EXP Revs Up the Opportunity Engine for 2021-2022

A Message from EXP CEO Amy Grat

Inspired by the preparation for the Long Beach Grand Prix after a 2-year absence, EXP’s Board of Directors came together on August 4th to calibrate and rev up EXP The Opportunity Engine® for maximum performance as we enter the new fiscal year. We aim to win this race by bringing more opportunities to more students than ever before.

Our new Board Chairperson Pat Wilson offered this apt anecdote – “EXP is a lot like the oldest surviving Indy 500 winner, Parnelli Jones. Jones has the stamina and drive to go the distance, whether in a race or in life.  He is known by his peers as one of the most versatile race car drivers ever, having competed in dozens of different racing venues, from midget cars to the Baja 500 race. Like Jones, EXP has versatility and flexibility, having demonstrated these traits during the last year as COVID-19 turned our world upside down.”

Indeed, EXP has persevered. We have spent the last 16 months of the pandemic testing our torque and qualifying ourselves for the “pole position” we find ourselves in today.  We enter this race with an extremely strong and supportive board of directors including 7 new board members, a seasoned and fully-staffed “pit crew,” a solid budget, a dedicated fan base, and a winning strategy. 

And of course, we cannot do this without you, our fans who show up to every race in the sun, wind, and rain, ready to support us whenever we need a boost. You are the spark of our opportunity engine!

I may not be as flashy as Lewis Hamilton, but I definitely was born to race and win. I cannot wait to share the winner’s laurel with you all.

On your mark, get set, go!

Welcome New Board Chair: Pat Wilson

Fast Lane Transportation President and Founder Patrick (“Pat”) L. Wilson is a long-time EXP board member. He has also been a dedicated Phineas Banning High School’s International Trade Academy advisory board member. Currently, Pat also serves on the board of the Boys & Girls Club of the Los Angeles Harbor, the Wilmington YMCA, and the Harbor Association of Industry and Commerce (HAIC).

“I am proud of the accomplishments of EXP, particularly over the last 16 months of the pandemic, which profoundly changed the way we deliver our mission,” said Pat. “EXP’s direct link to our students may have been restricted, but the impact of our organization has not been diminished.”

All of us at EXP are very proud to have Pat at the helm as our new Board Chair.

Introducing New Board Members

Jessica Bails, Pacific Gas & Electric

Jessica has over 10 years of youth workforce development program as a creator of a nationally-awarded Career Technical Education program. As a Senior Technical Project Manager for PG&E, Jessica most recently worked on some of the most high-profile environmental remediation and contentious project in California. An entrepreneur at heart, she is also the founder of Integrated Creative Marketing.

David A. Gamboa, California State University, Dominguez Hills

David is the Associate Vice President of External Relations at CSU Dominguez Hills, overseeing the Office of Community and Government Relations and the Office of Alumni Relations. In his role, David develops key initiatives and positive relationships between the university and the greater community. Prior to his role at the university, he worked in the Office of Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald as one of her field deputies. David earned a BA in Communications from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

“Teaming up with EXP is exciting for CSU Dominguez Hills because we get to open up these opportunities the students they may not be aware of,” said David. “We’re building a pipeline that connects local high school students to a university and what their local colleges can really do for them.”

Joseph Hower, Ramboll US Consulting, Inc.

Joe is a Principal and Vice-President – Mechanical Engineering for Ramboll US Corporation. He has more than 35 years of experience in air quality management, power plant operations and engineering, permitting including greenhouse gas (GHG) management, CEQA, regulatory compliance, litigation support, expert witness work, risk management and pollution control engineering. Joe also currently serves on the American Association of Port Authorities Environment Committee and Board Member of the Los Angeles County Business Federation. He earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering form UC Irvine, and MS in Mechanical Engineering from USC.

Welcome Joseph!

Michael Leue, Alameda Corridor Transporation Authority (ACTA)

Mike is the Chief Executive Officer of ACTA, the agency responsible for the rail corridor serving the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. He has worked over 35 years in the consulting engineering industry on port, rail and civil engineering projects for Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach and ports around the country and internationally. Michael participates on a leadership committee for American Railroad Engineering and Maintenance Association (AREMA) and offers mentoring to young engineers as well as contributes technical writing to the AREMA guidelines. A fourth-generation Long Beach resident whose great-grandfathers and grandfather worked in the San Pedro Bay harbor, Mike has a deep love for the harbor area and its community.

“I am honored to be selected onto the EXP Board of Directors and extremely pleased to continue ACTA’s tradition of support to this valuable organization and its well-executed programs,” said Mike.

Tommy Luong, Valero Energy Corporation

Tommy has more than 25 years of demonstrated history working in the oil and energy industry. He worked his way up the ranks at Valero and is currently serves as the Asphalt Plant Director. Passionate about the mentoring and development of future generations of students and young professionals, he also serves as an engineering recruit lead for his alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin. Tommy earned a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and an MS in Chemical Engineering from Louisiana State University.

“I’m looking forward to helping facilitate both organizational and community service excellence for EXP,” said Tommy.

Elizabeth Machuca, SPEC Services, Inc.

Born and raised in Wilmington, Elizabeth took part in EXP programs in her high school youth as a student and graduate of Phineas Banning High School’s Global Security Academy. She is now a Project Engineer at SPEC Services, a full-service engineering, design and project management firm serving the energy industry as well as the public sector. An entrepreneur at heart, Elizabeth also owns Synesthesia Boutique in Wilmington where she features products from local artists and makers and hosts community engagement events like poetry nights and arts and crafts fairs. Elizabeth earned an BS in Mechanical Engineering from California State Maritime Academy.

“I believe in leading by example, and as an EXP alumna, I am setting that example for the students we serve,” said Elizabeth.

Dr. Michelle Yanez, MY Workforce Solutions

Dr. Yanez is the Principal of MY Workforce Solutions, a Latina-owned workforce consulting firm that aims to connect business to education to foster career pathways for students and a skilled workforce. She currently works on Career Technical Education (CTE) at Trade Technical College in collaboration with the Los Angeles/Orange County Consortium of Community Colleges (LAOCRC) and other workforce partners. Most recently, she worked as a workforce development manager at Citrus College. Dr. Yanez is a Doctor of Education with a focus in civil justice from CSULB and Master of Public Administration with a focus in inter-governmental management from USC.

A leader in workforce development, Dr. Yanez hopes to contribute to the reputable mission and activities of EXP.