YWCA Board of Directors - Officers
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Vivian D. Howell
President
President, YWCA Board of Directors
AdministratorVivian D. Howell began her association with YWCA Greater Los Angeles in 2004 as a volunteer in the capacity of the Chair of the Society of Benefactrix and as a member of the Fund Development Committee, particularly in support of the Annual Benefactrix Ball. In 2006, she was Chair of the Benefactrix Ball. Her commitment to the vision and mission of the YWCA GLA was evident as she consistently supported its programs and development. Vivian was recruited to the Board of Directors in 2007. She has a reputation of dotting the "i's" and crossing the "t's" and was instrumental during aligning the By-Laws and Board Procedures with the Five-year Strategic Plan. Vivian is dedicated to and has an extensive history of community and professional volunteerism. She is an active life-member of the California Women Lead that works to empower California's future women leaders. Since 1996, she has been a volunteer mediator and facilitator with the Dispute Resolution Program of the City of Los Angeles Office of the City Attorney. She also was a volunteer with the Rosa Parks Sexual Assault Center in Los Angeles, a member of the Board of the Youth Motivation Task Force and an appointee to the Affirmative Action Advisory Council of the Department of Water and Power.
Vivian's career includes over 28 years of leadership roles of increasing responsibility at the City of Los Angeles, where she was recruited as the Director of Property at the Port of Los Angeles and is currently the Manager of Business Solutions and Space Planning with the Los Angeles World Airports' (LAWA) Commercial Development Group. Administratively, she has been engaged in real estate and land development projects with political, inter-agency and department undertones in the areas of appraisals, negotiation, acquisition, relocation and subdivision planning. On behalf of LAWA, Vivian accomplished the largest single commercial acquisition of $125Mil, previously staffed the Mayor of Los Angeles' Economic Development Cabinet and is executing the largest subdivision in the County of Los Angeles of 17,750 acres. While serving on the Bank of California's High Technology Industry Business Development Team, she pioneered the Tax-Oriented Lease Transaction. Vivian instructs courses in real estate, conflict resolution and mediation. She has accepted numerous speaking and presentation engagements at community venues, public entities, educational seminars and conventions.
Vivian holds a Master of Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University's Executive MBA Program and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration - Finance from California State University, Los Angeles and holds numerous professional licenses, designations and certifications. She maintains an active membership and the highest certification with the International Right of Way Association, as Region 1 Vice Chair, which includes 12 Chapters located throughout California, Arizona and Nevada.
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Eleanor Beasley
Vice President
Vice President, YWCA Board of Directors
Business Banking ConsultantEleanor E. Beasley is an entrepreneur and financial services professional with 33 years' experience specializing in Senior Level Management and Customer Service Delivery. Certified Treasury Professional as classified by the Association of Financial Professionals. Professional experience includes: Customer service and bank operations management at four regional banks, catering to the needs of the consumer, small business and mid-large size corporate clients. Lead the restructuring of customer service and operations teams at three banks to improve customer service and improve operational efficiency. Consistently received the highest professional opinions and ratings by distinguished sources as Phoenix-Hecht's Treasury Management MonitorTM and Greenwich Excellence Awards. Developed curriculum and facilitated training sessions for bank employees to sell bank products to match Bank client needs. Formally mentored and coached twenty professional men and women on their corporate climb in banking and other industries. Motivational and keynote speaker at more than twenty community and professional association events; including the keynote speaker at a graduation for adult learners in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Los Angeles Business Journal's 2007 Volunteer of the Year recipient.
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Constance Anderson
Treasurer
Treasurer, YWCA Board of Directors
Small Business Development Center
Pacific Coast Regional DirectorConstance D. Anderson an experienced community economic development and banking executive, who has worked successfully in the Southern California market for most of her career. Currently, she is Pacific Coast Regional's (PCR) Vice President of Communications and Training, and the Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) hosted by PCR. She has been with PCR since 2002, and has been instrumental in developing the Entrepreneurial Training Institute educational programs, as well as managing development and communications activities for the company. She became the Director of the SBDC in 2007, when PCR was awarded the SBDC contract by the Lead Center in Long Beach, CA.
