los Angeles County. Victor Dominguez [00:15:57]: So that's all there to be able to leverage to ensure that all kids in the county of Los Angeles has that positive experience, but most importantly, that sense of belonging. Salvatrice Cummo [00:16:07]: Thank you. Those are all incredible examples of the YMCA and its programs. And the YMCA has shown proven track records that yes, there's a cultivating around the youth and nurturing the youth, but also our adult community as well. We are all one community. Again, thinking about the future of work, what does the future of work look like when you think about it through the lens of community? And how does the Y fit into that grand vision? Victor Dominguez [00:16:35]: As I think of the why and I think of our future and I think of where our communities are today and where they're going, the why has to be a part of the entire fabric of our community. As mentioned, we're in 210 program sites have impact in nearly every neighborhood throughout the county of Los Angeles. We have to play a role in how we are advancing and supporting our local governments, our local school districts, our local community-based organizations, work in partnership with our faith-based organizations as well as community groups. We also, as I look into the future, can also support the community and where we're going because we are on the ground, because we're in tune to many of our constituencies throughout the county of LA. I also feel that together we can be a solution or part of a solution to some of the significant issues that are trending in our community. Whether that be homelessness, whether that be hunger, whether that be learning gaps, whether that be work around civic engagement. I think the why has a significant role. We can't be one of the most trusted brands with such scale if we're not going to leverage that to do good. Victor Dominguez [00:17:46]: So as the community goes, the why will be there right alongside of it. But I hope when we put the two of us together, there are some healthy solutions long term that are coming away from the why. Truly being a partner to all segments of community. Salvatrice Cummo [00:18:04]: I love how you responded that because what caught my attention the most is when you said the YMCA is the fabric of the community and that speaks volumes. I think that the YMCA has had a history and a brand that demonstrates that, but also has been leaders in many different spaces within our community that is assisting and partnering and solving complex issues within our community and being committed to it as well. Like some of these complexities and in our future of work, using that as one of the examples or in response to a crisis or in education, government, the why has been point center in a of those conversations and solution based programming. And so I thank you, thank you for sharing that because sometimes again it goes back to what we talked about earlier. The YMCA is a community of well being. Part of that well being is the YMCA kind of positioning themselves in these spaces of complexities because, because of all the reasons of who YMCA is and what they've been able to do for our community, what they continue to do for our community. And I really appreciate you saying it in that way and through that lens. I think it's our listener to understand that as well. Salvatrice Cummo [00:19:19]: I mean you play a huge role in education as well, you know, as a practitioner in the space, and you know, when we think about a lot of these programs and our positions within These programs, we like to measure success. Right. And so I'm also thinking about how does a YMCA measure success? Right. Not... /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/37279100

Building Belonging: How the YMCA Shapes Community Recovery with Victor Dominguez President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles Episode 148 07/08/2025

Building Belonging: How the YMCA Shapes Community Recovery with Victor Dominguez President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles Episode 148 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 civic engagement go hand in hand, and how the Y is building more than community programs, it’s building futures. You’ll learn: Why the YMCA’s fire recovery response goes beyond immediate aid—and is still ongoing How the Foster Youth Initiative provides stability, consistency, and a sense of belonging across 28 YMCA centers What it means to serve 500,000 Angelenos—and what’s next for reaching millions more How the YMCA is measuring its impact through five social determinants: belonging, civic engagement, education equity, health equity, and economic stability Why nonprofits must move beyond transactional service to transformational, data-driven community change About the Guest: Victor Dominguez is the President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles and the first Latino to lead the organization. With over 24 years of service, he has championed community-driven initiatives like the Foster Youth Program and the Center for Community Well-Being, positioning the Y as a vital force in disaster response, youth development, and regional resilience. Known for his commitment to equity and belonging, Victor leads with the belief that nonprofits should not only serve but transform the communities they represent. Engage with us: , & : @PasadenaCityCollegeEWD Join our newsletter for more on this topic: Visit: More from Victor Dominguez & YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles Websites: , , & : @ymcala : @ymcalosangeles Partner with us! Contact our host, Salvatrice Cummo, directly: scummo@pasadena.edu Want to be a guest on the show? Click to inquire about booking Find the transcript of this episode Please rate us and leave us your thoughts and comments on Apple Podcasts; we’d love to hear from you! /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/37279080

Transcript- Episode 147: Mindset Over Skillset: Preparing Students for an AI-Powered Future with Tara Chklovski, founder and CEO of Technovation Episode 147 06/10/2025

