Local Area Subsequent Designation
and
Local Board Recertification Application
for
Program Year 2025-27
Local Workforce Development Area
Verdugo Workforce Development Board
Application for Local Area Subsequent Designation and Local Board Recertification
This application will serve as your request for Local Workforce Development Area (Local Area) subsequent designation and Local Workforce Development Board (Local Board) recertification for Program Year (PY) 2025-27 under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
If the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) determines the application is incomplete, it will either be returned or held until the necessary documentation is submitted.
Contact your Regional Advisor for technical assistance or questions related to completing and submitting this application.
Completed applications must be submitted to the CWDB at [email protected] by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 7, 2025.
Verdugo Workforce Development Board
Name of Local Area
1255 South Central Avenue_______
Mailing Address
Glendale, CA 91204______________
City, State, ZIP
4/7/2025______________________________________
Date of Submission
Judith Velasco, Executive Director_______________
Contact Person
818-937-8081__________________________________
Contact Person’s Phone Number
Local Board Membership
The WIOA Section 107(b)(2)(A) through (E) states the requirements for nominating and selecting Local Board members:
1. Provide the names of the individuals appointed for each membership category listed below.
2. Attach a roster for the current Local Board.
Category: Business – WIOA Section 107(b)(2)(A) requires that business members constitute a simple majority of the Local Board, and WIOA Section 107(b)(3) states that the chairperson shall also be a member under this category. Specifically, a majority of the Local Board’s business members shall constitute the following representatives under this membership category:
• Owners of businesses, chief executives or operating officers of businesses, or other business executives or employers with optimum policymaking or hiring authority. • Representatives of businesses, including small businesses or business organizations. • Individuals appointed by those who have been nominated by local business organizations and business trade associations.
List the Local Board’s business members and identify the chairperson by typing CHAIR after their name:
Local Board Business Members
Name Title Entity Appointment
Date
Term End Date
Ara Aslanian* -
CHAIR
President Inverselogic, Inc. 5/16/22 5/16/25
Greg Astorian* Sr. Vice
President
ReMax Tri-City
Realty
7/21/22 7/21/25
Luiza Balyan-
Rodriguez
Assistant
Director
Pacific Clinics Head
Start
4/26/23 4/26/26
Sonya Kay
Blake
President &
CEO
The Valley
Economic Alliance
11/29/23 11/29/26
Vicki Brannock Sr. Director,
Workforce
Strategy &
Innovation
Biocom California
Institute
4/26/23 4/26/26
Marisol
Espinoza
Public Affairs
Manager
Southern California
Gas Company
7/9/24 7/9/27
Nicholas
Hacopian*
President Glen West
Management Co
6/29/22 6/29/25
Debbie Kukta* President KO Properties, Inc. 6/29/22 6/29/25 Pamela
Marcello
Sr. Director,
Government &
Public Affairs
Hollywood Burbank
Airport
2/4/24 2/4/27
Veronica
Romero
Vice President,
Client Services
PacFed Benefits
Administrators
2/3/25 2/3/28
Terry Walker Director Providence Saint
Joseph Medical
Center
7/31/24 7/31/27
Caroline Lett** Executive
Director
Warner Bros 4/7/25 4/7/28
Jaime Keyser
Thomas**
Chief Executive
Officer
Burbank Chamber
of Commerce
4/7/25 4/7/28
Kathleen
McIntrye**
Sr. Client
Advisor / Sr.
Business
Development
Manager
California
Manufacturing
Technology
Consulting (CMTC)
4/7/25 4/7/28
*Existing Board members will be reappointed.
