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.
MADELEINE BRAND
Programs Director
Madeleine Brand has over 17 years experience working in fund development and grant writing, successfully raising capital for Los Angeles-based non-profits from foundations, corporate and government entities alike. Since 2013, she has served as the Program Supervisor for the Hospitality Training Academy (HTA), working with UNITE HERE Local 11 and its employer partners (including hotels, airport concession companies, and other event venues throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties), to provide training services to new and incumbent union members. Prior to joining the HTA, Madeleine spent six years working in the workforce development sector where she served for as Special Projects Coordinator for Community Career Development and as Grants Manager for Jewish Vocational Services (JVS), growing and sustaining program funding for both organization’s City and County of Los Angeles WorkSource Centers. Madeleine also worked for KCET, the nation’s largest independent public television station, as the Associate Director of Foundation & Corporate Relations and for the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), in Los Angeles, as a Development Associate prior to be promoted to the position of Grants Officer. While living in New York, Madeleine worked for a political consulting firm, raising funds and organizing special events for a number of U.S. Senators, including U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman (CT) for whom she helped raise in excess of $2 million dollars over a four year period. Madeleine has a B.A. in Political Science from Vassar College. She moved from New York to California in 1995 and lives in Santa Monica with her husband and two children.
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. Prior to 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 thousand residents in the southeast area, annually. In addition, Jorge was the Chief Financial Officer of the Hub Cities Career Center Corporation, a 501(c)(3) institution, maintaining systems of internal control to safeguard financial assets and managing a combined budget of over five million dollars. 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).
JULIE MELINE
Julie has over 15 years’ experience in organizational leadership and fund development. After overseeing day to day operations for a business and tax law firm, she worked as an auditor for a
third-party union benefits administrator. While meeting with union and community members, Julie developed a deeper motivation to make a greater impact on the local community with a focus on wellness and workforce development. This passion led to the creation of one of the largest inner-city youth beach volleyball programs in the country, where Julie served as the Executive Director for over 5 years. She designed and implemented a championship level volleyball program that was free for inner-city youth with an emphasis on employing and mentoring underserved groups. Her partnerships and fund development strategy resulted in a still-thriving 501(c)3 nonprofit. Most recently, Julie oversaw grants for the 2 largest senior serving community organizations in Northern California.
In addition to a Bachelor’s in Business Management and Master’s in Sports Management and Administration, Julie holds Certificates for both Hospitality and Tourism Management, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace. She is committed to the betterment of our communities and serves on several nonprofit boards. When Julie isn’t busy working for HTA, she enjoys cooking, playing sports, and reading. Favorite foodie activities include visiting unique
markets, hosting dinner parties, and attending proper high teas.
SEAN GLYNN
Program Manager
Sean Glynn joins HTA with a background in labor relations and union organizing. He is currently the project manager at the HTA overseeing “Serving Our Community,” a 34-million-dollar program providing safely prepared food to vulnerable communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to his work with HTA, Sean feels honored to have spent 15 years with UNITE HERE, the union for Hotel and Food Service workers, in Las Vegas and Los Angeles as an organizer of customer boycotts, an organizer of workers, and a negotiator of contracts and grievance resolution. Never a dull moment, Sean’s work encompassed everything from leading labor strikes for healthcare benefits to building cost-calculating negotiation tools for regional and national collective bargaining agreements. Sean grew up in the Midwest, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Grinnell College prior to moving to the West Coast. When he is isn’t working, you are likely to find him still working, gardening, tinkering in his garage, or teaching fitness classes.
JAIME CEDANO
Apprenticeship Coordinator
Jaime Cedano brings a lifelong passion for labor rights as well as over 20 years of professional experience to the HTA. A native of Southern California, Jaime has spent the majority of his career working in customer service in the Inland Empire. Most recently, Jaime worked for a Walmart/Sams Club retail store as a Fresh Managing Supervisor, where he helped implement and promote marketing programs and strategies. He also created and facilitated customer service trainings for Walmart/Sams Club staff. This experience along with his knowledge of the labor movement and roots in the community drive his work as a Bilingual Case Manager. Jaime graduated from Arizona State with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business.
SHELLEY WAX
Special Projects Manager
Shelley Wax brings to the HTA an extensive background working in both the public and private sectors. She began her career in the hospitality, entertainment, public relations, real estate, and commercial banking industries in New York and Los Angeles before entering the nonprofit arena. Shelley brings over 15 years of experience designing, implementing, managing, and marketing innovative economic development and community-focused initiatives. As a grant writer and editor, she has played a vital role in securing over $100 million in grant funding to implement a variety of workforce development and educational programs serving youth, adults, and Veterans. Her strengths include public/private partnership and inter-agency collaboration building, resource leveraging, contract negotiation, corporate and community relations, and strategic planning.
Prior to joining the HTA, Shelley served as Special Projects Director for Community Career Development, Inc. (CCD), a nonprofit operator of America’s Job Centers of California, where she oversaw the implementation of federal, state, local government and foundation-funded high-growth sector workforce development and emergency assistance programs. During her tenure at CCD, she also served as a University of Southern California (USC) School of Social Work Preceptor and as Liaison to the Armed Forces Services Corporation/Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In addition to securing over $90 million in grant funds, she procured subcontractor services and introduced a holistic, multi-disciplinary team approach to case management. Previously, Shelley managed a three-year, First 5 LA-funded family literacy program for the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. As a sole proprietor, she operated Wells Fargo’s Summer Youth Internship Program for nine years, and, as Founder of the Emerald Chariot Foundation, she ran an early childhood literacy program for TRF Head Start preschools in South Los Angeles. Shelley earned her bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York and her MA in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University, Los Angeles. She is a certified Family Court Mediator, a recipient of the 2020 Professional Veteran Shining Star Award, and an Advisor to the Veterans Advocacy Group of America. In her spare time, Shelley enjoys reading, hiking, horseback riding and practicing Aikido.
Other HTA Personnel
- Cassandra Espinoza – Case Manager
- Estela Gaytan – Case Manager
- Eva Gil – Senior Accounting Analyst
- Karen Mitchell – Case Manager
- Alice Stanford – Case Manager
- Alan Martinez- Business/Data Analyst
- Brittney Morgan- Workforce Specialist