Transcript- Episode 147: Mindset Over Skillset: Preparing Students for an AI-Powered Future with Tara Chklovski, founder and CEO of Technovation Episode 147 Tara Chklovski [00:00:00]: I would recommend to everyone, firstly, learn how to code, play along, and actually build technology. Don't just do the chatbot like prompt engineering, but actually build something with code so that you build your own confidence. Honestly, number two, I would say read more about all of this stuff of what is happening, because the more you know, the less you're afraid of what's coming, because you have time to process it. And trying to look ahead takes so much energy, but that's a very important thing to be doing right now. Christina Barsi [00:00:33]: 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 adjust so that we can begin to project where things are headed before we even get there. So, how do we begin to predict the future? Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:03]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this podcast. Christina Barsi [00:01:11]: And I'm Christina Barsi, producer and co-host of this podcast. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:15]: And we are starting the conversation about the future of work. We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable, and how to attain one of our highest goals: more internships and PCC students in the workforce. We at Pasadena City College want to lead the charge in closing the gap between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. This is a conversation that impacts all of us. You, the employers, the policymakers, the educational institutions, and the community as a whole. Christina Barsi [00:01:34]: We believe change happens when we work together, and it all starts with having a conversation. I'm Christina Barsi. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:59]: And I'm Salvatrice Cummo. And this is the Future of Work. I am your host, Dr. Salvatrice Cumo. Today's guest is Tara Chklovski, founder and CEO of Technovation. Tara is an engineer turned educator who launched Technovation, a global nonprofit that has empowered over 130,000 girls and families in a hundred plus countries to solve real-world problems through technology and innovation. She is a fierce advocate for closing the global digital divide and has been recognized by Forbes, the UN, and the White House for her work in AI, education, equity, and youth empowerment. We are diving into how AI is transforming the workforce faster than education systems can respond, why emotional resilience and cognitive ability are becoming core competencies, and what will it take to build a truly inclusive future of work. Tara, welcome to the show. Tara Chklovski [00:02:56]: Thank You, Satrice. And yeah, it's an honor to get to hear what your thoughts are and see how we can have a fun discussion. Salvatrice Cummo [00:03:04]: Love it. So let's just dive right in. Your background is absolutely fascinating to me, and you've had an incredible journey from physics to aerospace engineering, to really launching this beautiful global nonprofit. I want to start with what inspired you to make that shift, what inspired you to do this work, and what was the early vision for Technovision? Tara Chklovski [00:03:28]: I think it was really coming from a sense of what can you do, what are the bigger problems in the world, and what is my purpose on this planet Earth? And I think not limiting oneself to sort of a standard path of you get a corporate job and you have a certain paycheck. I think that's why I kind of left my aerospace engineering track. I didn't complete my PhD because I really wanted to work in one company. And that company kind of became a defense contractor, and I did not want to do that. They were the first makers of drones. And it kind of gave me a push into or a jolt really into maybe rethinking what as a kid I had hoped I would do. And it was a chance to kind of use my training as an engineer to kind of step back and say, well, what is my purpose as an individual? You have, each of us has a unique perspective and strengths and skills. And what are some of the big problems in the world that I could dedicate my energies to? And I think one problem was that not everybody has sort of the mindset that they can solve their own problems themselves. Tara Chklovski [00:04:42]: Because in this age where you have access to Internet, almost like most people on this earth have access to Internet, it just completely like only your mind and your sense of confidence are limiting you. And so that was sort of an education, is the answer. Because you can teach yourself anything, you can, and you can learn anything, and you can be anything. And so I think that was sort of the core of it. And I started this organization almost 20 years ago, and the goal was to bring the most cutting-edge technologies to the most underrepresented groups who are not part of the innovation conversation. And to help them build not just the competencies, but also the confidence to become the innovators, so they don't need to wait for any savior. And yeah, over the years, we were running different experiments, and Technovation really was the model of an accelerator where it was having the biggest, deepest, most durable impact on the girls going through the program. Tara Chklovski [00:05:41]: Because it's rare that even adults don't get this Experience of being a participant in an accelerator and launching a real business, that actually helps a lot of people. When you do that, it completely changes your whole identity. And that's what we offer. Salvatrice Cummo [00:05:56]: Excellent. Excellent as well. First, I want to congratulate you on leaning into your purpose. A lot of us feel, sometimes, that that's unattainable for whatever reason, because. And actually, you just nailed it earlier. It's just our own limiting beliefs. And you said, let's go against that, let me go against our own limiting beliefs and lean into something that feels good to me, feels passionate to me, leveraging my skill sets, but also solving a global issue. And so thank you. Salvatrice Cummo [00:06:28]: Thank you for doing that. And from a practitioner's perspective, through our lens, we see technology sometimes as a threat, sometimes as a leveraging point. We are in this arena of AI. We have been forever. We're just talking about it a little bit more these days than we have in the last decade. And sometimes, and not sometimes, majority of the time, our educational systems are not quite as agile and as quick to respond to new technologies and innovation. And so kind of in the space of AI here, where are you seeing how we as