Meet 2021's Impact Makers to Watch
2021 was the sixth year that Impact-Makers to Watch shined its spotlight on the individuals in L.A. County who are making a positive impact on their communities and who are expected to take their contributions to new heights in years to come.
On February 3 we saluted this year’s Impact-Makers To Watch during a virtual celebration that featured video profiles of each honoree. Also on the agenda: a special tribute to the late Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge, whose love for our city knew no bounds and has inspired others to work for positive change in their community. The tribute included remarks from U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, U.S. Representative Adam Schiff, Mayor Eric Garcetti, and others. Watch the full celebration.
Congratulations to all the 2021 Impact-Makers to Watch!

Andrew Acedo, Events & Outreach Director at NewFilmakers
Meet Andrew
Andrew Acedo has been a part of the non-profit organization NewFilmmakers Los Angeles since graduating from UCLA 5 years ago. He has passionately advocated for the arts, artists, diversity and inclusion. He has brought together hundreds of community organizations to celebrate culture through cinema, including Outfest, LA Skins Fest, Indian Film Festival Los Angeles, Women in Film, NALIP and more. While at UCLA, he taught a course about the lack of access to higher education in the Pilipinx Community and currently serves as a counselor for UCLA’s largest non-profit organization called UniCamp, where he leads groups of kids from urban areas in a week-long camping trip in the mountains. He also serves as a Script Reader for the International Screenwriters Association (ISA), where he reads, scores, and gives feedback for script submissions from writers around the world.
Andrew will be spearheading all of NFMLA’s diversity programming in 2021. This includes InFocus which elevates films centered on women, Latinx and Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Disabilities and more. The over 120,000 NFMLA constituents in the greater Los Angeles film community and Filmmakers and Artists from around the globe will champion diversity and inclusion. Andrew’s goal is to give a platform to films by hidden talent around the world. Andrew believes that NFMLA gives him the opportunity to do just that.

Meet Kome
Under Mr. Ajise’s leadership, SCAG has identified five opportunity areas it plans to address in 2021. One opportunity is to implement a resolution passed by SCAG’s Regional Council that affirms its commitment to addressing longstanding issues related to equity and social justice in planning. He will also lead plans to accelerate the implementation of Connect SoCal which outlines more than $638 billion in transportation system investments through 2045 targeting innovation in emerging sectors to stimulate job growth and housing production, focusing on economic inclusion, public health, and equity and social justice. Through SCAG, he will also guide the region’s efforts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on data sharing and collaboration. Using SCAG’s Regional Data Platform, an analysis tool available for use in local planning, as well as economic reports and analysis will help SCAG facilitate better planning at both the local and regional level, helping to collectively move the region towards a more sustainable future.

Robert Boller, Director of Programs, Project Angel Food
Meet Robert
Mr. Boller is launching an entirely new set of services beyond the core program of home-delivering healthy meals to people living with critical illness. He has led the development of a suite of programs to improve clients’ overall well-being such as “wellness checks” to spot any marked changes or deterioration in a client’s health or circumstances and to work with the client and their health care team to make sure that they get appropriate help.
In 2021, as the technological backbone for Project Angel Food, Mr. Boller is leading the implementation of a new client relations management system that will more effectively provide nutritious meals and ensure health improvement for more than 2,300 medically vulnerable clients. In addition, his leadership has led to a new Telephone Angels program connecting clients with caring volunteers to reduce social isolation especially during the pandemic.

Dr. Giovanna Brasfield, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion – Flatiron Construction – Southwest Division
Meet Giovanna
Dr. Giovanna Brasfield serves as the Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion for Flatiron and is the highest ranking African-American of the $5 Billion Company. She assists in meeting contractual requirements on current and upcoming project pursuits that engage women, diverse businesses, local workforce, and youth. Dr. Brasfield is an advocate, leader, and change agent within the construction industry and is passionate about inclusion of others within construction and construction-related trades. Dr. Brasfield has been working to strengthen inclusion for the LAX Integrated Express Solutions (LINXS) Automated People Mover (APM) project as its Inclusivity Manager and has created an internal strategy to increase overall diversity and inclusivity by attracting potential employees, recruiting & retaining employees, improving culture, and strengthening business strategy.
Intentional inclusion and culture championed by Dr. Brasfield will impact the communities in Los Angeles, but across the region by partnering with community-based organizations and allies to prioritize connecting individuals completing re-entry programs with more than a job, but a meaningful career opportunity. Her work will also impact the business community, workforce, youth, and young adults by giving opportunities to those who are often overlooked or underserved.

