500+ students participated in the GPS Your Future® Virtual Career Discovery Experience

An estimated 500 high school students attended our 11th GPS Your Future® career discovery experience on November 5, 2021, held online for the 2nd straight year. Students from across 10 EXP-supported high schools and 19 career pathways, as well as guest schools from Long Beach and Orange County, attended an exciting morning of career discovery in today's high-growth industries. They also received insight and guidance on what it takes to succeed in school, career and life.

The success of the virtual event is a result of the commitment and dedication of 25 volunteer speakers, 21 interactive session hosts, and 15 sponsors. We could not have done it without your support!

Keynote: Johnathan Franklin, Los Angeles Rams

Johnathan Franklin is a Los Angeles native heading into his 6th season for the Los Angeles Rams, as the Director of Social Justice and Football Development. He describes his role as using the power of football as a platform to address education inequities, youth justice and to reassure that all members of the community can rise to prosperity while providing hope where it does not exist and maintaining it where it does.

Johnathan is currently enrolled in the Stanford-NFL League of Leaders Program at Stanford Graduate School of Business. This executive program currently focuses on leadership development, strategic project development, business acumen and design thinking. He is also a graduate of the Southern California Leadership Networking Class, created through the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. Through this class, he was able to expand his understanding of the increasingly complex and dynamic sectors of Los Angeles through Law and Government.

Johnathan attended UCLA where he majored in political science, graduated in honors, and became a recipient of UCLA Chancellor’s Marshall Award. He interned with former Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa, and was invited to be the keynote speaker at the Los Angeles Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast during Villaraigosa’s final term. Johnathan also had a standout athletic career at UCLA – he still leads the Bruins in all-purpose and career rushing yards, along with having the 7th most career rushing yards in Pac 12 history.

Interactive Sessions

How to Set Goals AND Achieve Them with Charlene Downey
A Moment of Mindfulness: Guided Meditation with Ilona Glinarsky
Find My Career: Self-guided Exploration of Career Possibilities with ProvenReady + EXP
A Live #CareerRePORT with John Yoon, Port of Los Angeles
Meet an Engineer: Saul Cobian, Instrument Engineer, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
#AskanEngineer: Leo Martin, Port of Los Angeles
Finding a Job You Love - A Chat with Steven Hussain, Prologis, Who Loves His Job!
The Present and Future of Electric Vehicles with Vincent Pellecchia, BYD

Paths to Mechanical Engineering: Chat with Juan Jose Villanueva, Water Operations Division at LADWP
Explore Careers in Oil & Gas with Phillips 66
Career Pathways in the 21st Century Construction Industry with Abigail Palomares
Now Boarding: Start Your High-Flying Career at City of LA and LAX *RIGHT NOW*
Off the Dock Careers at the Port of Long Beach: Chat with Alejandra Güitrón
Ask Denis Arsenault about CSU Long Beach Certificate Programs
Curious about USC? Ask Curtis Ferguson anything!
Apprenticeship 101 with SoCal Sheet Metal Workers

More than “Free Guy”: Careers in Banking Beyond Tellers with Telebah Woods, Bank of America
Get Paid Saving the World: Ask EXP CEO Amy Grat about Nonprofit Careers
Meet a Computer Forensics Examiner: Brandon Boren
Ask an Actor: Get Real about Show Biz with Jeremy Stutes
A Day in the Life of a Naturalist with Mindy Schwartz, Environmental Nature Center
Santa's Real Helper: James "Bud" Heim, Senior Director of Operation Process & Finance, Ports America
Career Journey of a Consulting Analyst Latrice White, Accenture
Engineer *and* Entrepreneur: How EXP alum Elizabeth Machuca Does It All

Exhibitors: Hall C - Colleges & Certifications

Accenture
CSU Long Beach
Cal Maritime
Google and Google Cloud
Iron Workers Local 416
Los Angeles Harbor College

Loyola Marymount University - College of Business Administration
Net Zero Plus - Electrical Training Institute
Pacific Gas & Electric Company
ProvenReady
Sheet Metal Workers Local 105

Society of Wood Manufacturing
Southwest Carpenters Training Fund
Supply Chain Warehousing Certificate with ASCM + Prologis
Torrance Memorial Medical center
United States Coast Guard

Breakout Panels

Certified Awesome: Certificate Programs for High-Paying Jobs

Ruth Amanuel, Regional Director- Employer Engagement, Global Trade (LA) Hosted by Long Beach City College
Farid Khan, LA Filtration Plant Chief Operator, LADWP
Ayla Lewis, Program Manager of Technical Enablement, Google Cloud
Moderator: Lucius Martin, Business Engagement Manager, Pacific Gateway Workforce Innovation Network

High Seas to Highways: Careers in Maritime, International Trade, and Logistics

Captain Jay Dwyer, Chief Port Pilot II, Port of Los Angeles
Ariel Mendez, Managing Director of Operations, FedEx
Moderator: Tara Voss, Founding Partner, Peacock Piper Tong + Voss LLP

Heroes & Healers: Post-Pandemic Healthcare Careers

Dr. Michael Ching, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii
Helaine Lopes, Ph.D., ATC, Certified Athletic Trainer – USC, Torrance Memorial Medical Center
Lizbeth Becerra, MPH, Health Educator, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Moderator: Toi L. Lewis, Manager of Administrative Services, Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center

Building a Sustainable Future: Careers with Impact

Ed Cuevas, Environmental Engineering Associate, LADWP
Abbey Will, Sustainability & Stakeholder Engagement Rep., Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Pegah Rezai, Design Leader and Senior Associate, DLR Group
Moderator: Ryan Stromar, Senior Public Information Specialist, South Coast Air Quality Management District

Access Granted: Plug in, Sign Up and Log On to Careers in Digital Media

Jane Hoffacker, CEO and Cofounder, Incredible Dream Studios
Jeremy Pepper, Director of Communications, USC
Morgan Wilcox, Associate Product Manager, HBO Max
Moderator: Trisha Nicolas, Development, Unscripted Originals, Snap Inc.

Eat, Sleep, Travel, Repeat!: Careers in Hospitality, Travel & Culinary Arts

Donna Cel Tuason Davis, Director of Sales and Marketing, Hampton Inn and Suites Las Vegas South
Ben Komenkul, Founder, Ben’s Big Deal
Alfredo Mendoza, Director of Partner Experience, Starbucks
Moderator: Amanda Bombard, Director of Administrative Services, Catalina Express