practitioners can prepare students or what you think needs to happen? What needs to shift for us to prepare our students for the workforce? Tara Chklovski [00:07:15]: Yeah, this is the question that's occupying almost all of my time right now. And because I see a huge gap, right? My kids are in the public school system here, and their schools are banning Google because Google's Gemini response is the first response. And so children can use that to write answers to their assignments. Right. And so schools are just shutting down on the use of Google on their Chromebooks, which is very interesting. And then on the other side, the workforce is rapidly trying to upskill their employees to say, you've got to use AI to increase productivity, so that we are innovating and our revenues are growing. And so there's just already a massive gap. And colleges are exactly doing the same. Tara Chklovski [00:07:59]: There are only a few professors who are brave enough to update their curriculum and start to prepare students for this world of AI. Right. I think the scary part is we don't really know what are the durable human skills. So we are making a lot of assumptions. Right. We all thought that knowledge work was untouchable, but turns out that's the first to crumble. One of the economists that I've been looking at more closely is Daniel Susskind from Oxford University. He was saying that not all jobs, even though it may be more efficient and cost-efficient for A robot to do them. Tara Chklovski [00:08:37]: We may not prefer the robot to do it. We may prefer the human connection. I think there's something there, what are you going to do with the 8 billion people on this world, on this planet? I also don't buy this argument that AI is like previous technologies and that a lot more new jobs will be created. I think we are saying that to make ourselves not feel so scared. But you can see yourself in your teams and your organizations. You can do much more with fewer people because of these tools. I've been looking at this report called AI 2027, where it predicts. So one of the authors, he was a former researcher at OpenAI, his name is, I think, Daniel Cocotillo, and he predicted in 2021 what would happen over the next two years. Tara Chklovski [00:09:28]: And he predicted ChatGPT, and he predicted even this whole chips war with US and China to great accuracy. And so now he's predicting how will AI agents change over the next two years. And so it's very, very interesting. Obviously, they'll get better than what we have now and at a pretty fast pace. And I'm not hearing education organizations talk about what they need to do in the next two years. Right. So there's already a big mismatch. Nobody talks about, well, what are you going to do with all the humans? Right. Tara Chklovski [00:09:59]: So I think that the social problems will intensify because you'll have more inequality in the beginning. I think companies will make a lot more money because, of course, you're becoming super efficient. So I think there may be something where governments are giving out, like universal basic income and stuff like that. But then what happens to human sense of purpose? And so some of our biggest challenges will still remain where a lot of people in this world will be poor, a lot of people will be hungry, a lot of people won't have good quality health care or education. And climate change is real. And so some of these very hard social global problems will remain. And so I think we need to be teaching our young people how to solve some of these very, very hard problems, because in the short term, I think that a lot of the jobs as they exist now will go away, but the problems are not going away. So I think, and I've been studying a lot of, like, mental models and training systems that the military and the aviation industry use because they're so appropriate for our current situation, where it's rapidly changing. Tara Chklovski [00:11:10]: There's a lot of uncertainty. You have very little information, and you've got to make some very clear decisions. And they do that through simulations. And so I think teachers are already doing project-based learning. But instead of using toy problems, I think educators should be actually encouraging students to solve these real-world problems and take a shot at that, which teaches you complex systems thinking, using technology for high-impact things like that. Salvatrice Cummo [00:11:38]: I also want to maybe kind of dive in a little deeper where we were saying as humans, let's not forget that humans, we need to have a sense of purpose. We're naturally wired that way. And so teaching current generations to come about solving these massive global issues and social issues, them being social issues, I should say, what are you seeing as the essential human skill set that's going to be needed so that we can become more focused on solving these larger issues as educators? You know, where should we be kind of pulling our attention into these human skills to solve these big problems? Tara Chklovski [00:12:20]: Yeah, and I've been working on, and with some of our other partners, we have this alliance called the AI Forward alliance. And it's a bunch of industry partners and nonprofit partners. So we are coming together to try to understand exactly this question. And so we've built a progression of skills. And at the very fundamental layer is this question of like, what is your purpose, your identity, empathy. Because only with empathy do you feel the other person suffering, because the other person may not look like you, may not be from the same background as you. But that's the larger problem that we are looking to solve. So that's the foundation. Tara Chklovski [00:12:56]: I think the second layer is just problem solving, you know, complex problem solving. I would add the specific lens in there is that of using AI as a collaborator, where you have to process a huge amount of information, because with these tools, you do have access to a lot of information. So, processing synthesis and human AI solution generation. So I think that's sort of a core problem solving is a foundational skill. I think, on top of that, I would say computational action. So, instead of programming, I would say learning to use technology not just as a consumer, but as a builder. Because a lot of the technologies that don't exist, that you need them to