William A. Holland currently serves as chair of the board of the Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation. He has been a member of the board for over 25 years. A long-time resident of Los Angeles, Holland holds three degrees from the University of Southern California. He played football for the Trojans and went on to join the Atlanta Falcons. After retiring from the NFL, Holland became a corporate executive leading the human resources departments for major corporations, including Hilton Hotels Corporation, Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO), and Hughes Aircraft Company, where he focused on equal opportunity affairs and diversity. Currently, Holland is the Senior Director of Special Programs in the University Advancement department at USC. Holland works with alumni, parents, friends, and corporations to raise scholarship and fellowship endowment funds for all of USC’s academic units and alumni affinity groups.

Earl Cooper, II, known as “Skip to friends and colleagues, is the resident/CEO of the Black Business Association (BBA), headquartered in Los Angeles, California one of the oldest, active, ethnic business organization on the west coast. In addition ‘Skip’ is a Vietnam veteran who served in the U. S. Army
currently with a 100% service-connected disability. He has been a leader of the BBA since 1974 occupying positions as Member of the Board, Executive Director, President, General Manager, and President/Chief Executive Officer. Under his leadership, the BBA has become recognized as one of the most viable minority business organizations in the nation. “Skip” is also Publisher/Editor-In-Chief of the Black Business News Group which publishes the award-winning Black Business News, Black Business News International and Black Business News Travel Africa.

Yolanda Gorman is the Senior Advisor to the Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives at the University of California, Los Angeles. Previously, Dr. Gorman was president and CEO of Phillips Graduate University, a graduate school of professional psychology and management.  She is a two-time Regent Emerita for the University of California, Board of Regents, and the first African American woman to chair the board of the UCLA Alumni Association. Dr. Gorman is a three-time graduate from UCLA with a B.A. in psychology, an M.B.A. and a Ph.D. in educational psychology.

Kyla Lee is the Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Consulting Partners Ms. Lee has more than 16 years of high-level, diversified financial experience and expertise with nonprofit organizations. She recently served as Chief Financial Officer for My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, where she partnered with the CEO to build the vision, strategy, and operational systems. In addition, she developed and implemented fiscal policies and procedures for the organization. Prior to My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, Ms. Lee served as Chief Financial Officer for St. Anne’s Maternity Home where she oversaw the management and coordination of all reporting activities, including monthly financial statements, investment analysis and fiscal performance reports required by funding agencies. Ms. Lee holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

Ralph Lippman is executive director of California Community Economic Development Association (CCEDA). Prior to joining CCEDA, Mr. Lippman worked for the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles; American Indian Consultants, Inc.; Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation; and LISC. He has lectured at Pepperdine University and the University of Southern California, where he also served as director of program development for the USC School of Continuing Education. Mr. Lippman’s areas of expertise include economic strategy, workforce development, securing financial capital and identifying wealth retention strategies, internal and external regional market creation, business coaching and support for entrepreneurs, job creation, and wealth and asset development strategies for households and individuals. He earned his Doctorate in Public Administration from USC and completed Harvard University’s program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government.

Director, Foundation and Community Officer, Corporate Social Responsibility
Sylvia S. Castillo serves as director and foundation and community officer for MUFG Union Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility group. She is responsible for building relationships with civic and business leaders, community-based advocacy organizations, and multicultural leaders throughout the communities that the bank serves. Additionally, Ms. Castillo directs initiatives that involve the bank’s Foundation, public policy, and community development efforts. She is based in Los Angeles.

Ms. Castillo has more than 35 years of experience in the banking industry. Prior to joining Union Bank in 2012, she served as a senior vice president and consumer market executive at Bank of America, where she was responsible for driving growth of consumer markets. Ms. Castillo also held several other management and executive positions at Bank of America. Ms. Castillo is a graduate of the UCLA Business Management School and the University of Virginia’s School of Retail Bank Management.

