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SESSION 1

9:25 AM – 10:40 AM

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BOARD BASICS & EFFECTIVENESS
Coordinator/Presenter: Ivan Spiegel

Ivan Spiegel, Parliamentarian
Ivan currently serves as a bi-coastal Parliamentarian working for both the Venice and Downtown LA Neighborhood Councils and he has extensive experience in parliamentary procedure as it applies to Neighborhood Councils. His years of experience in creating organizational bylaws led him to join the BONC/DONE Bylaws Task Force. He was co-chair of the DONE Bylaws Resource Team, which worked with NCs to help revise their bylaws into the new Table Of Contents format. A designer of the Councils 4 Councils Peer Mentoring program, he trains NC participants in a wide range of topics. Ivan became involved in the L.A school system as a parent/volunteer with a focus on putting technology into classrooms. He chaired several school and district councils, and was chosen as a member of the Superintendent’s Focus on Achievement Council, which advised the Superintendent on setting LAUSD policy.

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MEET YOUR CITY OFFICIALS
Coordinator: Sarah Ramsawack
Panelists: Capri Maddox, Special Assistant City Attorney; Paul Krekorian, Council District 2; David Ryu, Council District 4; Curren D. Price, Jr. Council District 9

Sarah Ramsawack, Former North Hollywood Northeast NC
Sarah Ramsawack has enjoyed a multi-faceted career capped by many years of teaching, and her various roles include licensed Casualty Insurance Underwriter, vocal soloist and organizer of musical groups, and devoted parent and homeowner. An organizer and first facilitator of the Strathern Neighborhood WATCH in her community, she has been a member of the North Hollywood North East Neighborhood Council since March 2007. Sarah says that being a coordinator of two workshops at the CONGRESS 2015 is an honor, as it has given her the opportunity to share her enthusiasm for this great experiment in democracy.

Capri Maddox, Special Assistant City Attorney
Capri Maddox, Special Assistant City Attorney, previously served as a Los Angeles Deputy City Attorney where she worked in the following units: Central Trials, Neighborhood Prosecutor Program, Complex Litigation and General Counsel Section. Before returning to the Office of the City Attorney, she was President of the City of Los Angeles Board of Public Works.

Councilmember Paul Krekorian, Los Angeles Council District 2
Since 2010, he has served on the Los Angeles City Council where his leadership as chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee helped guide the city through the Great Recession and toward greater economic promise. Paul is also chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Job Creation, the Vice Chair of the Entertainment and Facilities Committee, and sits on the Economic Development Committee, Trade, Commerce and Technology Committee, Executive Employee Relations Committee and the Board of Referred Powers. He also serves on the boards of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), Metrolink and the San Fernando Valley Council of Governments, a coalition of leaders advocating for the Valley’s two million residents. Paul is the first Armenian-American elected to public office in the City of Los Angeles. He lives in the San Fernando Valley with his wife, Tamar, and children Hrag, Andrew and Lori.

Councilmember David Ryu, Los Angeles Council District 4
Ryu studied economics at UCLA; Public Policy and Administration at Rutgers; won a prestigious United Nations graduate internship; and was a Netkal Fellow at USC’s School of Social Work. As Senior Deputy to Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne Burke, he worked for years on issues like public health, housing, children and family services, transportation and senior services. He helped oversee the County budget and worked for a time as a Special Investigator for the Auditor-Controller, rooting out waste and fraudulent expenditures. Ryu returned to the non-profit world and served as Director of Development and Public Affairs at one of Los Angeles’s largest non-profit health care providers: Kedren Acute Psychiatric Hospital and Community Health Center. On July 1st, 2015 Ryu became the first Korean American to serve on the LA City Council and only the second Asian American.

Councilmember Curren D. Price, Jr., Council District 9
Born and raised in South Los Angeles, Curren D. Price, Jr. is proud of his roots, and his public service experience has consistently stood up for working-class families.  In 2013, he was elected to represent the Los Angeles 9th Council District with a focus on elevating the South LA community, cleaning up neighborhoods, tackling blight and advocating for more resources and services. In his role as City Councilmember, Price is the Chair of the Council’s Economic Development Committee, and serves on the committees on Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM); Homelessness and Poverty; Housing; Public Works and Gang Reduction; Arts, Parks, and River; as well as the Ad-Hoc Committees on Immigrant Affairs, Comprehensive Job Creation and the 2024 Summer Olympics.

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BEST PRACTICES FOR LAND USE COMMITTEES
Coordinator: PlanCheckNCLA

PlanCheckNC was created by Neighborhood Councilstakeholders to promote more stakeholder participation in planning and land use issues and make government more responsive to local community needs. The purpose of PlanCheckNC is to help Neighborhood Councils and their stakeholders have the knowledge and tools to develop a vision reflective of the values of neighborhood residents and to develop and implement a land use framework that enables all stakeholders to feel that they are a part of the community– supported, safe and valued by the community.