**New Board members will be appointed.
Category: Workforce – Not less than 20 percent of the Local Board members shall be representatives from the Local Area’s workforce (WIOA 107[b][2][B]) who:
• Shall include representatives of labor organizations (for a Local Area in which employees are represented by labor organizations) who have been nominated by local labor federations or (for a Local Area in which no employees are represented by such organizations) other representatives of employees. California Unemployment Insurance Code (CUIC) Section 14202(b)(1) further requires and specifies that these representatives shall amount to not less than 15 percent of the Local Board membership and be subject to the following:
a. For a Local Area in which no employees are represented by such organizations, other representatives of employees shall be appointed to the board, but any Local Board that appoints representatives of employees that are not nominated by local labor federations shall demonstrate that no employees are represented by such organizations in the area.
b. Shall include a representative, who shall be a member of a labor organization or a training director from a joint labor-management apprenticeship program, or if no such program exists in the area, such a representative of a state-approved apprenticeship program in the area, if such a program exists.
• May include representatives of community-based organizations that have demonstrated experience and expertise in addressing the employment needs of individuals with barriers to employment, including organizations that serve veterans or that provide or support competitive integrated employment for individuals with disabilities. • May include representatives of organizations that have demonstrated experience and expertise in addressing the employment, training, or education needs of eligible youth, including representatives of organizations that serve out-of-school youth.
List the Local Board’s workforce members:
Local Board Labor Members
Name Title Entity Appointment
Date
Term End
Date
Jose Barba*
Business
Representative
Operating
Engineers, Local 501
11/9/22
11/9/25
Steve Kaplan
Field
Representative
The Animation
Guild, IATSE Local
839
6/19/25 6/19/28
Stephanie
O’Keefe
President Professional
Musicians Local 47
6/3/24 6/3/27
Nicole
Miller**
President AAE Local B-192 5/21/25
(scheduled)
Joel Cohen** Associate National
Executive Director
IATSE Local 800 5/21/25
(scheduled)
Andrew
Stumme**
Associate National
Executive Director
ADG 800 5/21/25
(scheduled)
*Existing Board member will be reappointed.
**New Board Members anticipated appointment on May 21, 2025.
Category: Education – WIOA Section 107[b][2][C] requires that each Local Board include members who represent entities that administer education and training activities in the Local Area. Specifically, the Local Board shall have education representatives under this membership category from the following entities:
• Eligible Title II adult education and literacy providers • Institutions of higher education providing workforce investment activities
Members may be representatives from local educational agencies and community-based organizations with demonstrated experience and expertise in addressing the education or training needs of individuals with barriers to employment.
List the Local Board’s education members:
Local Board Education Members
Name Title Entity Appointment
Date
Term End
Date
Michael
Ritterbrown1
Vice President,
Instructional
Services
Glendale
Community College
7/31/24 7/31/27
1Michael Ritterbrown serves a dual role representing Adult Education & Literacy as well as Higher Education.
Glendale Community College serves as the Adult School in Glendale.
Category: Economic and Community Development – WIOA Sections 107[b][2][D] and [E] require each Local Board to include governmental, economic, and community development representatives under this membership category from the following entities:
• Economic and community development organizations
• The state’s employment service office under the Wagner-Peyser Act • Programs carried out under Title I of the federal Rehabilitation Act
A Local Board may have representatives from transportation, housing, and/or public assistance agencies; philanthropic organizations; and/or an individual or representatives of entities determined to be appropriate by the local Chief Elected Official (CEO).
List the Local Board’s economic and community development members:
Local Board Economic and Community Development Members
*Existing Board members will be reappointed.
Performed Successfully
The Local Area hereby certifies that it has performed successfully, defined as having an Individual Indicator Score of 50 percent or higher in PY 22-23 or PY 23-24, as described in Workforce Services Directive WSD20-02, Calculating Local Area Performance and Nonperformance (September 18, 2020).
Note – Report your “performance score” rather than the “adjusted level of performance.”
PY 22-23 Scores
Indicator Adults Dislocated
Workers
Youth
Employment Rate 2nd
Quarter After Exit
72.2%
78.7%
73.6%
Employment Rate 4th Quarter
After Exit
77.2%
80.7%
76.5%
Median Earnings
$8,273
$9,440%
$4,496
Credential Attainment
86.4%
79.6%
90.5%
Name Title Entity Appointment
Date
Term End
Date
Onnig
Bulanikian
Director City of Glendale,
Community
Services & Parks
1/20/23 4/29/26
Alexis
Carter*
Deputy Division Chief Employment
Development
Department
7/6/22 7/6/25
Mary
Hamzoian
Manager City of Burbank,
Economic
Development
2/27/25 2/27/28
Iskra
Martinez*
Manager Department of
Rehabilitation
11/9/22 11/9/25
Soua Vang* Deputy Director of
Community
Development/Economic
Dev.