exist to solve these harder problems. And so you need to have the confidence to say, I'm not just a consumer of this technology, but I'm a builder of this technology. Tara Chklovski [00:13:48]: And so that's where a core part of what Technovation is that you're learning to actually create AI-based solutions and to build better AI models. A big part of that would be debugging, because I think we can all teach ourselves how to code with these very powerful coding tools. But debugging is a real skill. And so there's still a lot of room for traditional CS education, but with this lens of action, you don't need to learn how to code Hello World anymore, but you can actually learn how to build a prototype that you can then execute in the real world. And I think that's the really exciting part where teachers don't have to just rely on capstone projects, but can actually tell students that in the same amount, in a semester, you could actually do three prototypes and test them with users and iterate three times earlier. You could probably just even create a paper prototype. The execution part is very exciting. Where I think one Oxford University professor was saying, the era of the solo entrepreneur is back because one person can do so much. Tara Chklovski [00:14:52]: And I think the most important thing I would say, which is the hardest, is like building that emotional resilience to navigate uncertainty and to build cognitive resilience. Because your days are so dense with work, because you are efficient, we're not working less. It's not that these AI agents are helping us work less. We are working way more than we ever were. And so this demands, like, more cognitive resilience and I think lifelong learning, cognitive resilience, and then emotional resilience to navigate the uncertainty that's coming with all of this. Right. I'm constantly asking myself, like, AI could replace my role, right? How do I provide value to the world? And so that's a layer of uncertainty that didn't exist before in my mind, that you have to deal with. Salvatrice Cummo [00:15:36]: Thank you for saying that. Because we automatically assume that technologies like AI and others decrease the workload, when point in fact, we're just trying to pack more in. Right. And so that cognitive resilience and emotional resilience, it resonated with me when you said those words, I thought, oh, my goodness, is she talking about me? And the majority of us, the majority of us, let's just be honest. You mentioned something about the uncertainty, right? Like that's really where our headspace is. It's the uncertainty of what could become with all of the technology that's around us. You know, you're much closer to it than I am. So I'm curious about. Salvatrice Cummo [00:16:19]: Are there global models of innovation and education that higher education in the US should be paying attention to and studying, because they are closer to understanding the uncertainty? Have you come across any models that you think we should be paying attention to? Tara Chklovski [00:16:36]: As I was saying, I think the world's largest employers are the military, the healthcare industry, and the aviation industry, and I think there's a lot to learn from them because they excel at training millions of people to deal with uncertainty. Their lives are at stake. And they do that through simulations and repeated tests and constant sort of updates in their learning. And I think the aviation industry was probably one of the first to have autopilots work alongside pilots. And at that time, people would say the pilots are redundant. Pilots are not redundant, but their job has changed quite a lot. So I think there's a lot to learn from these sectors. Tara Chklovski [00:17:18]: I think that I haven't seen any university as a whole do this really well. I've seen professors, individual professors, do this really well. And I think the education sector as a whole is not geared for agility. And so that's why it's important to look outside of the education sector. Salvatrice Cummo [00:17:37]: Kind of shifting gears a little bit about imagining future of work, people in their space, in their respective environments. If we were kind of looking forward and imagining a future where people are side by side with AI, what does that actually look like, you think, day to day for us? You've already mentioned some of the skill sets that we need as humans, but I'm kind of curious about what do you think that might look like for us on a day-to-day basis, working alongside AI as we get closer and closer to understanding, specifically working in the space of uncertainty? Tara Chklovski [00:18:12]: I mean, I'll just say this is what I do today. I think the AI assistant or whatever, I have a few different subscriptions, I have them always open and I use it as a subject matter expert, I use it as a project manager, I use it as an HR expert, I use it as an MBA expert because I never went to MBA school. But then it also helps me synthesize the research in a particular space and become a better communicator. I think the project AI 2027 talks about right now the human and the AI. The human is giving the prompts to the AI, and so it's a collaborator. You could think of it as a team of research assistants, honestly, plus a team of advisory experts who, I mean, you basically have two or three teams. Like, I would say my productivity has gone up by maybe 40% easily. I do things that would have taken me, sometimes, maybe six to 12 months to do within three days. Tara Chklovski [00:19:13]: I think going forward, and I think that's what the AI 2027 was talking about, is you won't have to prompt it, it will run on its own, knowing what you are doing, and add value to it. Right. So at a very, very simple level, calendar scheduling is still not a very. You sometimes have assistance. So that's one of the top jobs that's going to go away because of this kind of multifaceted scheduling. Not a very difficult job, but it'll start to be able to do that, I think. I don't know. I was just watching a video yesterday of the Tesla robot Optimus. Tara Chklovski [00:19:47]: The video is mind-blowing because it's in a home environment and doing all the things typically I would do. Clean the table, unload the dishwasher. And there's a whole bunch of these robots, and they're doing it right now, so maybe in like two years. They are a big part of your home, helping take off quite a bit of the household... /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/36875670