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VISION ZERO
Coordinator/Speaker(s): Glenn Bailey

Glenn Bailey
Glenn Bailey is a Board member of the Northridge East and Encino NCs, an Executive Committee member of the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils (VANC), Treasurer of the Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition (LANCC), and served as a NC Budget Advocate for four terms. Glenn is Chair of L.A. City’s Bicycle Advisory Committee and also serves on the boards of other community, civic, and non-profit organizations.

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RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
Coordinator: Patti Berman, Past President of DLANC
Panelists: Jose Egurbide, Supervising Attorney, Neighborhood Justice Program; Will Sheffie,
Administrative Coordinator, Neighborhood Justice Program Project Intercept; Geoffrey Carlson, Associate Professor Criminal Justice, University of Antelope Valley; Peter Tulagan, Officer Los Angeles Police Department; Andrew Said, Deputy City Attorney, Neighborhood Prosecutor – Rampart Division, Safe Neighborhoods & Gang Division

Patti Berman, Past President of DLANC
Patti Berman has lived in Downtown Los Angeles for 15 years. For ten of those, she has been associated with the Downtown LA Neighborhood Council (DLANC). She has served two terms as Vice President of Outreach, and three plus terms as President. During the years she has worked with DLANC, Parklets have become a reality in Downtown as has Spring Street Park. A $121,000 SCAG grant has produced a shared vision of Downtown’s livability, mobility and sustainability.

Jose Egurbide, Supervising Attorney, Neighborhood Justice Program
Jose A. Egurbide is the Supervising Attorney for the Los Angeles City Attorney Neighborhood Justice Program (NJP). NJP is a pre-filing alternative prosecution program that uses Restorative Justice principles to divert first-time non-violent misdemeanor offenders away from the Criminal Justice system. Eligible participants are offered a chance to take responsibility for their actions, repair the harm caused to victims and/or the community, and receive services aimed at reducing recidivism. 

Will Sheffie, Administrative Coordinator, Neighborhood Justice Program Project Intercept

Geoffrey Carlson, Instructor – Criminal Justice (CJ)
University of Antelope Valley

Peter Tulagan, Officer Los Angeles Police Department

Andrew Said, Deputy City Attorney, Neighborhood Prosecutor – Rampart Division, Safe Neighborhoods & Gang Division

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COMMUNITY IMPACT STATEMENTS: WRITING FOR SUCCESS
Coordinator: Cindy Cleghorn
Presented by: Linda Gravani, President of Lake Balboa Neighborhood Council

Chair, NC Congress,  Sunland-Tujunga NC Land Use Chair
Cindy has served two terms as President of the Sunland-Tujunga NC, current Land Use Committee chair, Executive Board for the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils and Chair of PlanCheckNC — an alliance of Neighborhood Councils dedicated to education in planning and land use. She served on the Neighborhood Council Review Commission representing the North Valley. Cindy is a small business owner in Tujunga and serves on the boards of the Sunland-Tujunga and United Chambers of Commerce and executive board of the California Small Business Association (CSBA).

Linda Gravani, President, Lake Balboa NC
Linda is the current President of Lake Balboa Neighborhood Council and is a member of the Executive board for the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils (VANC). As LBNC 2014 Election chair, voter participation increased 246%. When her mother became a resident of a convalescent facility she discovered the level of care was not as it should be. She took a leadership role on the Family Council and became an advocate for the seniors and their families. As a small business owner, Linda protects the rights of families and small businesses and serves the community as a Business Representative. She has three daughters and one granddaughter.

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DIVERSE OUTREACH IN A DIGITAL WORLD: SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES
Coordinator/Speaker(s): Ann-Marie Holman, Chair of Outreach and Marketing for the Congress of Neighborhoods, Outreach Columnist, EmpowerLA Newsletter & Freddy Cupen-Ames, MPA, North Hollywood West Neighborhood Council Boardmember, Outreach and Marketing Committee Member for the Congress of Neighborhoods
(Coursework prepared with assistance from Deputy City Attorneys Carmen Hawkins, Elise Ruden & Dania Minassian)

Ann-Marie Holman, Chair of Outreach and Marketing for the Congress of Neighborhoods, Outreach Columnist, EmpowerLA Newsletter
Ann-Marie Holman is a brand management and publicity consultant, and former NC boardmember and Land Use Committee chair.  She created the website, graphics, newsletter articles and souvenir pin for this year’s NC Congress. She also recently served on the Marketing team for the 2016 & 2017 Neighborhood Council elections. Holman got her start as in-house publicist to one of the world’s first e-commerce enterprises, and has taught her PR workshops at locations across the United States.