City of Glendale,
Economic
Development
4/13/25 4/13/28
PY 23-24 Scores
Indicator Adults Dislocated
Workers
Youth Overall
Indicator
Score
Employment Rate 2nd
Quarter After Exit
67.5%
70.5%
53.2%
%
Employment Rate 4th Quarter
After Exit
70.1%
76.0%
75.9%
%
Median Earnings
$8,161%
$12,805
$3,035
%
Credential Attainment
90.5%
91.2%
55.6%
%
Measurable Skills Gain
96.5%
97.6%
87.5%
%
Overall Program Score
%
%
%
---
Sustained Fiscal Integrity
The Local Area hereby certifies that it has not been found in violation of one or more of the following during PY 22-23 or PY 23-24:
• Final determination of significant finding(s) from audits, evaluations, or other reviews conducted by state or local governmental agencies or the Department of Labor identifying issues of fiscal integrity or misexpended funds due to the willful disregard or failure to comply with any WIOA requirement.
• Gross negligence – defined as a conscious and voluntary disregard of the need to use reasonable care, which is likely to cause foreseeable grave injury or harm to persons, property, or both.
• Failure to observe accepted standards of administration – Local Areas must have adhered to the applicable uniform administrative requirements set forth in Title 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200 (Uniform Guidance).
Certify No Violation: ☒
Engaged in Regional Planning
Engaged in regional planning is defined as participating in and contributing to regional planning, regional plan implementation, and regional performance negotiations. The Local Area hereby certifies that it has participated in and contributed to regional planning and negotiating regional performance measures in the following ways:
The Verdugo Workforce Development Board’s (VWDB), Executive Director, Judith Velasco participates on all scheduled Los Angeles Basin Regional Planning Unit (LABRPU) meetings. If Ms. Velasco cannot participate, a Verdugo staff participates on behalf of the organization. This allows the VWDB to keep updated on regional planning activities and opportunities for participation in those activities.
The VWDB and its partners participate in all regional planning activities and provide data and information to assist the writer of the regional plan. The VWDB also includes information about the regional plan in its public forums held to gather information for its local plan and modifications, as well as CAEP (California Adult Education Program) plans.
Information gathered is submitted to the regional plan writer to assist in developing the regional plan as well as its modifications. Contributions to the regional planning activities include information on industry sector strategies and career pathways in the Verdugo region and their alignment with the plan.
The VWDB and Verdugo Jobs Center (VJC) staff participate on task forces in efforts to work with the LABRPU to align projects to the regional plan. The VWDB took the lead in establishing a strategic co -enrollment system that facilitates enrolling of participants in career pathways available through any WDB in the LABRPU.
The VWDB and the VJC participate in multiple regional projects to serve priority of service participants, in alignment with the regional plan priorities. The VWDB contributed to the Prison to Employment (P2E) regional planning grant and its service plan. The VJC is currently working on the second round of funding received through the regional P2E grant, serving participants who have been justice involved. An additional regional grant for the same population, Helping Justice -Involved Renter Employment (HIRE) Los Angeles has been awarded to VWDB and client services has already started at the VJC.
The Regional Equity and Recovery Partnership (RERP) is a Los Angeles Basic regional project focusing on serving low -income, English Language Learners, first -generation college attendees and other underserved populations. The VWDB has focused on expanding BioManufacturing and BioTechnology career pathway enrollments to meet the hiring needs of the BioScience companies. The VJC has enrolled and provided stipends to clients taking bioscience classes, which qualify them to take the BioTC certification exam.
The VWDB previously received and implemented Slingshot 2.0 funds for strategic co - enrollments of clients with the LABRPU Boards.