Julee Baber Brooks, Chief Executive Officer, Woodcraft Rangers
Meet Julee
Julee is focused on post-COVID strategies for digital learning and focusing on highest need students. Under Julee’s leadership, the LA City Out-of-School Time Provider Coalition has broadened its network of support and has developed key metrics to help inform advocacy efforts and government decision-making for 2021 Measure J budget allocations. Julee’s impact will reach the 14,000 Woodcraft Rangers youth and hundreds of thousands of low-income families, primarily of color, living in Los Angeles County connected through her coalition leadership.

Dr. Rita Burke, Assistant Professor, University of Southern California
Meet Rita
The needs of children, who make up 25% of our population, are not universally understood and the youngest victims are often overlooked in emergencies. As the Principal Investigator for the Children-in-Disaster Working Group, Dr. Burke will examine the gaps in preparedness for families with children who have access and functional needs. She will also oversee a grant funded to examine the role of faith-based organizations in disaster preparedness.

Calvin Chan, Major Gift Officer, Union Station Homeless
Meet Calvin
Calvin will advance innovative solutions to end homelessness and connect high net worth donors to these transformational fulfillment opportunities. Through his advising the homeless services sector will receive engagement and resources from a more engaged and inspired philanthropic community.

Jacquil Constant, Executive Director, Filmmaker, Cinema Professor
Meet Jacquil
Jaquil founded the nonprofit Haiti International Film Festival (HIFF) in 2015, which is the premiere platform that showcases quality films in Hollywood, California and is a niche film festival that specializes in portraying the humanity of Haitian culture through curation of amazing film from the Haitian Diaspora such as short films, documentaries, and feature films. Through Jaquil’s leadership, the festival showcase positive images of Haitian culture through film and art.
The Haiti International Film Festival launched the Haitian Filmmakers Mentorship Program in 2021 through a partnership with Haiti Tech Summit. The Haiti Tech Summit is the largest tech hub in the Caribbean Region for emerging entrepreneurs. The film festival is planning to showcase amazing Haitian Films on August 13th, and 14th, 2021 at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Hollywood, CA. Also, the festival is planning to expand to Haiti on November 14, and 15th, 2021 at Rev Cinema in Petionville, Haiti.

Fran de Leon, Actor, Writer, Director, Team Building Facilitator
Meet Fran
The performing arts are projected to be the last to rebound and reopen in post-pandemic America. Fran’s project “Valor” will continue its development in part with Center Theatre Group (CTG). In response to the need for streaming content during a time when gathering is not possible, Fran has formed Top Seed Productions, a producing company focused on the creation of online shows and streaming events. With local plays and arts pivoting to online presentations, and youth education shifting to zoom, the number of people who will benefit from Fran’s arts creation, contribution, and advocacy will likely be greater than when people would be gathering in a theatre or classroom with a set number of seats. Her work resonates with the Los Angeles arts scene.

Meet Jasmine
In 2021, Jasmine will help to train an army of smart, capable, environmental stewards by creating a space where collaboration thrives within the neighborhood council system. Jasmine will teach neighborhood councils effective advocacy skills and how to promote environmental justice in communities disproportionately affected by its impacts, focusing the 1,800 neighborhood council board members and the 2 million millennials and Gen Zs in the City of Los Angeles.

Glen Granholm, Vice President Of Business Development at ETC Building & Design, Inc.
Meet Glen
Along with moving the LA Regional Foodbank retrofit forward, he will also be part of The California Office of Statewide Healthcare Planning & Development’s (OSHPD) implementation of the first ever pre-approval (OPM) for a fastening system that the International Code Council evaluated. This will shorten time frames and ease costs involved in securing items in hospitals. Glen is working with the Cascadia Region Earthquake Workgroup (CREW) in developing an effective retrofit and readiness methodology for non-structural elements in all schools in the Cascadia Subduction Zone. These efforts should benefit other geographic regions and sectors as well. Glen will work with the Earthquake Country Alliance to help non-profits access grant money for earthquake retrofits and train new retrofit experts who can perform essential seismic anchorage of furniture and equipment.
This impact will improve regional resilience to major earthquake. All sectors are interdependent in ensuring regional recovery from a major earthquake and Glen’s expertise will support major universities, life science companies, and hospitals in developing engineering-based earthquake bracing protocols, creating a more resilient Los Angeles region.