Freddy Cupen-Ames, MPA, North Hollywood West Neighborhood Council Boardmember, Outreach and Marketing Committee Member for the Congress of Neighborhoods
Los Angeles native, Freddy Cupen-Ames received his B.A. in Philosophy from Loyola Marymount University (LMU) and recently graduated from USC Sol Price School of Public Policy with his Master of Public Administration focused on Local Government.  Freddy still serves the City of Los Angeles and his immediate neighborhood as an elected At-Large Representative Board Member for the North Hollywood West Neighborhood Council where he seeks to engage others in developing their neighborhoods and utilizing available L.A. City resources while striving to create a more self-sufficient public. Recently finishing his internship at the Los Angeles City Controller’s Office Ron Galperin, Freddy is still developing skills and institutional knowledge through his research on current audits that aim to increase governmental efficiency while improving all city departments, offices, and program operations.  Previously, Freddy was a full-time Career Development Coordinator at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, who assisted students and alumni to realize their potential within the music/entertainment industry. In his past work experience, he also served as an LMU Special Games Committee Member for three years and was a Judicial Extern for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Central District in Santa Ana.

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EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOR OUR DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS
Coordinator: Dave Brown
Moderator: Len Shaffer, BONC Commissioner, President of Tarzana Neighborhood Council, Neighborhood Council Emergency Preparedness Alliance
Panel: Janet Gibson – Financial Preparedness; Bill Hopkins, MYN, Neighborhood Preparedness Strategy, Chair of the Granada Hills North NC Emergency Preparedness Committee; Linda Pruett, CERT, Chair of the Lake Balboa NC Emergency Preparedness & Communications Committee; Erin Huey, Pet Emergency Preparedness is Great Outreach

Dave Brown

Len Shaffer, BONC Commissioner, President of Tarzana Neighborhood Council, Neighborhood Council Emergency Preparedness Alliance

Since becoming a resident of the San Fernando Valley in 1971 Leonard Shaffer has volunteered in many capacities. His participation in neighborhood organizations began in 1972 when he first joined the Tarzana Property Owners Association and he has continued to be an active member of the Board of Directors.
He became interested in the idea of neighborhood councils after attending a series of conferences sponsored by the USC Public Participation Project prior to the passage of the 1999 Charter. He attended several city-wide meetings presented by the new Department of Neighborhood Empowerment for the purpose of formulating the plan mandated by the Charter. In 2002, as chair of the formation committee, he led the effort to form a neighborhood council in Tarzana. In January 2002 the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners certified the Tarzana Neighborhood Council. Leonard is currently the Chair of the Tarzana Neighborhood Council.  In 2004 at the Congress of Neighborhoods the USC Collaborative Learning Project conducted a session that explored the idea of a permanent Congress of Neighborhoods.  He is a participant in the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils and has been a member of its executive committee.  He keeps active in the law field by helping fellow ham radio operators as a Volunteer Council for the American Radio Relay League. He has taught several classes concerning criminal justice at the University of Phoenix.

Janet Gibson – Financial Preparedness

Bill Hopkins, MYN, Neighborhood Preparedness Strategy, Chair of the Granada Hills North NC Emergency Preparedness Committee

Linda Pruett, CERT, Chair of the Lake Balboa NC Emergency Preparedness & Communications Committee

Erin Huey, Pet Emergency Preparedness is Great Outreach

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GETTING OUR WHEEL IN THE DOOR AND AT THE TABLE BEYOND THE ADA: ENGAGING YOUR DISABLED STAKEHOLDERS
Coordinator: Andy Griggs, At Large Board of Governors member, Echo Park NC
Speaker: Emma Rosenthal, Writer/Photographer/Disability Rights Activist

Andy Griggs, At Large Board of Governors member, Echo Park NC
As a native Angeleno, 10-year Echo Park resident & business/homeowner, I want to preserve the unique nature of Echo Park. I believe in ‘cultivating community,’ working with ALL neighbors to achieve solutions that work for EVERYONE that EPNC represents. My experience as a labor/community organizer includes outreach & providing access to all. I’m willing to listen & discuss, & am committed to find creative, equitable & just solutions to problems.

Emma Rosenthal, Writer/Photographer/Disability Rights Activist

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A WIN-WIN FOR ALL NEIGHBORHOODS: BUILDING COALITIONS TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Coordinator/Moderator: Lisa Hart, Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance
Speakers: Tamika Butler, Executive Director, Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust; Mark Lopez, Executive Director, East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice; Kent Minault, Community Organizer, Sierra Club

Lisa Hart, Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance

Tamika Butler, Executive Director, Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust

Mark Lopez, Executive Director, East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice

Kent Minault, Community Organizer, Sierra Club

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