LOS ANGELES (April 2, 2024) –The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) recently joined countless organizations across the nation in recognizing Women’s History Month (WHM) during the month of March.
This year, LADWP and the Department’s Women’s Council partnered to provide programming that held true to the Women’s Council’s mission to support, elevate and advance women in the LADWP workforce by promoting opportunities for leadership, mentorship, recognition and work-life balance.
“Creating an environment where women feel supported to pursue their career aspirations is crucial. We take this month to celebrate the women of LADWP and recognize that bringing together people from all backgrounds to collaborate and share ideas strengthens our workplace,” said Gregory Reed, Senior Assistant General Manager, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
WHM programming included a month-long social media campaign highlighting women in LADWP’s workforce who support workplace initiatives in line with this year’s national WHM theme of “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” The Department featured posts across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X about women who go above and beyond their job duties to help make LADWP a place where women can flourish.
This year, the Department also hosted the first-ever Women in the Trades Summit in partnership with the Women’s Council and IBEW Local 18.
Currently, the Department employs 2,705 women in its approximately 12,000-person workforce, with just nine percent of those women holding positions in the trades, including Steam Plant Assistants, Electric Station Operators and more. LADWP is continuously seeking ways to bolster women in the trades, and during the event on March 6, welcomed over 160 of the Department’s female employees in trade positions to a day filled with inspirational speakers, presentations on career development, and networking opportunities. Members of LADWP’s leadership team and the IBEW international organization participated in the event, and the Department looks forward developing additional events to support this key initiative.
“By providing training and growth opportunities like the Women in the Trades Summit to the women of LADWP, we hope to aid them in their efforts to not only grow their own careers, but also to increase the visibility of women in the trades. When they go to work each day, they are inspiring the next generation of women, and giving them the confidence to follow in your footsteps,” said Aram Benyamin, Chief Operating Officer.
Two of LADWP’s women in leadership positions, Evelyn Cortez-Davis, Director of Water Engineering and Technical Services, and Porsche Bell, Power Engineering Manager, also took part in interviews by local news outlet LA CityView 35 to share about their career paths and their hopes for future women and girls who will join the workforce. Watch the video interviews here.
LADWP’s third annual Women’s Nature Walk is also set to take place on Saturday, April 6, at the Encino Reservoir. Employees and their friends and families will culminate WHM by visiting the reservoir to experience its natural habitat, which includes a diverse array of native plants and animals.
LADWP is proud to recognize and celebrate the contributions women make to the workforce every day. The Department will continue its efforts to encourage more women to embark on career journeys with LADWP at the second annual Women’s Career and Wellness Expo on May 4, 2024 at the Truesdale Training Center. Learn more at www.ladwp.com/women.
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