Mindset Over Skillset: Preparing Students for an AI-Powered Future with Tara Chklovski, founder and CEO of Technovation Episode 147 06/10/2025

Mindset Over Skillset: Preparing Students for an AI-Powered Future with Tara Chklovski, founder and CEO of Technovation Episode 147 What if the biggest barrier to success in tech isn’t access, but mindset? In this episode of Future of Work, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo talks with Tara Chklovski, founder and CEO of Technovation, about what it truly takes to thrive in an AI-driven world. Tara unpacks why resilience and adaptability are just as vital as technical skills, how simulation-based learning can reshape education, and why women are most at risk of being left behind. Together, they explore how community colleges, mentorship, and real-world problem-solving can unlock opportunity for all. The future of work isn’t just about tech, it’s about who’s empowered to shape it. You’ll learn: Why AI literacy starts with confidence, not code, and how to build both. How educators can move beyond “toy problems” and toward real-world innovation. What emotional and cognitive resilience look like in a rapidly evolving workforce. How women are being left behind in fast-growing tech sectors, and how to fix it. Why simulation learning may be the most powerful classroom tool we’re not using. About the Guest: Tara Chklovski is the founder and CEO of Technovation, a global nonprofit dedicated to empowering girls and underserved communities through technology education. With a background in physics and aerospace engineering, she transitioned from academia to social entrepreneurship to address the gender and racial disparities in STEM fields. Tara has helped over 130,000 students across 100+ countries build confidence, tech skills, and purpose. Her work has been recognized by Forbes, the UN, and the White House, and she continues to lead global conversations on how education and innovation intersect to shape a more inclusive future of work. Engage with us: , & : @PasadenaCityCollegeEWD Join our newsletter for more on this topic: Visit: More from Tara Chklovski & Technovation Websites: LinkedIn: Partner with us! Contact our host, Salvatrice Cummo, directly: scummo@pasadena.edu Want to be a guest on the show? Click to inquire about booking Find the transcript of this episode Please rate us and leave us your thoughts and comments on Apple Podcasts; we’d love to hear from you! /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/36871140

Transcript- Episode 146: Workforce, Reimagined: Building Inclusive Economies, Region by Region with Parina Parikh, Associate Vice President at Jobs for the Future Episode 146 05/27/2025

Transcript- Episode 146: Workforce, Reimagined: Building Inclusive Economies, Region by Region with Parina Parikh, Associate Vice President at Jobs for the Future Episode 146 Parina Parikh [00:00:00]: Right now, we do have an incredible opportunity to build programs that integrate learning and work, and we must help our students build these relational skills and give them credit for mastering material that might not be mastered or developed in a traditional college classroom. As workforce leaders, as education leaders, we need to start thinking in an innovative way on where does this mastery of material happen, and can students get credit for mastery if it didn't necessarily happen in that traditional classroom setting? Christina Barsi [00:00:38]: 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 adjust so that we can begin to project where where things are headed before we even get there. So how do we begin to predict the future? Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:03]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this podcast. Christina Barsi [00:01:11]: And I'm Christina Barsi, producer and co-host of this podcast. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:15]: And we are starting the conversation about the future of work. We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable, and how to attain one of our highest goals, more internships and PCC students in the workforce. We at Pasadena City College want to lead the charge in closing the gap between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. This is a conversation that impacts all of us. You, the employers, the policymakers, the educational institutions, and the community as a whole. Christina Barsi [00:01:49]: We believe change happens when we work together, and it all starts with having a conversation. I'm Christina Barsi. Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:57]: And I'm Salvatrice Cummo. And this is the Future of Work. Christina Barsi [00:02:02]: Hi. Welcome back to the Future of Work podcast. I am your host, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo. Today we're joined by Parina Parikh, Associate Vice President at Jobs for the Future, where she leads statewide strategy and partnerships for California. Parina brings over two decades of experience across the private and nonprofit sectors and including her former role as VP of Programs at the San Diego Workforce partnership. Parina leads JFF's strategy across California, guiding a team of more than 20 people who are working toward one big building a more inclusive, equitable future for workers and communities. Her work bridges the gap between policy partnerships and the people most impacted by workforce challenges. Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:53]: Today, we'll explore how inclusive workforce strategies can be scaled regionally, the evolving role of community colleges, and what it takes to build a future of work that leaves no one behind. Parina, it's so great to have you here. Welcome. Parina Parikh [00:03:10]: Thank you for having me. Salvatrice Cummo [00:03:11]: You bet, you bet. Let's get started. I am always curious about the journey and how you got to where you are today with Jobs for the Future. So if you could share a little bit about your current role there and how you came across it. Parina Parikh [00:03:24]: Yeah, thank you for asking. So my journey was pretty unconventional. I actually started in the for profit world and spent about 17 years working in finance and honing my skills in the energy and utility industry. Actually, I pivoted in 2019 right before COVID hit and became sort of interested in the nonprofit sector and in workforce development more specifically. I do have a degree in economics and wanted to think about how can I leverage that into working with nonprofits. As you shared, I was the vice president of programs at the San Diego Workforce Partnership where I had the opportunity to build some pretty innovative programming in that organization that focused on information technology, energy, construction, utilities, healthcare and behavioral health, advanced manufacturing, public administration roles. We stood up the country's first income share agreement and outcomes based loan from a workforce development board and just had a really consequential time building programming for youth and adults in San Diego County. Based on that experience that I had had, I wanted to have an even broader reach. Parina Parikh [00:04:31]: And that's when the opportunity at Jobs for the Future presented itself to really lead JFF's impact in the state of California. In thinking about how can we bring sort of the full suite of services and offerings that JFF has to offer, which we are a national organization based in Boston, but how can we bring that to California and really have an intentional strategy and impact in the state to build regional and inclusive economies, to really foster workforce and economic development. So I have the opportunity to oversee all of our strategy, all of our partnerships, all of our impact in the state with the benefit of a national organization. But to be able to do it with people that are local to California and really impact our regional communities. Salvatrice Cummo [00:05:16]: That's very difficult to do. I'm going to pause and acknowledge that because regional work is difficult work, let alone across the state. So when I read things like inclusive workforce solutions, scaling those inclusive workforce solutions, I personally know what it takes and it looks like. But I'd like for you to kind of give your perspective and your experiences and maybe some real time examples on what that looks like to scale those type of workforce solutions for those who are listening in. Parina Parikh [00:05:46]: It is a challenging order. What I will say is that in order to achieve these inclusive outcomes, you really need to start with an inclusive process. And that really Means thinking broadly about who is invited to sit at the table or when you're designing these solutions. So do you have a broad and diverse cross section of employers, regional economic coalitions, workforce agencies, voices of the underrepresented, voices of youth, small businesses, community based organizations, neighborhood advocates? The community college is the community college in that region at the table. Chambers of commerce, business associations. Until you get the investment and buy in from all of these stakeholders, including unions, if that's relevant, you're not going to get the scale and the reach and the inclusivity that you're looking for for that region. And so it's really important to think about what was the process to develop these solutions and design these programs to be able to achieve the inclusive outcomes that we're looking for. And that's something that JFF really excels at. Parina Parikh [00:06:52]: California as a whole is something that we are thinking about how to intentionally impact, but really diving into Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, the Central Valley, the Bay Area, coastal communities, really thinking about how can we sort of take the whole of California and really divide it up in ways that are manageable, starting with regions where we have deep partnerships and represent what JFF would call its North Star population. So people without degrees, women, people of color, people who might be formerly incarcerated, these are the populations that we are focused on and those are the areas that really represent those populations. Salvatrice Cummo [00:07:31]: So you have the inclusive process, which is instrumental in designing inclusive programming. And even just to kind of go through that process is a lift, and it takes time, let alone designing the program itself. And you have been impactful in designing programs across the state, from tech to construction. So can you walk us through a program in which it went through this inclusive process and now you've designed this program and what are its impacts and the impacts that it had? Parina Parikh [00:08:02]: Yeah, I can give one really great example. When I was at the San Diego Workforce Partnership, our local utility, San Diego Gas and Electric, came to us and said, hey, we're having challenges diversifying our pipeline into gas operations. They didn't have as many women going into their apprenticeship program. They didn't have people of color represented in the trades. And so they came to the workforce Partnership to help them diversify their talent pool. And so we designed a program with the employer at the table. So San Diego Gas Electric was the employer. We partnered with the Electrical Training Institute, which was a part of our local building and construction trades union, to design the training. Parina Parikh [00:08:44]: And so the workforce board, the training institution and the employer all came together to design a four week pre apprenticeship Construction program that helped people gain entry into the building and construction trades. They were able to gain hands on experience and build those foundational skills such that they could thrive in the construction industry. Over the course of a year, we would have about 100 people going through this program in cohorts of about 10 to 12 each. And I'm proud to say that by the time that we got around to 2023, 2024, we saw about 17% of our graduates identify as female. And if you look at the nationwide average of people entering the construction trades, it was about two and a half percent. So we know that we made a difference. We know that we made an impact for women getting into the trades and being able to thrive on the construction site and feel like they belonged and pave the way for more women to enter the building trades. So really just outstanding pre apprenticeship program that led people with the sort of skills and experience and relationships necessary to become full fledged