Prior to joining PCR, Ms. Anderson had a successful career as a banker, eventually attaining the position of Vice President/Community Investment Officer at Northern Trust Bank, where she was responsible for all Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) and compliance activities for the Bank. Prior to joining Northern Trust, Ms. Anderson served as Vice President/Regulatory Risk Manager at California Federal Bank, and as Compliance Manager, Bank Secrecy Act Officer and Community Reinvestment Act Officer at First Los Angeles Bank.
Ms. Anderson is a board member of Urban Financial Services Coalition and she is a board member of Los Angeles Neighborhood Housing Services (LANHS). In addition, she is a member of the Mayor's Office Minority Business Development, the National Association of Female Executives and the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).
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Jane Pak
Secretary
Secretary, YWCA Board of Directors
CEO
NAWBO LAJane Pak currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Women Business Owners, Los Angeles Chapter (NAWBO-LA). Ms. Pak is responsible for the development, oversight, implementation, communication and evaluation of all strategies and activities related to the day-to-day administration of the organization. NAWBO-LA is one of the largest and most dynamic of the 83 nationwide chapters of the National Association of Women Business Owners, NAWBO-LA represents the interests of an estimated 543,000-plus privately held, 50% or more women-owned firms in the greater Los Angeles region, employing over 692,000 people and generating nearly $125 billion in sales. In her capacity as CEO, she also serves as Founding Chair of SCORE Chapter 705, the first chapter in the history of the organization created exclusively for women.
Prior to joining NAWBO-LA, Ms. Pak spent over 10 years in various capacities in the public and private sectors. Best known as a solutions strategist, she spent nearly 4 years as a consultant specializing in brand and business development strategies around global citizenship profiles. Prior to private practice, Ms. Pak served as the youngest Asian-American Presidential Appointee to serve the U.S. Small Business Administration. As Director of External Affairs, she created and implemented national strategic alliances with major national and regional business trade associations delivering sound and measurable directives for robust agency engagement with key business and community stakeholders. With the 43rd Administration, Ms. Pak served as a liaison to the White House Initiative on Asian Americans; a Presidential Advisory Board and later as an advisory council member to the Race and Ethnic Advisory Committee (REAC) to the U.S. Census Bureau. During her tenure, more Asian Americans were appointed by the President to serve the 43rd Administration than all past Presidential Administrations comb ined.
Leading up to her service in Washington, DC, Ms. Pak served in various State and Local Government capacities. An alumni of Florida State University, Ms. Pak began her career in Tallahassee, Florida where she holds the distinction of being the first and youngest Asian American to serve an elected official in both Houses of the Florida Legislature, first as Senior Legislative Aide to Former House Representative James Tullis and later as Chief of Staff for Former State Senator and Chairman of the Democratic Black Caucus, Daryl Jones. She later went on to spearhead the $100 million federal appropriations package for Miami Dade County, under the leadership of former County Mayor Alex Penelas.
Ms. Pak is an ardent personal supporter of philanthropic causes including the San Diego Officers Wives Club, the Korean Youth & Community Center, the LA Philharmonic, Avon Walk, National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
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Lisa Cagnolatti
Elected Member
Southern California Edison
V.P. Business Customer Div.Lisa Cagnolatti is vice president of the Business Customer Division of Southern California Edison's (SCE) Customer Service Business Unit. Elected to the position on November 1, 2007, she oversees the company's relationships with its major industrial, commercial and government customers as well as SCE's efforts to stimulate business development in the 15 counties it serves.
Cagnolatti joined SCE in 1996 as commercial segment manager in the Business Customer Division. In the Transmission and Distribution Business Unit, she held the positions of Rurals Manager, and Orange Region Manager, Construction and Maintenance where she was responsible for electricity distribution services to more than one million customers in Orange County and on Catalina Island. She also previously served as director of the Revenue Services Organization. Most recently, Cagnolatti served as director of the Customer Communications Organization where she was responsible for call center operation, which annually fields more than 12.7 million customer calls.
Cagnolatti began her professional career as a production team manager with Procter and Gamble in Oxnard, Calif. where she managed two operating teams in the Paper Manufacturing Division. She then joined Southern California Gas Company as an account executive in 1985. During her 11 years with the gas company, she held positions of increasing responsibility in Environmental Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, Marketing and Sales. While there, Cagnolatti helped develop deregulation and open access programs for the company's largest customers and managed relationships with the natural gas marketing firms.