Additionally, the VWDB participated in previous Slingshot 3.0 and 4.0 implemented by Foothill Workforce Development Board, providing supportive services to clients and participating in regional workgroup to evaluate the provision of WIOA employment supports (support services) on a regional level. This effort included the fa cilitation for members of the seven workforce development boards to discuss the utilization of support services (employment supports) and support services funding levels.
The VWDB led the coordination of a Communication Strategy on behalf of the LABRPU.
This include d managing the procurement process for selecting a communication consultant to work with all boards and ensure a consistent and effective messaging for the region. The regional website is: https://www.labwn.com.
Local Area Assurances
Through PY 25-27, the Local Area assures:
A. It will comply with the applicable uniform administrative requirements, cost principles, and audit requirements (WIOA Section 184[a][2] and [3]).
Highlights of this assurance include the following:
• The Local Area’s procurement procedures will avoid the acquisition of unnecessary or duplicative items, software, and subscriptions (in alignment with Uniform Guidance Section 200.318)
• The Local Area will maintain and provide accounting and program records, including supporting source documentation, to auditors at all levels, as permitted by law (Uniform Guidance Section 200.508).
Note that failure to comply with the audit requirements specified in Uniform Guidance Subpart F will subject the Local Area to a potential cash hold (Uniform Guidance Section 200.339).
B. All financial reporting will be done in compliance with federal and state regulations and guidance.
Highlights of this assurance include the following:
• Reporting will be done in compliance with WSD 19-05, Monthly and Quarterly Financial Reporting Requirements (December 4, 2019).
• All close-out reports will comply with the policies and procedures listed in WSD16-05, WIOA Closeout Requirements (July 29, 2016).
Note that failure to comply with financial reporting requirements will subject the Local Area to a potential cash hold. (Uniform Guidance Section 200.339)
C. Funds will be spent in accordance with federal and state laws, regulations, and guidance.
Highlights of this assurance include the following:
• The Local Area will meet the requirements of the CUIC Section 14211 to spend a minimum of 30 percent of the combined total of WIOA Title I adult and dislocated worker formula fund allocations on training services. • The Local Area will not use funds to assist, promote, or deter union organizing (WIOA Section 181[b][7]).
D. The Local Area will select America’s Job Center of CaliforniaSM operator(s) through a competitive procurement process, such as a Request for Proposals, unless designated or certified as an operator with the agreement of the local CEO and the Governor (WIOA Section 121[d][2][A] and 107[g][2]).
E. The Local Area will collect, enter, and maintain data related to participant enrollment, activities, and performance necessary to meet all CalJOBSSM reporting requirements and deadlines.
F. The Local Area will comply with the nondiscrimination provisions of WIOA Section 188 and Title 29 CFR Part 38, including the collection of necessary data.
G. The Local Area will engage in and contribute to regional planning and regional plan implementation (for example, the Local Area has participated in regional planning meetings and regional plan implementation efforts, and the Local Board and local CEO have reviewed and approved the regional plan and two-year modifications).
H. The Local Area will participate in regional performance negotiations.
I. The Local Area will comply with CWDB policies and guidelines, legislative mandates, and/or other special provisions as may be required under federal law or policy, including the WIOA or state legislation.
J. Priority shall be given to veterans, recipients of public assistance, other low-income individuals, and individuals who are basic skills deficient for receipt of career and training services funded by WIOA Adult funding (WIOA Section 134[c][3][E] and Training and Employment Guidance Letter [TEGL] 10-09, and TEGL 19-16).
Application Signature Page
Instructions – The local CEO and Local Board Chair must sign and date this form. Electronic signatures are permitted for the PY 25-27 application.
By signing the application below, the local CEO and Local Board Chair request subsequent designation of the Local Area and recertification of the Local Board. Additionally, they agree to abide by the Local Area assurances included in this application.
Local Board Chair Local CEO
Signature Signature
Ara Aslanian
Name Name
Board Chair, Verdugo Workforce
Development Board
Mayor, City of Glendale
Title Title
Date Date