apprentices. Parina Parikh [00:10:02]: I'm just incredibly proud of the partnership that we developed with our local union, with the utility at the table, and with the training institution. And so it was just a wonderful program that really helped bolster the construction industry and help people that were underrepresented get into that field. Salvatrice Cummo [00:10:19]: That's a stellar example. I think you're just thinking through even our own apprenticeship programs that we are currently fulfilling and building as we speak. It takes a big lift. And the fact that not only did you and the team carry that lift, but you had significant outcomes speaks volumes on the intentionality around inclusive process and this regional based, I mean, throughout your whole career, it seems to me throughout, throughout your whole career, you've taken this very much regional approach. I'm curious to kind of understand from you through your lens why a regional based strategy is so important when we're talking about workforce development as an ecosystem. I'd like to hear your perspective on that. Parina Parikh [00:11:03]: So if we step back, as of, I think a month or two ago, California is now the fourth largest economy in the world. And it comprises a diverse cross section of regional economies that look very different from one another. California is anything but homogenous. As you know, the Inland Empire, for example, has drastically different needs from the Bay Area. And workforce and economic development go hand in hand with community development. So in order to address the place based strategies that work, we must develop inclusive plans that invest in the local community. So understanding the local transportation, local infrastructure, local housing, what is vibrant about a given neighborhood? Who are the key players that might not have the title that you're looking for but are the movers and shakers in a given region and then evaluating how those local resources are made available to its residents will drive the efficacy of any workforce development effort. So when I think about place based regional approaches, it's really all of those factors that have to sort of support the workforce development that you're intending to do that can't be done without a real clear understanding of the region and the local players. Salvatrice Cummo [00:12:23]: Yeah. And I think that we carry so many different assets. Right. Each one of us that are in this ecosystem carry an inventory of assets that sometimes we don't understand what each one has. And I think that to your point, why this inclusive process and this place based strategy is so important is that it allows us to kind of bring forward what we are able to fulfill and with intentional collaborations creating greater impacts. Just as the example that you shared moments ago, I'll just say there you. Parina Parikh [00:12:56]: Couldn'T be more right on the target. One of the first things JFF does when we go into any region and Santa Barbara is a great example of this, we were working with their county office of Education and is an asset map. We developed an ecosystem map of Santa Barbara county because we wanted to know what are the assets in the region that drive education and workforce development. That is typically where JFF would start is with that asset mapping and ecosystem mapping of what is in this region that's driving these efforts. Salvatrice Cummo [00:13:27]: I love that. Speaking of education, like to shift gears just a little bit because I would love to hear your perspective on community colleges in this space. And we know, right. That community colleges play a critical role in California's ecosystem and specifically in the space of workforce development. That's what we were designed for and why we're here today. Right. Why we're here today. Talking about the future of work. Salvatrice Cummo [00:13:54]: Because community colleges play an important role in that. Want to kind of hear your perspective on like where do you see the most significant opportunities for us as a system of community colleges in this space and or as partners to organizations like jff. Parina Parikh [00:14:09]: Yeah. Well, I think California is just such an interesting place to be, whether you're partnering with a community college or working within the system. As you know, and as many of your listeners know, the California community colleges represent the largest higher education system in the country. We graduate almost 2 million students annually through 116 colleges. And I just think that that in and of itself represents such a ripe opportunity. 40% of students, I think that attend the California community college system are first generation students. Right. And so that's almost half so right now we do have an incredible opportunity to build programs that integrate learning and work. Parina Parikh [00:14:49]: And we must help our students build these relational skills and give them credit for mastering material that might not be mastered or developed in a traditional college classroom. And so I think that as workforce leaders, as education leaders, we need to start thinking in an innovative way on where does this mastery of material happen and can students get credit for mastery if it didn't necessarily happen in that traditional classroom setting? So I think that we have an incredible opportunity to sort of blend this idea of learning and working. We need to sort of take advantage of these newer, more innovative themes around competency based education, credit for prior learning and really shake up this false divide between learning and work. Let's blur those lines. That doesn't need to be so bifurcated. Let's create, earn and learn opportunities through pre apprenticeship, apprenticeship and really think about how can we sort of create these credit based learning opportunities in a way that's more authentic to the student and let's sort of meet the students where they are at. And again, like I said, it might not be a traditional classroom, it might be happening in other ways, but I think this is the time where the community college system and workforce development can come together and think about what do alternative ways of education look like. We are working with the California Chancellor's Office and piloting with nine community colleges across the state of California this idea of CBE or competency based