As one of FUSE’s most longstanding partners, the City of Los Angeles welcomes two FUSE Executive Fellows to work on advancing employee engagement and developing a climate resilience plan!
Rita Mobeka — Los Angeles, CA
FUSE Project: Measuring & Advancing Employee Engagement
Rita Mobeka is a seasoned project management professional with extensive experience in information technology across the commercial and defense sectors. With a background that includes leadership roles at L3Harris, where she managed strategic technology initiatives, Mobeka brings a wealth of expertise in project management, system functionality, and team execution.
The LA Sanitation and Environment (LASAN), responsible for critical waste management services in Los Angeles, faces equity challenges, particularly regarding career advancement and telework opportunities for field and operations staff. To tackle these issues, LASAN partners with FUSE, appointing Mobeka as a FUSE Executive Fellow. Mobeka will establish a baseline for employee engagement, craft a ten-year milestone plan, and develop a toolkit for progress measurement. This initiative aims to foster a more inclusive and equitable workplace, enhancing job satisfaction, retention, and recruitment across LASAN.
Having recently led an organizational transformation based on engagement survey results, this particular FUSE project (Measuring and Advancing Employee Engagement for LASAN) resonated with me. Ensuring that leadership understand the role they play in culture change and how vitally important it is to listen and act for the betterment of our most important resources – our employees – is paramount.
Patty Menjivar — Los Angeles, CA
FUSE Project: Developing an Equity-Centered Climate Resilience Plan
Patty Menjivar, a seasoned sustainability professional with over two decades of experience, is embarking on a transformative project with the City of Los Angeles in partnership with FUSE. Her career has focused on integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals into corporate cultures and operations, emphasizing decarbonization, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable supply chains.
In response to the climate crisis and historical environmental injustices, Los Angeles, under mayoral guidance, is undertaking a visionary initiative. The City aims to lead by prioritizing marginalized communities and leveraging climate resilience as a catalyst for equitable change. As a FUSE Executive Fellow, Menjivar will support the development of a comprehensive climate resilience plan tailored to the city’s diverse neighborhoods.
This initiative aims to enhance Los Angeles’ capacity for energy adaptation and climate resilience and establish a scalable model that can inspire global efforts in sustainable urban development. Menjivar’s FUSE project will integrate community voices, drive systemic change, and set a new standard for equitable environmental practices in cities worldwide.
I’m excited to be working with the City of Los Angeles on “Developing an Equity-Centered Climate Resilience Plan”. A just sustainable future necessitates enhancing the resilience of communities and individuals to endure and recuperate from climate-related disturbances, while also fostering the capacity to evolve and adapt in response to these transformations. Climate adaptation efforts should not solely aim to restore communities after disasters and other climate events but should rather strive to propel them forward towards a renewable, sustainable, and regenerative economy characterized by climate equity and inclusive democratic participation in shaping policies that influence everyday life. Elevating equity in the City of LA’s Climate Resiliency Plan is powerful marker for its citizens and future generations.