Adjoa Jones, Infant and Maternal Health Racial Equity, Public Health Advocate, Leader, Convener
Meet Adjoa
The work of the AAIMM CATs will further be expanded throughout Los Angeles County with a focus on race, equity and inclusion first beginning in the womb, through inclusion of women and birthing persons reproductive justice. Further, the work of the L.A. County AAIMM initiative will continue to focus on several strategies, including expansion of Doula services, with a focus on policy (e.g. AB 2258 – Doula Medi-cal Expansion Bill). The overall goal will be to support of uplift women, birthing persons and their families through work locally, statewide and nationally.The initial benefit of Adjoa’s continued work will impact those served throughout Los Angeles County, then will expand to all Mothers, birthing persons, infants and their families as the pregnancy and birth outcomes of the target demographic is improved.

Eli Kaufman, Executive Director at Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
Meet Eli
Eli and his team’s goal in 2021 is to transforming access to schools, medical care, public open spaces, nutritious food, affordable housing and employment. The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC) is committed to scaling each of their programs to supplement those in existence, including Metro BEST and various advocacy campaigns that support the growing community of people benefiting from an improved lived experience by riding bikes. Eli has worked to change the transportation landscape of Los Angeles to be more bike, pedestrian, and transit friendly while reducing our greenhouse gas emissions for a healthier, more equitable and sustainable place to live for everyone.

Kris Larson, President & Chief Executive Officer at The Hollywood Partnership
Meet Kris
Kristopher “Kris” Larson arrived in Hollywood in early 2019, charged with guiding the organization that was known at the time as the Hollywood Property Owners Alliance into a new era. With the merger of two business improvement districts, the organization undertook a strategic planning process, which resulted in the “Hollywood in Focus” 5 year plan. Following that, a rebranding effort culminated in the new name, website, and mission statement for the organization. Throughout the pandemic, Kris has continued to serve as a strong leader, always forward-thinking. He has pushed for the organization to become truly community-focused, inclusive, and vital.
Given the economic crisis, this year Larson has fast-tracked the launch of The Hollywood Partnership’s economic development program, with an emphasis on supporting the storefront economy. The program aims to help the District’s existing businesses survive, and when things open back up, also help recruit new businesses that better serve the neighborhood. Additionally, Larson has worked with the Hollywood 4WRD coalition of social service providers to assist the group in formalizing its own strategic blueprint, to address the homeless crisis in Hollywood. Not only will these programs help businesses recover, anyone who holds a place for Hollywood in their hearts will benefit from the work Larson is piloting.

Jeffrey Lee, Community Caretaker | Public-Private Partnerships Builder
Meet Jeffrey
As Jeffrey continues his work in 2021 in the community engagement and corporate giving group at Edison, look out for Jeffrey to make an even bigger impact in helping our communities adopt sustainable and economically vibrant policies. His work with the nonprofit world, local government, and at SCE reflect his passion to champion clean energy policies. Jeffrey is also active in the API community where he is taking on a larger role as a community leader. Jeffrey has often spoken about the common goals and policies of many of our ethnic communities. Jeffrey is a bridge builder between groups, specifically with regard to the African American/Black and Latino Communities.

Thomas Lee, Executive Director, Friends LA
Meet Thomas
Thomas has established the Black Male Initiative that will reach hundreds of youth in 2021. He has been working closely with the L.A. County Chief Executive Office and the County Office of Child Protection on identifying funding for this pilot program that supports black boys in foster care between the ages of 4 and 6 whose parents were in foster care and live in Metropolitan LA, South Los Angeles, the surrounding Inglewood area, and the Antelope Valley.

Patrick MacFarlane, Government Relations Manager at Child Care Resource Center
Meet Patrick
As the economy rebounds, Patrick’s work will be critical for working families who need access to care and desperately-needed subsidies. Childcare providers continue to safely support working families as schools and employers evolve their policies to reflect a worsening pandemic and vaccine distribution. Patrick’s work ensures that the child care industry survives the pandemic with adequate support from government and by making sure that communities most impacted by COVID have the resources needed to recover.

Caine Monroy, Gen-Z Entrepreneur
Meet Caine
Caine continues to use his imagination to invent and create today. Inspired by Caine’s innovation and the wave of cardboard creativity that boomed after the virality of the Caine’s Arcade video, a non profit, Imagination.org was born to “find, foster and fund creativity and entrepreneurship.”
In 2021, Caine will release his first book.

