Access Services
Volume 4, Issue 24
In this issue:
Board Member Profiles………………
Emergency Command Ctr Mtng……
Driver Sets a New Record……………
Rider Comments………………………
July 22, 2011
2
3
4
4
Behind the Scenes
Executive Report
In preparation for the I-405 closure
that occurred from Friday, July 15
through Sunday, July 17, Access
Services activated its Emergency
Operations Incident Command Center
on Monday June 27th. The incident
command team identified objectives
and critical tasks to ensure the safety
of our customers and maintain the
efficiency of the service. The command
team initiated an extensive outreach
campaign with reminders/notifications
relayed on all lines of communication;
reservation and customer service hold
messages, Access Services Website,
Access Services Information Line and
reminders offered during the close of
customer reservations.
Fortunately the demolition was
completed well ahead of schedule
and Access Services is pleased
to announce that service was not
impacted as a result of the closure.
The outreach performed was very
successful as evidenced by the
significant decrease in trips during the
weekend.
As a continuation to our last Behind
the Scenes we complete the wrap
up of our Board Directors new and
continuing with a highlight on these 5
individuals diverse backgrounds and
the expertise they bring to governing
our agency. The board has more than
75 years of combined experience in
transportation and disability advocacy.
Shelly Verrinder
Executive Director
Access Welcomes Existing and New
Board Members - Part 2
Jano Baghdanian
Traffic and Transportation
Administrator, City of Glendale
Mr. Jano Baghdanian has been
on the Access Board of Directors
since 2005 and has held the Vice
Chair’s position on the Board since
2009. He was recently reappointed
to the board by the Local Fixed
Route Operators for another two
year term. Jano’s expertise in
transit and paratransit continues to
be an asset to the agency.
Jano is currently the Traffic and
Transportation Administrator for
the City of Glendale Public Works,
Traffic and Transportation Division.
His responsibilities include
operations, capital improvement
project design and construction,
and transportation planning. He
also oversees the operations and
planning of the city’s fixed route
bus and paratransit systems as
well as Glendale’s parking facilities
and multi-modal train station. He
provides technical support to the
Glendale City Council on all traffic,
parking and engineering projects.
Jano represents the City of
Glendale on various Los Angeles
Board and committees including
Los Angeles Metro’s Technical
Advisory Committee and Local
Transit Services Subcommittee.
He is also a member on the
Arroyo Verdugo Transportation
Committee.
Jano has more than 25 years
of experience in municipal
transportation engineering and
is a registered Civil and Traffic
Engineer and a Professional
Traffic Operations Engineer in
the State of California. Jano
holds a bachelor’s degree
in Civil Engineering and a
master’s degree of Science in
Transportation Engineering from
the University of Washington in
Seattle, WA. Jano and his wife of
34 years, a skin care specialist,
have twin sons who are both
fourth year medical students
in Jefferson Medical School in
Philadelphia, PA and a 21 year
old daughter currently attending
Cal State University Northridge
studying Fashion Marketing.
Continued on Pg. 2
2
Board Members (continued)
Kurt Hagen
Deputy Compliance Officer,
Los Angeles County Office of
Affirmative Action
Joseph Stitcher
Chief Administrative Officer
Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus
Mr. Joseph “Joe” Stitcher has
been on the Access Board of
Directors since 2008 and is one of
the founding members and past
chair of the Access Transportation
Professionals Advisory Committee.
He currently holds the treasurer’s
position on the Board and was
recently reappointed to the Board
of Directors by the Municipal Fixed
Route Operators for another two
year term.
Joe is the Chief Administrative
Officer for Santa Monica’s Big
Blue Bus, responsible for finance,
transit programs, marketing and
service and strategic planning.
A member of the Big Blue Bus
team since 1989, Joe has served
in several positions and managed
a variety of projects including
customer relations, bus operations,
maintenance, safety and security,
and procurement of specialized
transportation services.
Joe holds a bachelor’s of science
degree in Health Administration
from California State University,
Northridge, CA. He also holds
a master’s degree in business
administration from Loyola
Marymount University.
Mr. Kurt Hagen was appointed
to the Access Board of Directors
by the Los Angeles County
Commission on Disabilities in
2008. Kurt brings extensive
knowledge to the Board with his
background in disability rights.
He has been involved with Access
since the establishment of the
Community Advisory Committee
where he was instrumental
in making many policy
recommendations to the Board of
Directors.
Kurt is a Deputy Compliance
Officer with the Chief Executive
Office of the County of Los
Angeles. He is responsible for
advising and providing technical
assistance for County departments
regarding their responsibilities
to ensure compliance of their
facilities and programs under
the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA), Title 24 of California
Building Code and the California
Fair Employment and Housing
Act (FEHA). Kurt is an experienced
corporate and government trainer
primarily in the area of disability
civil rights and accessibility issues.
Kurt holds a bachelor’s degree
of science in management
information systems from Canisius
College in Buffalo, NY. He and
his wife, Yael, have been married
nearly 10 years and they have one
5 yr. old daughter named Sara.
Angela Nwokike
Systems Change Advocate,
Services Center for Independent
Living
Ms. Angela Nwokike is one of
Access newest Board of Director.
