What does it take to build a clean energy economy? Kate Gordon, CEO of CA FWD (California Forward), believes it’s about more than just new technology—it’s about putting communities first, preparing for the emerging career opportunities, and making sustainability a part of everyday decision-making. Creating a greener, more resilient future requires everyone to play a role, from policymakers to local businesses to individuals. CA FWD invites people to share their thoughts and questions on the clea...
Mar 04, 2025•35 min•Ep 140•Transcript available on Metacast What drives innovation and diversity in sports and technology? Albert Basilio, founder of Launchball, is merging these industries to create immersive experiences while championing inclusion. He sheds light on the barriers Latino founders face in securing capital and discusses the power of support networks in entrepreneurial success. Basilio also explores how community colleges and universities can bridge the gap between education and industry, fostering the next generation of diverse sports prof...
Feb 25, 2025•29 min•Ep 139•Transcript available on Metacast How can small businesses rebuild after a crisis like the recent LA fires? The Small Business Administration (SBA) plays a crucial role in recovery; offering financial assistance, business counseling, and disaster relief. Many independent contractors and home-based businesses don’t realize they qualify for SBA loans, but resources are available for a wide range of business types. Julie Clowes, Director of SBA’s Los Angeles District Office, joins us to discuss how the SBA provides critical support...
Feb 18, 2025•28 min•Ep 138•Transcript available on Metacast What does it take to transform higher education and create lasting change for underrepresented students? Dr. Keith Curry, President of Compton College and CEO of the Compton Community College District, shares his passion for equity, detailing how initiatives like Black Student Success Week and Senate Bill 1348 are redefining what it means to support Black and underrepresented students across academic and workforce landscapes. With his signature “Unapologetic Leadership,” he challenges educators,...
Feb 11, 2025•47 min•Ep 137•Transcript available on Metacast What skills will students need to lead the charge for events like the LA28 Olympics and the FIFA World Cup? Monique Reaves, Chief Revenue Officer of the iconic Rose Bowl stadium and the first Latina in an executive role at the Rose Bowl Operating Company, discusses the importance of aligning educational programs with industry demands to prepare future leaders. She advocates for incorporating creativity, sustainability, and diversity into workforce development while emphasizing accessible, commun...
Feb 04, 2025•24 min•Ep 136•Transcript available on Metacast What will it take to prepare today’s students for leadership in a workforce that’s evolving faster than ever before? Jasmine Star, CEO of Social Curator, challenges educators and leaders at the Pasadena City College Future of Work Conference to rethink traditional teaching methods and embrace a paradigm shift. She underlines the importance of equipping students with the skills, mindset, and adaptability needed to navigate rapid technological and cultural transformation. In a world where resilien...
Dec 03, 2024•40 min•Ep 135•Transcript available on Metacast Pasadena City College (PCC) is enhancing its focus on aligning education with industry demands through partnerships, equity initiatives, and increased internship opportunities, particularly in the sports and entertainment sectors. Emphasizing sustainability and athlete mental health, these efforts aim to prepare students for emerging trends and address the challenges driven by the rapid growth of sports teams in Los Angeles. Educational programs are equipping students with specialized skills for...
Nov 26, 2024•49 min•Ep 134•Transcript available on Metacast How can today’s workforce be prepared to connect with a global audience while still nurturing real, local community ties? At Pasadena City College’s Future of Work Conference, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo’s conversation with Julie Uhrman, co-founder of Angel City FC, offers a fresh perspective on addressing this challenge. Angel City isn’t just changing the game for women’s sports; it’s showing how a team can create a global impact while staying true to its community-focused values. Julie’s take on this...
Nov 19, 2024•45 min•Ep 133•Transcript available on Metacast Connecting education and industry is vital for preparing students for real-world careers. Organizations such as UNITE LA bridge school-to-career pathways, focusing on equitable transitions for marginalized communities. Central to this is a strong commitment to equity and anti-racism, integrating these values into daily practices. Alysia Bell, President of UNITE LA, champions these efforts by promoting programs to combat racism, creating internal workgroups for race equity, and emphasizing collab...
Nov 05, 2024•38 min•Ep 132•Transcript available on Metacast The sports industry plays a pivotal role in shaping the future workforce, offering a range of opportunities for individuals with diverse skills. Matt Cacciato, President and CEO of the LA Sports Council, works to bridge the gap between sports and business in Southern California. With over 3,500 colleges featuring sports business curricula, there’s a growing emphasis on multidisciplinary education to meet industry demands, particularly in cities like Los Angeles, which is preparing to host major ...
