| We are happy to welcome Aissa Cerda to the executive team as Chief Programs Officer! Her experience and drive are a welcome addition to CRCD leadership at a time of unprecedented growth. As the Chief Programs Officer at the Coalition for Responsible Community Development (CRCD), Aissa Cerda will provide oversight and guidance for the Workforce Development for Youth and Adults, and the Housing and Support Services Departments. Mrs. Cerda will lead a team of housing, workforce development, and education practitioners dedicated to changing South LA residents’ lives. As the CPO, she will also oversee the scaling of programs, implementation of integrated service delivery strategies, and evaluations of programs and services. Aissa was born and raised in Boyle Heights, East of Downtown Los Angeles. Her grandfather, followed by her father, has owned an upholstery business in Boyle Heights since 1964. Her mother grew up in the same neighborhood, specifically the Aliso Pico Village housing projects. She is the oldest of six siblings and the product of the public and private school system, attending eight different schools before high school. Her undergraduate studies took place at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where she majored in Communications and minored in Spanish Literature. After graduating in 2010, she moved back home and started working for a non-profit that operated One-Stop Centers and Domestic Violence shelters. She grew extremely fond of workforce development and pursued her Master’s degree in Commerce and Economic Development from Northeastern University, graduating in March 2020. Aissa has been managing WorkSource Centers and America’s Job Centers since 2010. Her most recent position was Director for the Rancho Dominguez AJCC, operated by Community Career Development, Inc., which operated youth, adult, dislocated workers, and special programs. Previously, she was the Regional Workforce Development Manager for Associated General Contractors of California, which gave her direct and unique insight into the construction industry. One of her goals was to attract Generation Z into the construction industry by managing a workforce campaign known as Build California. Welcome aboard, Aissa! |