Hilary Norton, Chairwoman, CTC & Executive Director of FASTLinkDTLA
Meet Hilary
Hillary’s leadership on these projects will move California towards greater transportation system connectivity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promote a healthier lifestyle through more public transit, walking and biking. They will also improve efficiency in commerce and allow Californians to better access jobs, healthcare, and entertainment destinations. These large-scale transportation improvements will make life healthier and wealthier for twelve million Angeleno, forty million Californians and provide a model for the rest of the country. This impact will be multiplied by the many generations to come whose lives will be easier due to her work.

Sasha Renee Perez, Mayor at City of Alhambra
Meet Sasha
On November 3rd, 2020, Sasha was elected to Alhambra’s City Council, making her the youngest woman to serve in the city’s history and the youngest female mayor in San Gabriel Valley history. As she fulfills her term as Mayor, she has committed to increase opportunities for small business owners, and implement policies to encourage affordable housing development.
The performing arts are projected to be the last to rebound and reopen in post-pandemic America. Fran’s project “Valor” will continue its development in part with Center Theatre Group (CTG). In response to the need for streaming content during a time when gathering is not possible, Fran has formed Top Seed Productions, a producing company focused on the creation of online shows and streaming events. With local plays and arts pivoting to online presentations, and youth education shifting to zoom, the number of people who will benefit from Fran’s arts creation, contribution, and advocacy will likely be greater than when people would be gathering in a theatre or classroom with a set number of seats. Her work resonates with the Los Angeles arts scene.

Alexandra Ramirez, Community Leader
Meet Alexandra
Alex will guide LA Mas’s community development work and establish the organization’s position in the community as a key, consistent stakeholder committed to transformational, inclusive change in a time of resource scarcity and economic uncertainty. Through collaboration with key resident leaders, Alex will complete drafting a theory of change document that seeks to upend traditional power dynamics and ensure residents are equipped to meaningfully participate in impacting their own futures. An example of this work includes the Northeast Los Angeles Mercadito and Community Response, a well-organized food hub that is set to transform into a regional and resident-led services access center, reaching hundreds of individuals and families.

Genevieve Riutort, Deputy Director and Chief Development Officer at Westside Food Bank
Meet Genevieve
Genevieve will continue leading the Westside Coalition’s working group on food security in developing useful data and a narrative that will guide how cooperative efforts will better address local food insecurity. 260,000 people who are food insecure on the Westside of LA County will benefit from Genevieve’s work in 2021, and her leadership will spread these innovative solutions to some of our community’s most pressing issues.

Enrique Robles, District Director at U.S House of Representatives
Meet Enrique
In the new legislative year, Enrique will be working closely with the Congresswoman, staff and colleagues to develop strategies for outreach and programs relevant to the constituents of the 27th Congressional District. Additionally, he will continue working with local stakeholders and cities on issues related to the Veterans Health Clinic in the San Gabriel Valley as well as the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. Enrique’s work mentoring staff and supporting district programs will improve the lives of Representative Chu’s San Gabriel Valley constituents.

Elianne Rodriguez, Operations Manager at Bixel Exchange SBDC
Meet Elianne
Elianne will reach hundreds of thousands people in the wider LA small business community by leading efforts to offer tech training and in-language financial literacy solutions to underrepresented founders in tech, youth seeking opportunities, and small businesses and their employees.

Teresa Roman, Community Leader with Accion Comunitaria
Meet Teresa
As food insecurity continues to increase, Teresa plans to expand her existing food program by partnering with local nonprofit organizations LA Más and Food Forward to provide more fresh produce to hundreds of residents through multiple weekly food distributions. In addition, Teresa is building partnerships with other organizations to develop a community garden and urban farming initiative to support families in the Cypress Park area.

Maria Salinas, President & CEO, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Meet Maria

Natalie Samarjian, President & CEO of Coro Southern California
Meet Natalie
Natalie has deepened her human rights work this past year, by developing programming to elevate the profile of public servants who are committed to human rights. Natalie’s work through Coro benefits hundreds of emerging civic leaders across Southern California (and beyond, as Coro’s reach has grown to a national audience in our new virtual environment). Through her work with Emerge California, more Democratic women who are running for elected office will be prepared to succeed and lead, and her LA City and LA County commission service will benefit residents who reap the benefits of her policy impact.