Oct 22, 2024•28 min•Ep 131•Transcript available on Metacast Los Angeles thrives on unity, innovation, and collaboration for economic growth. In this episode, we explore the intersection of major global events and local economic growth with returning guest Stephen Cheung, President of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), and the World Trade Center Los Angeles (WTCLA). As LA prepares for the 2028 Olympics and other major events, Stephen shares his insights on how these opportunities can shape the region's workforce, infrastructu...
Oct 15, 2024•38 min•Ep 130•Transcript available on Metacast In today's fast-paced and competitive business landscape, organizations strive to stand out and retain top talent. One powerful way to achieve this is through storytelling. By crafting narratives that resonate with employees, leaders can foster a sense of belonging, purpose, and motivation within their teams. Aleya Harris, founder and CEO of The Evolution Collective Inc. and creator of Spark the Stage™, is a renowned expert in strategic storytelling. Advocating for radical authenticity, Aleya be...
Oct 01, 2024•35 min•Ep 129•Transcript available on Metacast Higher education is a gateway to a brighter future, offering individuals the opportunity to expand their knowledge, skills, and career prospects. However, access to higher education has often been limited by factors such as cost, location, and time constraints. Shai Reshef, President of University of the People, believes education is a right, not a privilege. By removing financial and geographic barriers, the university offers accessible education to students from all backgrounds. Recognizing th...
Sep 17, 2024•30 min•Ep 128•Transcript available on Metacast How do we dismantle the entrenched systemic barriers that hold back so many in the business world? The answer lies in access to capital, information, and networking. Nancy Swift, Executive Director at JEDI, points out that women, in particular, encounter systemic challenges, like unequal access to funding and exclusion from critical networks, making it harder to succeed in business. This is where Women's Business Centers and support systems step in, offering tailored programs that provide essent...
Sep 03, 2024•35 min•Ep 127•Transcript available on Metacast Workforce development initiatives are crucial in preparing individuals for the ever-evolving job market. As industries change and technology advances, both employees and employers need to adapt to these shifts. But where does one start? How can new workers ensure that they’re equipped to thrive in the future workforce? Since May 2000, Shelley Hoss has led the Orange County Community Foundation, focusing on workforce development. The foundation launched the Workforce Development Initiative to equ...
Aug 20, 2024•43 min•Ep 126•Transcript available on Metacast Women’s Business Centers are a hidden gem for aspiring entrepreneurs, offering invaluable support in the complex world of starting and growing a business. These centers, often overlooked, provide essential support for women looking to start and grow their own businesses. Claudia Viek, a trailblazer in the field and the Founder and Catalyst of the Invest in Women Entrepreneurship Initiative has long championed the importance of these centers. She underscores the vital role of access to capital—wh...
Aug 06, 2024•38 min•Ep 125•Transcript available on Metacast The school-to-prison pipeline is a complex and damaging system that disproportionately affects marginalized communities, particularly people of color. This pipeline refers to the policies and practices that push students out of school and into the criminal justice system, creating long-term impacts on individuals and communities. Quan Huynh, Executive Director of Southern California at Defy Ventures, exemplifies the power of second chances. While in prison, he discovered his entrepreneurial spir...
Jul 23, 2024•36 min•Ep 124•Transcript available on Metacast Despite leading 42% of new businesses in the U.S., women are 20 times more likely to be denied traditional business loans than men, with an even larger gap for women of color. Success for women entrepreneurs hinges on a supportive ecosystem, which Women's Business Centers foster by addressing funding disparities and resource limitations. Inspired by her immigrant father's entrepreneurial spirit, Lizzy Okoro, the Interim Director of Pasadena City College’s Women’s Business Center, leverages her m...
Jul 09, 2024•31 min•Ep 123•Transcript available on Metacast Empowerment is the catalyst for change–sparking innovation, growth, and community transformation. Pasadena City College is excited to announce the Women's Business Center, a new initiative designed to foster innovation and provide tailored support to women entrepreneurs in the San Gabriel Valley. Host Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development, and Leslie Thompson, Director of Operations, explain how this center will complement the successful Small Business Developmen...
Jun 25, 2024•23 min•Ep 122•Transcript available on Metacast Sometimes a student's own fears can hold them back from going after their dream career. The future workforce is intimidating and it’s up to educators and career centers to support and help students navigate all of their doubts. Join in as host, Salvatrice Cummo, Ed.D. welcomes Jackie Javier, Director of the Freeman Center for Career and Completion at Pasadena City College, back to the show. They’ll discuss the services the Freeman Center offers and what the challenges are when it comes to studen...