Cagnolatti holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from UCLA and a Master's degree of Business Administration from Pepperdine University. In addition to her formal education, Lisa has several certifications including: Chartered Industrial Gas Consultant from the Institute of Gas Technology; Certified Energy Manager from the Association of Energy Engineers; and Certified Leadership and Team Building Facilitator.
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Maria L. Garcia
Elected Member
Regional Manager/First Vice President
FVP, District Manager-Los Angeles
JPMorgan Chase, Retail BankingMaria Garcia who joined JPMorgan Chase through several mergers and acquisitions, will be celebrating her 25th year anniversary with JPMorgan Chase in November 2011. Throughout her career with JPMorgan Chase, Maria has held various positions within the retail branch system. Working with bank clients to meet their everyday banking needs, has always been the motivating factor for Maria.
In July of 2007 she was presented with the opportunity to become a district manager in the Greater Los Angeles area and manage one of the most complex and diverse districts for the company. Currently, Maria is managing two districts, located in metropolitan Los Angeles/ San Gabriel Valley area. She is responsible for twenty branch offices and her team consists of 20 vice president-branch managers, and over 280 branch employees. In addition to helping her teams serve the needs of Chase clients, she is responsible for the development of her team, and representing Chase in the Los Angeles community, creating job opportunities in the marketplace as the retail branches continue to grow.
Maria also sits on the boards of the YWCA of Greater Los Angeles, St. Thomas Aquinas School, Monterey Park and St. Turibius School, Los Angeles. She has served as a bank spokesperson on Spanish language media, providing information on various bank products and services, for the benefit of the community.
Maria was born and raised in Los Angeles. She currently resides in Whittier, California with husband of twenty years, Gilbert and children, Victoria Christine 16 and Andrew Julian 12.
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Melissa Hibbert
Elected Member
Savvy . Creative . Experienced
With a dynamic creative mind and passion for Marketing, Producing and Public Relations, most recently, Melissa Hibbért served as the Manager of Entertainment Marketing for the Los Angeles Times Media Group. In this role, Melissa collaborated with a team that managed a multimillion dollar entertainment portfolio that included; Movies, Films, Television, Sports Entertainment, Awards Shows and Events for the Los Angeles Times.
Before joining the Los Angeles Times, Melissa oversaw National Marketing for 944 Magazine that included Marketing and Communications strategies for 10 of the U.S. leading Markets. With an expansive Media and Marketing background, Melissa has held several influential with some of the world's leading organizations and brands, including; BET Networks directing Integrated Marketing and Business Development, Nike, Inc. - Jordan Brand Division in Product Marketing, UniWorld Advertising Agency in National Promotions Marketing and Events and CBS in Radio Marketing and Advertising.
After over a decade in corporate america, Melissa is now the Founder of Melissa Hibbért Consulting, a leading Marketing and Public Relations firm; focusing on Brand Marketing, Public Relations, Digital and Social Media strategies for entreprenuers, small business and brands nationallly. To further her creative interest and to bring great stories to life, Melissa is also a Producer, involved throughout all phases of the film-making, video, television process from development to completion of a project.
Active in organizations both within and outside the media industry, Melissa serves on the Board of Directors for the YWCA of Greater Los Angeles, a member of Step-Up Women's Network, and a contributor to the Kiva foundation, where she helps fund dreams by providing microfinance loans to women entrepreneurs in Africa and around the globe.
Melissa earned a dual Bachelors degree in Political Science and Public Administration from Fisk University and a Master's of Business Administration with a concentration in Media Management from Metropolitan College of New York. Melissa currently resides in Los Angeles, CA. -
Samantha Jones
Elected Member
Senior Vice President, Regional Manager
Commercial Banking
Wells Fargo & CompanyLeads a team that provides financial services to middle-market companies with annual revenues between $20 million and $500 million in West L.A. and East San Fernando Valley. Prior to becoming the regional manager in 2010, Samantha served as a Sr. V.P. in Commercial Banking as a loan team manager in West L.A. Samantha joined Wachovia in 2002, where she held various risk management positions in both Commercial Banking and Real Estate in Atlanta and L.A. Prior to joining Wachovia, she worked at Morgan Stanley in the real estate group where she focused primarily on acquisitions and origination/structuring of third-party real estate funds. Samantha earned her bachelor's degree in economics with a minor in management at Spellman College in Atlanta and her M.B.A in finance and real estate from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Samantha has served as a board member for the Risk Management Association and various school organizations in both Atlanta and Los Angeles. Samantha and her family live in Los Angeles.
