Leadership Pasadena Class Hears from City Leaders

Mayor Terry Tornek opened the Leadership Pasadena government education session on Friday, February 3 expressing gratitude for their willingness to participate and urged them to listen and learn. “Be grateful for the opportunity to serve and to make a difference”.

Seated in City Council Chambers for the day, LP participants discussed a wide range of issues facing the city and region with Councilmember Andy Wilson (LP alumni); City Manager Steve Mermell; City Attorney Michele Beal Bagneris ; Assemblyman Chris Holden’s District Director Kayleen Maya-Aviles (LP alumni); Enrique Robles, Deputy District Director for Congresswoman Judy Chu and Dominick Correy, District Representative for State Senator Anthony Portantino.

City Councilman Andy Wilson commented “As a 2004 graduate of Leadership Pasadena, I often return as a speaker in hopes of inspiring and motivating others to take action in our community.”

Participants also toured City Hall with Leadership Pasadena alumni Brenda Harvey Williams, Finance and Management Services Administrator for Pasadena’s Public Works Department and Flo Langilotti, Operations Manager for Pasadena’s Public Works Department—even getting access to the top tower as well as looking under the building at the seismic stablizers!

On Saturday, February 4, LP participants met at Pasadena Police Department and heard from Chief of Police Phillip L. Sanchez. Chief Sanchez spoke about his philosophy on leadership and the importance of developing his personnel to lead. Chief Sanchez characterized himself as a “Servant Leader” and the importance of investing in the future of others. Chief Sanchez also spoke of some of the contemporary best practices approach to policing and the newly implemented body worn cameras, implicit bias training, and the de-escalation tactics used by his men and women. Chief Sanchez is proud to have a diverse work force with women represented in some of the highest positions within the organization.

Later in the day, a panel of community activists including Christy Zamani of Day One, Marty Coleman from Consciousness Projector, Julianne Hines of Planned Parenthood and William Syms with Outward Bound discussed the need for advocacy in 2017 and shared their personal story on how each of them took the path of community activism.