Amber Sheikh, Managing Senior Associate at Thurlow/Associates
Meet Amber
She, along with the CD15 Working Group, will soon see groundbreakings for almost half of their permanent supportive housing projects in CD15. They will celebrate the opening of a Project HomeKey, a Pallet Shelter, and other housing solutions. In 2021, 90% of the 2400 unsheltered residents in CD15 will have their needs supported and met largely due to her efforts.

Raygena Smith, Youth Advancement Director for LINXS
Meet Raygena
Raygena has partnered with many school districts by hosting Industry presentations geared to various Career Technical Education and STEM Pathways. Through programming, students of all ages from local schools learn about the Automated People Mover (APM) project and are guided through age-appropriate workshops and activities designed to introduce them to STEM concepts and construction career trades. She has hosted youth summits, and has held or participated in a total of 100 plus youth outreach events throughout Los Angeles and worked with community partners to conduct workshops for parents, teachers, and community members.
Raygena will take The Automated People Mover Project to more schools in 2021, which will hold a lasting impact on the students of today by offering scholarships, summer internship opportunities and supporting career fairs. She will help establish a pipeline of construction and engineering professionals that will build Los Angeles’ future.

Ben Stapleton, Executive Director, USGBC-LA
Meet Ben
Ben has been very focused on bringing the education and engagement in sustainability for the organization to those who haven’t traditionally had access. Ben will take the Sustainability Fundamentals education to 500 students in 2021, the Green Landscaper Certification will serve 150 students in 2021, and the Green Building Corps will add 20 additional members in 2021. Additionally, Ben envisions assisting another 20 innovative technology startups through the Net Zero Accelerator, expanding USGBC-LA membership to 500 new members with a focus on diversity and underrepresented groups, and more.

Kameale Terry, Co-Founder & CEO at ChargerHelp
Meet Kameale
In 2021, ChargerHelp! will make significant strides in the workforce development sector and contribute to America’s economic superpower to create jobs rapidly. In an essential step forward, The U.S. The Department of Labor officially approved an O-NET code for ChargerHelp!. This code is the official identification for occupational information used by students, job seekers, and businesses. Because of this, ChargerHelp! now has the ability to create more job opportunities for certified technicians.

Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, Executive Director, LISC-LA
Meet Tunua
In 2021, Tunua’s priority for LISC LA is uplifting Black homeowners, small-business owners and communities throughout the region through Project 10X, and the Black Economic Agenda Los Angeles 2021. As an Impact Maker, Tunua hopes to help the 8% of Black residents in Los Angeles bridge the wealth and opportunity gap – whether it be through growing healthy communities or helping Black homeowners generate lasting equity. But her work doesn’t end in 2021, as the next decade of Project 10X through LISC LA will help lay the foundation for racial equity and justice in Los Angeles.

Elizabeth Wilson, Director of Enterprise Programs at Chrysalis
Meet Elizabeth
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Elizabeth quickly shifted the focus of Chrysalis Staffing to industries with growing job opportunities. While many Staffing clients had previously been placed in food service and hospitality jobs, job opportunities were now primarily found in the janitorial and healthcare fields. Because of this shift, Staffing has seen a 75% increase in job placements through partnerships with the statewide initiative, Project Roomkey and other hiring partners. This growth represents vital employment opportunities for some of the most vulnerable in our community.
Elizabeth led Chrysalis Staffing through a time of unprecedented growth in 2020 and she’s not planning to slow down in 2021. Project Roomkey sites are anticipated to remain open through at least the middle of 2021, providing much needed jobs in a time of increased unemployment rates. When the Project Roomkey initiative winds down and Project Homekey sites are launched, Elizabeth’s team is ramping up plans to continue partnering with both the City and County of Los Angeles to meet staffing needs. To assist with this continued growth Elizabeth is overseeing a digital transformation of her department. With these upgrades the team will be able to increase overall efficiency, leading to more clients and businesses served, projecting the placement of nearly 600 clients in 2021.

Meet Dan
Dan is relentlessly working to save lives by helping more people engage in wellness behavior while supporting research to find cures by translating scientific data to reach diverse audiences, particularly vulnerable populations since they recognize that ZIP code is a higher cancer risk factor than genetic code. This year, he will continue to advance action on social determinants of health and work on the issues that impact all Angelenos.