Leadership Pasadena Celebrates 2024 Graduation with Civic Leaders

Leadership Pasadena proudly held the graduation of its latest cohort and announced the appointment of business litigation attorney Louis Teran as the new Board President.

The festive graduation ceremony, held on June 27, was attended by alumni, family, and friends who gathered at the historic Maxwell House to celebrate the accomplishments of the graduates. Guests included Pasadena City Manager Miguel Marquez, Assistant City Manager and LP alum Brenda-Harvey Williams, City of Pasadena Human Resources Director Tiffany Jacobs-Quinn, Deputy to Mayor Gordo Vannia de la Cuba, Pasadena Public Health Deputy Director and LP alum Manuel Carmona, Police Chief Eugene Harris, and Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin, as well as members of their prospective teams.

Program Director Nancy Carol Inguanzo kicked off the ceremony with a special thank you to supporters including the City of Pasadena, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Flintridge Center, Pasadena Community Foundation, Pasadena Unified School District, Pasadena Educational Foundation, Pasadena Federal Credit Union, Rose Bowl Aquatics Center, Tournament of Roses, the Veterans Resource Center of Pasadena City College, the Dr. Gordon K. Squires and Kendra Nitta “Dragonfly” Fund, the Harris-Bacor Foundation, and the WHH Foundation. The graduating class then presented its community impact projects focused on affordable housing, sustainability, economic development, diversity and inclusion, and public health and safety.

Keynote speaker Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo emphasized the importance of leadership, highlighting how Pasadena acts as a role model to those around the world who hope to enact collaborative democratic systems as was demonstrated by his recent trip to Armenia. He drew a laugh referencing the "Pasadena is the Center of the Universe" themed PSAs the graduating class created at Pasadena Media.

Class Speaker Angela Lee, Executive Director of Harambee Ministries, gave the commencement address via video. ”For true leadership to exist, it must have various expressions. Our class demonstrated this diversity in leadership… from city leadership to the nonprofit sector, military veterans to the private sector and beyond. Our group has shown that there is no cookie cutter version of leadership,” she stated. “These last 6 months have been our training ground. We've prepared, stretched and learned. And today we begin a steady march towards using our leadership gifts to create a more just and flourishing Pasadena.”

The occasion also served as an opportunity to express heartfelt appreciation to outgoing board members, including Amara Ononiwu of Novus Global, Vicki Chui of Caltech, and Brandon Lamar of Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. All were commended for their support of Leadership Pasadena’s mission to create a stronger community by connecting more effective leaders.

The festive event was filled with laughter, a testament to the joy of community service.

Recent Caltech Y Board Chair and former Leadership Pasadena Executive Director Cindy Bengston commented, “What a marvelous LP graduation. Kudos to all of the graduates! It was exciting, warm, and ‘the place to be!’”