Education and helping them identify pathways and curriculum that can be converted from more the sort of Carnegie Credit hour classroom setting to cbe. Parina Parikh [00:16:38]: And I'm really excited by the opportunity to continue to work with community colleges and the system as a whole, to really sort of think about how can we graduate more students in a manner that isn't sacrificing a whole lot of time, but rather doing it in a way that expedites their education and path to whether it be an associate's or a bachelor's or a certificate and gives them the opportunity sort of to earn a paycheck while they're doing all of that. Salvatrice Cummo [00:17:05]: Agreed 100%. You couldn't have said it any clearer. I agree with you 100% that there's still a lot of room for us to grow in that space. You know, we're thinking about education and kind of restructuring competency based learn and earn, earn and learn and taking those experiences for credit. But what about the continuum? So I have students, we obviously we have students that are going through our pathways, our career pathways, and the end goal is a quality Job, an occupation that serves its purposes, a quality occupation. We define quality jobs very differently than I think some of our employers do, many in organizations like jff. And so when you and I as practitioners in this space start to look at the trajectory of workforce development and its changes and its evolution, and specifically with everything that we're kind of faced with in technology, in policy, what are you seeing or what do you define, I should say, as our new quality job definition? And how can organizations like JFF help employers institutions adapt to that new definition of a quality job? Parina Parikh [00:18:26]: Yeah, that is such an important question. And I couldn't agree with you more that everyone's definition of a quality job is so different. I would say that one JFF has an entire body of work around job quality and what a job quality framework could look like. And so we have resources dedicated to working with corporations, employers large and small on helping to implement what a quality job framework could look like in their organization. So happy to dive into that. But what I would say in terms of a definition is that it's so much more than one's paycheck. And that's where we need to start is a quality job is not just about the paycheck that you receive. It's ensuring that employers and workers alike are thinking about the broader aspects of what a job should include. Parina Parikh [00:19:12]: Pay equity, paid leave, equitable opportunities for advancement. What does transparent career pathway look like? Do you know what the next level is? Are you able to receive the career coaching and training to be able to advance within your organization? Do you feel like you belong? Do you have psychological safety? Do you know what your schedule is gonna look like from week to week? Or does it happen to change at the last minute and then you have to arrange for transportation and childcare that you might not have secured? So there's so many elements of job quality. And what's interesting is that it means different things to different people. Not every single aspect of job quality is something that each job... /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/36732990

Workforce, Reimagined: Building Inclusive Economies, Region by Region with Parina Parikh, Associate Vice President at Jobs for the Future Episode 146 05/27/2025

Workforce, Reimagined: Building Inclusive Economies, Region by Region with Parina Parikh, Associate Vice President at Jobs for the Future Episode 146 What if volunteering, raising kids, learning on the job, and real life experience counted just as much as a college degree? In this episode of Future of Work, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo talks with Parina Parikh, Associate Vice President overseeing Job for the Future’s strategic presence in California, about what it really means to create a workforce that works for everyone. Parikh shares how community colleges, competency-based learning, and credit for real-world experience can help close opportunity gaps. She also redefines what makes a “quality job,” stressing equity, mobility, and belonging, and how small businesses can help lead the charge. Join us to discover how you can be a part of building a new and better workforce standard for the future. You’ll learn: How inclusive workforce programs start with inclusive design, and what that means in practice. Why regional strategies are essential to solving California’s workforce and housing challenges. How community colleges are at the forefront of credentialing outside traditional classrooms. What Jobs for the Future is doing to help small and mid-size employers offer quality jobs. Why “everything counts” and how your non-traditional experiences are more valuable than you think. About the Guest: Parina Parikh is an Associate Vice President overseeing Jobs for the Future’s strategic presence in California. She has responsibility for business development and fundraising, cultivating relationships and partnerships, and building workforce and inclusive economic development initiatives. As a leader who is committed to equity, inclusion, and a holistic approach to workforce development and inclusive regional economies, her focus is on leading and advancing JFF’s work in California, supported by a team of 20+ California-based colleagues. Before joining JFF, Parina was Vice President of Programs at San Diego Workforce Partnership. She created and executed innovative workforce solutions across San Diego County overseeing programming in information and communications technology, energy construction and utilities, healthcare and behavioral health, public administration and advanced manufacturing. Engage with us: , & : @PasadenaCityCollegeEWD Join our newsletter for more on this topic: Visit: More from Parina Parikh & Jobs for the Future Websites: LinkedIn: Partner with us! Contact our host Salvatrice Cummo directly: scummo@pasadena.edu Want to be a guest on the show? Click to inquire about booking Find the transcript of this episode Please rate us and leave us your thoughts and comments on Apple Podcasts; we’d love to hear from you! /episode/index/show/thefutureofwork/id/36691845

The Future Of Work

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