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  • Organizational Chart
  • Policy & Gov
  • Vanessa Serrano
    Vanessa Serrano
    Interim General Manager
  • Armando Ruiz
    Armando Ruiz
    Director of Administrative Services
  • Tom Soong
    Tom Soong
    Director of Policy & Government Relations
  • Atziri Camarena
    Atziri Camarena
    Director of Civic Leadership
  • Gibson Nyambura
    Gibson Nyambura
    Director of Innovation
  • Marilú Guevara
    Marilú Guevara
    Director of Awareness & Engagement
  • Wendy Edison
    Wendy Edison
    Systems Manager
  • Erick Muñoz
    Erick Muñoz
    Commission Executive Assistant I
  • Henry Lo
    Henry Lo
    Management Analyst
  • Karen Moreno
    Karen Moreno
    Management Analyst
  • Ava Marinelli
    Ava Marinelli
    Public Information Officer
  • Cecilia Elmange
    Cecilia Elmange
    Accounting Clerk
  • Dina Andrews
    Dina Andrews
    Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate
  • Lorenzo Briceno
    Lorenzo Briceno
    Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate
  • Prabhjot Chamber
    Prabhjot Chamber
    Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate
  • John Darnell
    John Darnell
    Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate
  • Jose Galdamez
    Jose Galdamez
    Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate
  • Erica Gatica
    Erica Gatica
    Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate
  • Joel Gonzalez
    Joel Gonzalez
    Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate
  • Mario Hernandez
    Mario Hernandez
    Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate
  • Daniel D. Johnson
    Daniel D. Johnson
    Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate
  • Alfonso Manzo
    Alfonso Manzo
    Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate
  • Raúl Preciado
    Raúl Preciado
    Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate
  • Octaviano Rios
    Octaviano Rios
    Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate
  • Axel Perez
    Axel Perez
    Office Services Assistant
  • Mario Gomez
    Mario Gomez
    Administrative Clerk
  • Elaine Mendez
    Elaine Mendez
    Inclusive Engagement Advocate
  • Kevin Argueta
    Kevin Argueta
    Project Assistant
  • Lena McElroy
    Lena McElroy
    Project Assistant
  • Socorro Galindo
    Socorro Galindo
    Project Assistant
  • Kyle Stone
    Kyle Stone
    Project Assistant
  • Organizational Chart
    Organizational Chart
Vanessa Serrano
Interim General Manager

Responsibilities and Assignments:

Vanessa is the Interim General Manager.


Interesting Fact:

Vanessa previously served on the Pacoima Neighborhood Council and  a neighborhood empowerment advocate.


Skills:

Coaching
90%
Teaching Soft Skills
80%
Self-Advocacy
75%
Conflict Resolution
75%
Collecting and Data Analysis
75%

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    Armando Ruiz
    Director of Administrative Services

    Responsibilities and Assignments:

    Armando is responsible for Budget, Accounting, Payroll, Personnel, Facilities, IT, Marketing, and other administrative elements of outreach activities.


    Personal Message/Interesting Fact:

    I am happy to help and look forward to working with you.
    Armando is an avid book, audiobook, comic, TV, and movie fan. He enjoys the occasional round of golf with his son, and shopping with his wife and daughter.


    Skills:

    City Processes
    25%
    Innovation
    25%
    Training
    25%
    Mediation
    25%

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      Tom Soong
      Director of Policy & Government Relations

      Responsibilities and Assignments:

      Tom is responsible for supporting Neighborhood Council Boards with capacity building, training, and organizing skills that Empower LA and engage the community.


      Personal Message:

      Isn’t CA great? You bet it is!
      “If food is the music of love, then eat on”


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        Atziri Camarena
        Director of Civic Leadership

        Responsibilities and Assignments:

        Atziri will lead the division that is charged with providing neighborhood councils with meaningful training to develop their skills and abilities to engage in deliberate governance, civil discourse, and serve their communities through their neighborhood council.


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          Gibson Nyambura
          Director of Innovation

          Responsibilities and Assignments:

          Gibson will lead the division charged with fostering a culture of creativity to inspire innovative incremental approaches for neighborhood councils to influence City decision-making.


          Interesting Fact:

          Gibson is bilingual speaker; he speaks Swahili and English. He is excited to assist by serving the community.


          Skills:

          • Public Speaking
          • Car Enthusiast’ percent
          • FIFA (any year)

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            Marilú Guevara
            Director of Awareness & Engagement

            Responsibilities and Assignments:

            Marilú will work to expand engagement and awareness efforts for the neighborhood council system and conduct successful citywide neighborhood council election outreach


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              Wendy Edison
              Systems Manager

              Responsibilities and Assignments:

              Wendy is responsible for technically complex & critical analyses of Information Systems; Project Manager for all IT assignments.

