ADINE FORMAN
Executive Director

Adine Forman has over 30 years of managerial experience with Los Angeles based social service, workforce development and governmental organizations. She is currently the Executive Director of the Hospitality Training Academy (HTA), a non-profit institution and a labor-management partnership/Taft-Hartley fund that provides benefits to both contributing employers and the UNITE HERE Local 11 labor union, serving Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino Counties and the entire State of Arizona.

The HTA trains and upgrades the skills of UNITE HERE Local 11 hospitality and food service workers, who are predominantly women and people of color, and hail from all corners of the planet. The HTA works not only to upskill existing employees that are represented by the union, but also provides a variety of workforce services, registered apprenticeships, vocational ESL, financial and computer literacy, and training programs that are funded by foundations and government agencies to train low income, marginalized individuals for jobs in the hospitality and food service industry.

AARON GREENBERG
Deputy Director

Aaron Greenberg has more than a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership, public policy, and organized labor.

He was most recently executive director of Libraries Without Borders US, the American branch of Bibliothèques Sans Frontières, where he built partnerships with public entities and community-based organizations to increase access to literacy tools for under-resourced communities nationwide. He has also worked as a lead researcher with UNITE HERE Local 11, where he helped create an unemployment insurance clinic for laid-off union members and their families; administered the “Serving Our Community” program at HTA; and led electoral campaigns in Phoenix, Arizona and Atlanta, Georgia.

While in graduate school, Aaron served for five years as the president of the Yale graduate teacher union, UNITE HERE Local 33, and was elected three times to the New Haven Board of Alders (the city council). He holds a BA and MA from the University of Chicago and PhD in political science from Yale University.

ADRINEH TERANTONIANS
Director of Workforce Systems

Adrineh Terantonians has 18 years of leadership experience in workforce and career development, specializing in program management, employment and occupational skills training, quality assurance, data analysis, workforce operations, and compliance with federal and state programs.

She has designed, managed, and implemented workforce development initiatives across multiple agencies, including the Social Security Administration, the Department of Rehabilitation, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Labor’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and the Department of Social Services.

Adrineh holds a B.A. in English and is a certified Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF). She serves as an examiner for the California Awards for Performance Excellence (CAPE) and is an active member of the California Council for Excellence (CCE) and the National Career Development Association (NCDA).

STEPHANIE KOONTZ
Director of Quality, Learning and Compliance

Stephanie Koontz has 19 years of experience in employment and training programs including career center and youth/young adult program design and implementation, leading career center operations, contract management, program monitoring, and policy and procedure development.

Stephanie is experienced in developing and implementing quality assurance, continuous quality improvement, and compliance programs.

She is an instructional designer for in-person and on-demand learning environments, and facilitates various training courses including WIOA 101, Employment Plan Development, Effective Case Management, Time Management, Customer Experience, Preventing Sexual Harassment, and DEI.

Stephanie holds a BA in Political Science and History, and a MS in Gerontology.

STEPHANY MORRIS-NELSON
Director of Human Resources

Stephany Morris Nelson is the Director of Human Resources for Hospitality Training Academy (HTA), assumed the role in June 2024. Her career in Human Resources incorporate roles at other non-profits in the greater Los Angeles area.

An alumna of the University of Arizona, she also holds a Business Management Certification from Los Angeles Valley College, in addition to her PHR and SHRM-CP credentials.

Stephany is deeply engaged with the Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA), where she serves on the Board of Directors for the Los Angeles Chapter as the Mentorship and Certification Chair, and as Co-Chair of the College Relations Committee.

Dedicated to her profession and community service, Stephany is also a devoted mother of three, grandmother of three, and has been married to her husband, Ronald, for 31 years.

JORGE GALVEZ
Director of Finance

Jorge Galvez has over 22 years of experience in the operations and administration of Employment and Training programs governed under JTPA, WIA, and WIOA. Through his years of experience, Jorge has managed over $100 million in public funds.

Before joining the HTA, Jorge spent 22 years working as the Financial Manager for Hub Cities Consortium, one of the largest WorkSource Centers funded by the Los Angeles County Department of Community and Senior Services (CSS), providing employment and training services to over 300,000 residents in Southeast Los Angeles annually. In addition, Jorge was the Chief Financial Officer of the Hub Cities Career Center Corporation, a 501(c)(3) organization, maintaining systems of internal control to safeguard financial assets and managing a combined budget of over $5 million.

Jorge’s areas of expertise include budget management, cost allocation plans, grant management, and policy development and analysis. Jorge was also a committee member of the continuous quality improvement (CQI) and the California Awards Performance for Excellence (CAPE).

GABRIELA JIMENEZ
Program Director

Gabriela Jimenez is a seasoned non-profit leader with nearly 20 years of experience in youth and workforce development, as well as program design and implementation. Her expertise spans recruitment, case management, job placement, and transition services.

Committed to leading with integrity, dependability, and open communication, Gabriela is passionate about supporting her team and driving impact. Through strategic program coordination and management, she has played a key role in successfully placing hundreds of clients into permanent employment or post-secondary education. She brings extensive experience in grant management, cultural competency, coaching, strategic planning, and program analysis.

Gabriela holds a B.A. in Political Science from California State University, Long Beach, and an M.P.A. with a graduate certificate in Public Policy from the University of Southern California.

JAIME CEDANO
Director of Special Projects

Jaime Cedano brings over 20 years of professional experience and a lifelong commitment to the labor movement to the Hospitality Training Academy. A Southern California native, he has spent much of his career in customer service in the Inland Empire.

Most recently, Jaime served as a Fresh Managing Supervisor at Walmart/Sam’s Club, where he developed and facilitated customer service trainings and helped implement marketing programs and strategies. His deep knowledge of the labor movement, strong community ties, and professional experience inform his work as a Bilingual Case Manager.

Jaime holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Arizona State University.

SEAN GLYNN
Special Contracts & Data Manager

Sean Glynn brings extensive experience in labor relations and union organizing to his role at HTA. As Project Manager, he oversees Serving Our Community, a $34 million initiative providing safely prepared meals to vulnerable populations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before joining HTA, Sean spent 15 years with UNITE HERE in both Las Vegas and Los Angeles. His work ranged from organizing customer boycotts and mobilizing workers to negotiating contracts and resolving grievances. His experience includes leading labor strikes for healthcare benefits and developing cost-calculating negotiation tools for regional and national collective bargaining agreements.

Originally from the Midwest, Sean holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Grinnell College.

Other HTA Personnel

• Alice Stanford – Alumni Engagement Specialist
• Elvin Flores – Apprenticeship Manager
• Estela Gaytan – Case Manager
• Eva Gil – Accountant
• Fernando Sandoval – Employment Specialist
• Gabriela Abumbrad – Outreach Specialist
• Gabriela Jimenez – Program Director
• Greg Krentzman – Business Solutions Manager
• Gustavo Madera-Ruiz – Outreach Specialist
• Jacqueline Barajas – Case Manager
• Jennie Hernandez – Outreach Specialist
• Karen Bazzle – Case Manager
• Kevin Trejo – Outreach Specialist
• Michelle Newsome – Employment Specialist
• Rafael Rodriguez – Employment Specialist
• Rebecca Foster – Program Assistant
• Roberto Jara – Employment Specialist
• Sandra Tarango – Employment Specialist
• Sherrie Gomez – Employment Specialist
• Socrates Garay – Outreach Manager
• Yessica Sanchez – Program Manager