Ray Mendoza is a vice president with City National Bank’s Community Reinvestment team. Based in Los Angeles, Mr. Mendoza works with the bank’s team of experts to review, analyze and underwrite Community Development Loans and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)-eligible investments, including Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs) and low-income tax credits.  He also provides management support for City National’s CRA investment portfolio.

Mr. Mendoza has more than 30 years of financial services experience. Prior to joining City National, he served as a managing director with Cambia Capital Partners in Los Angeles. He’s also held roles with OFS Management, LLC; Orchard First Source Capital, Inc.; CIBC World Markets and the California Economic Development Lending Initiative, where he was president and chief executive officer.

Mr. Mendoza earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California and his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Houston.

Kecia M. Washington is the Director of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP).  In this role, Kecia has a leadership role in various relationships and initiatives involving diversity, innovation, and a sustainability workforce. Her responsibilities run the gamut from Co-chairing the Economic Activities work group for the South Los Angeles Transit Empowerment Zone to serving as the LADWP lead on the Los Angeles Clean Tech Incubator’s Diversity Committee to creating partnerships with nonprofits to funnel foster youth into careers in the energy and water sectors. Kecia has also partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Innovation in securing and implementing a Living Cities Grant on Procurement reform.

Prior to this Kecia was the Director of Economic Development for the LADWP.  In that role she was tasked with managing legacy economic development programs as well as developing and implementing initiatives that focus on the retention, expansion and attraction of business customers. Under her leadership, Economic Development partnered with the Water System and others to enact the Capital Projects Business Retention Program, the first of its kind in the nation that offered assistance to small businesses impacted by utility infrastructure work.   Kecia also has significant management experience developing and implementing legislative, regulatory and policy objectives in the energy, transportation and education arenas. Past employers include Southern California Gas Company, Sempra Energy, San Diego Gas and Electric Company, the Orange County Transportation Authority, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the Los Angeles Community College District.

Kecia is a voluntarily inactive member of the California Bar. She obtained a Juris Doctorate from the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law. She obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley.

Mr. Champion is the former Multifamily Housing Director at the Los Angeles Field Office of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In this capacity, Mr. Champion managed a staff of 81 professionals that delivered multifamily development, credit enhancement and asset management products and services to the Southern California area, which contains a population of nearly 25 million people. In addition, Mr. Champion provides program and technical advice to nonprofit organizations and private foundations as well as assist federal, state and government agencies to create and implement private-public partnerships.   

He solely developed an innovative program-equity reinvestment cross-program scheme for complex structured-financing transactions involving affordable and workforce housing developments in connection with the coordination of development of nonprofit housing trust fund activities with total private equity of nearly $150 million. Prior to joining HUD, as Department Head for Civil and Criminal Investigations & Litigation Support at the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Mr. Champion managed multi-project operations with budgeting and P&L responsibilities covering the activities of 11 in-house professional staff and approximately 100 outside fee contractors. 

Mr. Champion’s general business history spans more than 25 years in all aspects of finance, insurance, and real estate.

He also serves as an adjunct faculty of Los Angeles Trade-Technological College, and formerly part of the adjunct faculty at Keller Graduate School of Management, National University and UCLA Extension Program.

Born in Los Angeles, California, Jerome is former student body president of Cathedral High School.  After being nominated First Alternate Candidate for the U.S. Naval Academy by Congressman Augustus F. Hawkins, he received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Berkeley and his Masters of Business Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles. Jerome is most proud of his past athletic achievements, especially being a former star and member of Cal Berkeley’s football team – “Go Bears.

Fed Castillo brings more than 20 years of experience in developing and implementing financial systems, strategies, processes and controls to improve the financial sustainability and operation of diverse organizations. As an expert in establishing accounting functions, systems and best practices, his strategic approach results in cost-reduction and the maintenance of strong business relationships to ensure fiscal performance targets are met. Having formally served as the Chief Financial Officer for Toberman Neighborhood Center, he takes pride in his proven history of determining financial forecasts and cash flow projections to ensure liquidity and sustainable operation. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce and a Certificate in Labor Law.