The Board

 

Jen Irene García

Founder & CEO

Jen is an educator and social entrepreneur with a focus on enhancing AI literacy, digital, soft, and writing skills development, alongside preparing individuals for employment exams. She has created and teaches various courses to assist government employees and job seekers in preparing for government employment exams and interviews. Her current projects include providing AI literacy training to social impact organizations to empower their work, and a Women & AI event series, inaugurating at Google's Silicon Beach headquarters in Los Angeles, in collaboration with the Los Angeles County’s Board of Supervisors’ initiative Delete the Divide.

With a rich 25-year career, Jen has a successful background as an English professor. Her academic path has intertwined with several distinguished institutions across Southern California, including UCLA Extension, USC, and UCI Extension.

Inspired by her late mother, Debbie T. García, who epitomized hard work, passion, and altruism, Jen dedicates her work to making a meaningful impact.

 

Justin Meservey

Supporting Founder & Advisory Board Member

Justin is known amongst his friends and family for his kind heart and business savvy. He began his career by selling printing to marketing companies; most of his early sales came by way of cold calling. At the young age of 19, he sold $1 million in printing in his first year of sales. He has since co-founded LAPrinting.com in 2004 and a text message marketing firm. He also freelances as a business consultant to a number of successful business owners. Justin understands that in order for our nation to flourish, education must be equitable. To accomplish this, he employs his passion for developing relationships in the community to acquire the resources needed for change.

 
 
 

Penny Arroyo

Treasurer

Having recently retired as the General Manager of the Los Angeles County Chicano Employees Association (LACCEA), Penny brings years of experience and insights that will undoubtedly drive our mission to create meaningful change for job seekers and employees.

Penny’s spirit of volunteerism and community service is truly remarkable. She has held a number of significant positions, including Executive Director of the San Gabriel Valley Volunteer Center, President of the Monrovia Coordinating Council, and as a Board Director for the Monrovia Chamber of Commerce and Pasadena Showcase House, among others. Her dedication aligns perfectly with the heart of Employ California.

Outside of her professional and volunteer roles, Penny loves spending quality time with her family, including her two sons, Shane Albert and Johnathan Albert, and her granddaughter, Gwen, a competitive dancer.

 

Donna Cox Wells, Esq.

Secretary

Donna Wells has been an attorney with the Los Angeles County Chicano Employees Association (LACCEA) since 2010.  The legal services she provides include representation in disciplinary actions and discrimination matters leading to hearings before the Civil Service Commission.

Prior to joining LACCEA, Wells was in private practice, handling labor, employment and civil rights law litigation, as well as representing and counseling municipalities and public employees on labor issues.  She also counsels nonprofit corporations on the state and federal law that applies to them.

Previously, she was General Counsel at FilmLA, the nonprofit that coordinates permitting and monitoring of on-location filming for the City and County of Los Angeles.  Before that, as Director of Government Relations for the Motion Picture Association of America, she analyzed proposed legislation for its impact on the production industry and advocated for film production studios.  Prior to practicing law, she worked in TV production, and translated Spanish and French for the CIA.

Wells is a graduate of UCLA School of Law and serves on the UCLA Law School Alumni Board.  She is a member of the California Employment Lawyers Association, and the Labor & Employment Law sections of the California and L.A. County bar associations.

 
 

Advisory Board: Anti-Recidivism Programs

  • Justin Meservey

    Justin is known amongst his friends and family for his kind heart and business savvy. He began his career by selling printing to marketing companies; most of his early sales came by way of cold calling. At the young age of 19, he sold $1 million in printing in his first year of sales. He has since co-founded a printing company and a text message marketing firm, both of which he has since exited. Along with forming multiple new businesses, he is also a business consultant to a number of successful business owners. Justin understands that in order for our nation to flourish, education must be equitable. To accomplish this, he employs his passion for developing relationships in the community to acquire the resources needed for change.

  • Rogelio Posada, Jr.

    Rogelio Posada, Jr., profoundly impacts various community sectors through his multifaceted roles, combining lived experience, professional expertise, and a deep commitment to social justice. As a member of Employ California's Anti-Recidivism Programs Advisory Board, he advises on initiatives that champion the reintegration and empowerment of individuals re-entering society. Rogelio's visionary efforts extend to founding Next Level Education, a nonprofit focused on unlocking the potential of justice-impacted youth. His professional dedication shines as a teacher at The Electrical Training Institute, where he equips rising electricians with the skills for state certification and beyond. Rogelio's community service encompasses volunteering with IBEW Local 11 and his church, distributing food to the homeless, embodying a holistic approach to societal betterment. His work across these platforms showcases a relentless pursuit of equity, education, and community upliftment.

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Visit our calendar and choose the class that best fits your schedule.

Upon reservation, you will receive an email including the workbook and Zoom link to attend the class.

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