She was recently appointed to the
Access Board by the Independent
Living Centers of Los Angeles
County, and succeeds former
Board Member Sandy Varga.
Angela has been an Access
Community Advisory Committee
(CAC) Member for the past
two years, appointed by Board
Member, Dolores Nason.
Angela is currently a Systems
Change Advocate for the Services
Center for Independent Living in
Claremont California, where she
covers seven assembly districts
and two senatorial districts. She
has also served on the Board of
Continued on Pg. 3
3
Stakeholder Meeting at the City of LA Emergency Command Center
On June 28th Access staff met
with representatives from partner
agencies including Los Angeles
County Fire Department, Los
Angeles Police Department,
members of the Operational
Advisory Board Access and
Functional Needs (OAAB
AFN), the LA City Emergency
Management Department and
Metro to discuss the integration
of Access’ resources into their
planning process should a
disaster or emergency occur.
The meeting, which was held
at the City of Los Angeles
Emergency Command Center,
served to brief agencies on the
progress Access has made in
planning and to indicate areas
where more planning is needed.
Several procedures, such as
Memorandums of Understanding
(MOUs), were discussed as
ways to plan for the evacuation,
sheltering and transportation of
people with access or functional
needs. Access staff continues
to reach out to local agencies
in preparation for the next big
disaster or emergency in an effort
to ensure the safety of employees,
providers and the public.
Melissa Thompson
Operations Intern
Board Members (cont.)
Directors for Rolling Start, Inc.,
a transitional living program for
persons with functional needs
that focuses on assisting disabled
individuals shift from skilled
nursing facilities into home like
settings. Angela is a member of
Metro’s Accessibility Advisory
Committee and a former member
of the In Home Support Services
– Advisory Council appointed by
the Board of Supervisors in San
Bernardino County.
advocacy groups for more
than four years. She has been a
customer of Access for nearly
a decade and is intimately
acquainted with the use of public
transportation in Los Angeles and
neighboring counties.
Angela has a Bachelor’s of
Science degree in Business
and has received extensive
training on peer counseling
and transportation access for
the disability communities from
Rolling Start and taught English as
a second language at the Braille
Institute.
Roman Alarcon
Additionally, Angela facilitated
women’s groups and disability
Angela has a passion for helping
and advocating for persons with
disabilities, particularly in the area
of accessible transportation.
Service Operations
Superintendent, LA County MTA
Mr. Roman Alarcon was recently
appointed to the Access Board
of Directors by the Los Angeles
Metro (Metro) Board of Directors
and fills the seat previously held
by Mr. Michael Greenwood since
2008.
Roman is the Service Operations
Superintendent at Metro. He
oversees five transportation
divisions and the Contract
Services Department. Roman
has been with Metro since 1986
and has worn many hats in fixed
route transit. Roman is a native of
Durango, Mexico and a Lincoln
High School graduate of 1982.
Roman first started as a bus
operator and quickly moved up
Continued on Pg. 4
4
Access Services
Consolidated Transportation
Services Agency
PO Box 5728
El Monte, CA 91734
Tel: 213.270.6000
Fax: 213.270.6055
Email: [email protected]
asila.org
Driver Ali Ahmednor Sets a New Record
presence of Provider staff, Access
staff, and Executive Director Shelly
Verrinder.
Rider Comments
My world would be very
empty and miserable
without Access.
Thank you.”
John, Pasadena
Rider since 2002
Ali (left), Mark Maloney (COO), Shelly Verrinder (ED),
Stacey Murphy (SGT GM), and his new 32” flat screen.
In April 2011, driver Ali Ahmednor
of San Gabriel Transit was the first
Access driver to reach the Driver
Incentive Program’s 90,000 milestone.
The Driver Incentive Program,
launched in April 2010, encourages
safe driving and courteous behavior
while out on the road. For each
10,000 miles safely completed, a
driver is recognized with a different
award. At the Operations Safety
Steering Committee Meeting on
July 12, Ali was presented a 32” LCD
Television for his hard work, in the
Ali’s positive work ethic has made
an impression on customers and
colleagues alike. Mr. Kim, who
himself is the first Jerry Walker
Award recipient, speaks highly of Ali
as his long-time friend and driving
instructor. “Ali is a good driver for
three reasons”, says Mr. Kim. “First,
he is proud to be an Access driver
because he knows that his job is
important. Second, he knows how
to concentrate and get things done
quickly. Lastly, he really enjoys what
he does. He is always willing to come
in to help on his off days if needed”.
Ali is fast approaching the 100,000
milestone and the Disneyland grand
prize. Stay tuned to see him be the
first documented Access driver to
complete 100,000 safe miles.
Melissa Thompson
Operations Intern
Board Members (cont.)
to various management positions.
He was part of the start-up teams
for the Red and Green Rail Lines
and managed the Gold Line’s initial
segment. Having worked with various
aspects of transportation, Roman
is very familiar with paratransit and
its importance within the disability
community.
Giovanna Gogreve
Strategic Planning Analyst
10-2159 ©2010 Access Services
“Without Access I would
not be able to travel
to Dr. appointments
or to meet my sister. I
would be stuck with no
transportation because
I am unable to take the
bus. My sister is happy
because she can’t lift my
wheelchair and we can
meet because of Access.