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Patricia Keane
Elected Member
Deputy County Counsel
Office of the County CounselPatricia Keane is a Deputy County Counsel for the Office of the Los Angeles County Counsel, which serves as attorney for and provides legal advice and representation to the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles, County departments, and other public offices and agencies. Ms. Keane's practice focuses on the various aspects of land use and planning law. She represents the Regional Planning Department regarding wide-ranging land use and planning matters. Prior to working for the Office of County Counsel, Ms. Keane clerked for the U.S. District Court and spent 6 years in private practice advising clients regarding the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act and other environmental laws related to private and institutional development projects. Ms. Keane graduated from Wittenberg University, in Springfield, Ohio, with a B.A. in English and German in 1998. She graduated Order of the Coif from UCLA School of Law in 2001. At UCLA, Ms. Keane was Editor-in-Chief of the UCLA Law Review. In addition to her membership on the YWCA-GLA Board of Directors, Ms. Keane is active in the local community. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Arroyo Food Co-Op, a grassroots, community-based effort to bring a member-owned, local and sustainable grocery store to the Altadena and Pasadena communities, and she is also a Commissioner on the City of Pasadena's Recreation and Parks Commission. In her spare time, Ms. Keane is an avid distance runner.
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Alva P. Mason
Elected Member
Manager, Strategic Dealer Representation
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. Inc.Alva Mason is Manager, Strategic Dealer Representation, Diversity and Inclusion for Toyota Motor Sales. Mason is respons¬ible for development and implementation of strategies that enable Toyota and Lexus field offices to increase the number of minority dealers. Alva also has responsibility for a broad range of community outreach programs.
In her previous position, Mason was Operations Manager for Retail Market Development, with responsibility for develop¬ment, launch, training and ongoing support of the Strategic Planning Model. She also administered all aspects of the annual Market Representation National Conference.
Prior to joining Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc., Mason worked successfully on the retail side of the automotive industry for thirteen years as a Secretary-Treasurer solely responsible to the corporation for all financial aspects of the business.
Mason received her Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from Howard University in Washington, DC. She has also completed a certificate program for Diversity Management at the University of Houston.
Mason is a member of the board of directors for the YWCA of Greater Los Angeles and the Millennium Momentum Foundation. She is a former member of the Los Angeles Girl Scout Council Board of Directors and past Chairman of the Fund Committee, President Emeritus of Howard University Alumni Club of Southern California, and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
Mason is the recipient of the 2007 Woman of the Year Award for the National Association of Minority Automotive Dealers, and in the Toyota Driver's Seat publication in September 2007. Mason was featured in The Lovick Career Journal in February 2009 and Who's Who in Black Los Angeles publication 2009 and 2010. She is a member of Toastmasters International.
Mason resides in Inglewood, Ca. with her three daughters.
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Robbin Narike Preciado
Elected Member
Executive Director, Community Bank Programs,
Senior Vice President
Union BankResponsible for managing various centralized programs that include Priority Banking, Japanese Segments and the Sales and Service Programs that support a nearly 400 branch network across the entire Union Bank footprint.
Responsible for diverse community banking market comprised of over $4 billion in deposits, 49 stores and 800 team members with an emphasis in consumer acquisition, cross-sell, small business banking, compliance, operations and community relations.Education, Certifications and Awards
•University of California, Los Angeles - Bachelor of Arts, Economics
•Attended Pacific Coast Banking School, Seattle, WA
•Series 7, 66, 24 Licenses
•Leadership Management Program, Wells Fargo
•Pacific Coast Business Times, Top Women in Business, 2010Community Service
•Orange County Asian Pacific Islander Coalition Alliance (OCAPICA), Director and Board Chair, 1997-2010
•Orange County Business Council, Director, 2002-2009
•KOCE, Director, 2004-2009
•Asian Business Association, Orange County, past Corporate Advisory Board member, 1996-2008
