Child and Family Well-Being Funders Collaborative Meeting: Briefing on Los Angeles County Contracting Reform

Efrain Escobedo
President &CEO
Southern California Center for Nonprofit Management

Efrain earned his bachelor’s degree in American studies and Ethnicity from the University of Southern California and his Master of Business Administration from the University of La Verne. He is a graduate of the Los Angeles County Executive Leadership Program, a partnership with USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. Today, Efrain is the President and CEO of Southern California Center for Nonprofit Management (CNM).
Before joining CNM in February 2023 as the President and CEO, Efrain served as Vice President of Public Policy and Civic Engagement at The California Community Foundation (CCF), one of the state’s leading philanthropies. He also worked with the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund for half a decade, first as Director of Voter Engagement and then as Senior Director of Civic Engagement.
Currently, he holds leadership positions on committees across the philanthropic, government, and nonprofit sectors. Efrain chairs the board of directors of Hispanics in Philanthropy, Vice Chair of UNITE LA Board, Vice Chair of LAEDC, Speaker Appointee to California State Bar Legal Services Trust Fund, member of CalMatters board, member of the Board of Directors for Mi Familia Vota Education Fund, and member of the Policy Advisory Committee for Southern California Grantmakers.

Kelly LoBianco is the inaugural Director of the newly-created Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity. Most recently, she served as Chief Program Officer for a leading NYC-based nonprofit, The HOPE Program, growing workforce development and social enterprise programming in the green economy. Prior to that, Kelly served as Assistant Commissioner of Training for the NYC Department of Small Business Services and held various roles in local and state government in New York as well as the US Senate in Washington DC. She earned an MPA from Columbia University and a BA in Political Science from Northwestern University.

Michael Owh is the Director of Los Angeles County’s Internal Services Department (ISD). Prior to his appointment as Director, he served as ISD’s Chief Deputy Director and General Manager for Purchasing & Contract Services. ISD supports the mission of L.A. County with an annual budget of more than $872M and encompassing more than 2,100 staff and 5,100 contracted workers of varying professions in digital equity, facilities management, information technology, environmental, administrative, purchasing, and contracting. Michael is a passionate public servant and proven government executive with a track record of success in improving operational performance while prioritizing equity, transparency, and commitment to the public.

Prior to joining the County of Los Angeles, Michael served as the City of Los Angeles’ first Chief Procurement Officer and New York City’s Chief Procurement Officer and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services, where he modernized procurement process and technology and increased contract awards to small, diverse, and local businesses.

Michael received his B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley, and his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law.

A local elected leader and workforce development expert for the County of Los Angeles, Caroline Torosis has dedicated her career to passing policies that protect the rights of our workers, consumers, and tenants while allowing our small businesses to promote a fair and vibrant marketplace where everyone can thrive.

In her current role as Senior Deputy of Economic and Workforce Development for Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, Caroline is leading the County’s economic and jobs recovery by directing millions in financial relief to our small businesses, implementing the nation’s most innovative Guaranteed Income program, increasing access to high-road jobs, and standing up for our vulnerable front-line workers by establishing the most expansive fair chance hiring program and one of the strongest minimum wage ordinances in the nation.

Caroline is well versed in issues facing our community from both her personal and professional experience. Caroline has worked on increasing our County’s production of affordable housing, minimum wage enforcement, financial literacy, small business development, and the County legislative agenda. Prior to working for the County, Caroline represented workers in cases of wage theft throughout the County. She has also represented juvenile offenders in criminal cases.

Caroline and her husband Dan enjoy cooking and hiking with their dogs Olive and Luna in their spare time.