              Develops, plans & provides regular systems support including budgeting, purchasing and maintenance of technology assets for the Neighborhood Empowerment Department


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                Erick Muñoz
                Commission Executive Assistant I

                Responsibilities and Assignments:

                 

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                  Henry Lo
                  Management Analyst

                  Responsibilities and Assignments:

                   

                   

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                    Karen Moreno
                    Management Analyst

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                      Ava Marinelli
                      Public Information Officer

                      Responsibilities and Assignments:


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                        Cecilia Elmange
                        Accounting Clerk

                         


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                          Dina Andrews
                          Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate

                          Responsibilities and Assignments:

                          Dina is responsible for supporting Neighborhood Council Boards with capacity building, training, and organizing skills to engage the community.


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                            Lorenzo Briceno
                            Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate

                            Responsibilities and Assignments:

                            Lorenzo is responsible for supporting Neighborhood Council Boards with capacity building, training, and organizing skills that Empower LA and engage the community.


                            Interesting Fact/Personal Message:

                            Lorenzo Briceno joined the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment with 10 years of Legislative experience with the Los Angeles City Council.  He previously worked as Assistant Chief of Staff to Councilmember Bernard C. Parks.  His Management experience leading a political office’s legislative team brings great value to our department. He holds a strong background and understanding of local government process and understands the council and committee process. He brings his insights into the Neighborhood Empowerment Department and has a desire for increasing civic engagement, while building strategic partnerships with stakeholders, and advocacy groups to further empower citizens of Los Angeles.

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                              Prabhjot Chamber
                              Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate

                              Responsibilities and Assignments:


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                                John Darnell
                                Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate

                                Responsibilities and Assignments:

                                John is responsible for supporting Neighborhood Council Boards with capacity building, training, and organizing skills that Empower LA and engage the community.


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                                  Jose Galdamez
                                  Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate

                                  Responsibilities and Assignments:

                                  Jose is responsible for supporting Neighborhood Council Boards with capacity building, training, and organizing skills that Empower LA and engage the community.


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                                    Erica Gatica
                                    Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate

                                    Responsibilities and Assignments:

                                    Erica is responsible for supporting Neighborhood Council Boards with capacity building, training, and organizing skills that Empower LA and engage the community.


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                                      Joel Gonzalez
                                      Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate

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                                        Mario Hernandez
                                        Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate

                                        Responsibilities and Assignments:

                                        Mario is responsible for supporting Neighborhood Council Boards with capacity building, training, and organizing skills that Empower LA and engage the community.


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                                          Daniel D. Johnson
                                          Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate

                                          Responsibilities and Assignments:


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                                            Alfonso Manzo
                                            Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate

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                                              Raúl Preciado
                                              Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate

                                              Responsibilities and Assignments:

                                              Raúl is responsible for supporting Neighborhood Council Boards with capacity building, training, and organizing skills that Empower LA and engage the community.


                                              Personal Message/Interesting Fact:


                                               

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                                                Octaviano Rios
                                                Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate

                                                Responsibilities and Assignments:

                                                Octaviano is responsible for supporting Neighborhood Council Boards with capacity building, training, and organizing skills that Empower LA and engage the community.


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                                                  Axel Perez
                                                  Office Services Assistant

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                                                    Mario Gomez
                                                    Administrative Clerk

                                                    Responsibilities and Assignments:

                                                    Mario is here to help with questions about Neighborhood Councils. He also assists NCs with Agendas, Rosters and NC Training.


                                                    Personal Message/Interesting Fact:

                                                     


                                                     

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                                                      Elaine Mendez
                                                      Inclusive Engagement Advocate

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                                                        Kevin Argueta
                                                        Project Assistant

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                                                          Lena McElroy
                                                          Project Assistant

                                                          Responsibilities and Assignments:

                                                          Lena supports EmpowerLA Communications activities. Her duties include the editing of official Neighborhood Council related documents and creating content for outreach through social media and other communication platforms.


                                                          Personal Message/Interesting Fact:

                                                          Lena has a bachelor’s degree in Literature/Writing from UC San Diego. Prior to joining EmpowerLA, she supported authors and literary agencies and provided writing and language arts tutoring to K-12 and college students.

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                                                            Socorro Galindo
                                                            Project Assistant

                                                            Responsibilities and Assignments:

                                                             

                                                             

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                                                              Kyle Stone
                                                              Project Assistant

                                                              Responsibilities and Assignments:

                                                              Kyle supports the Systems and Administrative services teams with various tasks and projects. He is well versed on the department’s customer relations database, website management, as well as departmental and Neighborhood Council email management and training management.


                                                              Interesting Fact:

                                                              Kyle is also part of the department’s Tech Team, where they discuss current and new technologies and how the department can best utilize these technologies to improve efficiency. Kyle has a degree in Engineering, and is working on an Information Systems degree. Outside of work and school, Kyle is a huge aviation enthusiast, automotive enthusiast, video and tabletop gamer, and a 3D design hobbyist.

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                                                                Organizational Chart