Jun 04, 2024•35 min•Ep 121•Transcript available on Metacast Why don’t we hear about more apprenticeship opportunities for students? Today we’ll discuss the development of apprenticeships and cover what goes on behind the scenes when it comes to funding, planning, executing, and regulating these programs, and why they're so hard to come by. Digging in deep we’ll cover the barriers to apprenticeships and how we can engage and support local employers in order to create more long-lasting apprentice programming. Despite the administrative challenges, creating...
May 21, 2024•25 min•Ep 120•Transcript available on Metacast What does the new generation want out of their work environment? In order to appeal to the future workforce, we must shift and reimagine how jobs function. Donald Bradburn, the Director of HR Strategy Design, Workforce Planning and Analytics for Southern California and Hawaii Markets, at Kaiser Permanente is joining us today to cover what employers can do to ensure their employees keep coming back in this fast paced world. With such high rates of turnover, we must shift our approach to career de...
May 07, 2024•30 min•Ep 119•Transcript available on Metacast What would a true sustainable future look like? Jaime Nack, the Founder and President of Three Squares Inc., an award winning sustainability and environmental social and corporate consulting firm is here to dive into that very question. We’ll explore the current trends within green technologies and how these trends impact the present curriculum in our colleges. The pivot to green technologies for public and private agencies is vital and in our education system is where this change begins. If stu...
Apr 23, 2024•28 min•Ep 118•Transcript available on Metacast Everything rises and falls on leadership. But what are the mindset, intentions, and actions required to be a good leader, especially when failing up isn’t an option? Dr. Rocky Cifone, Executive Coach at The John Maxwell Team, joins us today to discuss the philosophy behind good leadership. How do we assess our failures while celebrating our successes? What does it mean to be a leader of significance? And how does one pour value into others? For the answers to these questions and more, take a lis...
Apr 09, 2024•28 min•Ep 117•Transcript available on Metacast It is time to open up and diversify the education to career pathway! By developing and embracing new forms of learning methods, we can better serve students and families in less traditional or underserved populations. Joining us today is Jennifer Zeisler, Senior Program Director of Career Readiness at ECMC Foundation, a philanthropic fundraising service helping inspire and facilitate improvements that affect educational outcomes among underserved communities. By allocating grants and building pa...
Mar 26, 2024•25 min•Ep 116•Transcript available on Metacast When was the last time you learned something new? Today I’m joined today by Amrit Ahluwalia, Executive Director of Continuing Studies at Western University. You’ll learn how support students and advocates for lifelong learning through detailed publications and access to a community of industry professionals. We’ll cover what topics have been the most popular since the start of the pandemic and how other professionals can contribute. Most importantly, discover what trends we’re seeing in educatio...
Mar 12, 2024•33 min•Ep 115•Transcript available on Metacast Could community college be a pattern disruptor for K-12 students primed for the prison pipeline? In this episode, host Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and Leslie Thompson, the Director of Operations, tackle the complex and often overlooked issue of the school-to-prison pipeline. Their conversation delves into the systemic patterns that push students out of schools and into the criminal justice system, particularly affecting marginaliz...
Feb 27, 2024•25 min•Ep 114•Transcript available on Metacast How can we actively work towards equalizing educational opportunities for all students? The goal of Kome Ajise, the Director at the Southern California Association of Governments, is to level the playing field for EVERYONE. Kome will share with us how SCAG is encouraging a more sustainable Southern California, and what their partnerships within the community look like. Through budgeting strategies, developing policies, and internship and fellowships programs, they are offering students more hand...
Feb 13, 2024•23 min•Ep 113•Transcript available on Metacast How do we help students earn more money and raise their quality of life? To start, it’s about teaching them the skills they need to increase their wages and create generational wealth for them and their families. The key is workforce training. Host Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and Leslie Thompson, the Director of Operations come together to share their views on the future of workforce training, and how we can leverage existing prog...
Jan 30, 2024•30 min•Ep 112•Transcript available on Metacast How do we start changing the conversation around the future of work so more students can get jobs? To best adjust the current landscape, we need to create more safe spaces that open up the dialogue around what organizations and students need in order to reach their goals. Host Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and Leslie Thompson, the Director of Operations come together to prepare and set the tone for the year ahead by recapping themes...
Jan 16, 2024•27 min•Ep 111•Transcript available on Metacast 
