WENDY GREUEL

Commissioner
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority

RALPH BARNES

General Manager
Beverly Center

Our theme this year is “The Future We Define.” As the Asian Pacific American community continues to grow, there is one thing that is clear: we cannot be silenced or ignored. Since our inception, hundreds of emerging leaders have become empowered to vote, participate, and lead. This year’s honorees and speakers embody our theme to define the future we want to see.

Dr. Leana Wen

President, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund

Dr. Leana Wen is the President of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. She leads an organization that has worked for more than 100 years to provide healthcare to women, young people, and marginalized communities. Before joining Planned Parenthood, Dr. Wen served as the Baltimore City Health Commissioner, where she oversaw more than 1,000 employees with an annual budget of $130 million; two clinics that provide more than 18,000 patients with reproductive health services; and mental health programs in 180 Baltimore schools. Under her direction, the Baltimore City Health Department led the country in health innovation and was recognized by the National Association of County and City Health Officials as the Local Health Department of the Year.

A board-certified emergency physician, Dr. Wen was a Rhodes Scholar, Clinical Fellow at Harvard, consultant with the World Health Organization, and professor at George Washington University. She has published over 100 articles, including in The Lancet, JAMA, and Health Affairs. The author of the book When Doctors Don’t Listen, she is regularly featured on NPR, CNN,New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today. In 2016, Dr. Wen was honored with the American Public Health Association’s highest award for local public health work, the Milton and Ruth Roemer Award. In 2018, Time Magazine named her one of the 50 most influential people in healthcare.

The Honorable Wendy Greuel

CAUSE Board Member
Commissioner, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority

A working mom and lifelong Angeleno, Wendy attended LA public schools and graduated from UCLA. Wendy started her career in public service working for her mentor, former Mayor Tom Bradley, where for ten years she worked on a wide range of public policy issues including child care, senior care homelessness, housing, public health, and education. While in Mayor Bradley’s office, Wendy was a leader in the creation of LA’s BEST, a nationally recognized after school program that provides a safe and supervised environment for children after school, and helped found the city's first childcare center.

Wendy’s commitment to affordable housing led her to Washington D.C., where she served in President Clinton’s administration as the Deputy Director of the Interagency Council on Homelessness and later as the Southern California Regional Director at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

In 1997, Wendy transitioned into the private sector, working for five years in the film industry as an executive at DreamWorks SKG. She provided strategic guidance in their civic and philanthropic efforts in the Los Angeles Region.

In 2002, Wendy was elected to the Los Angeles City Council and quickly developed an impressive record of accomplishment by creating jobs, preserving open space and reducing traffic congestion.

In 2009, Wendy was elected City Controller, becoming only the second woman in LA’s history elected to citywide office. As Controller, she brought a laser focus to examining government finances ensuring our taxpayer dollars were spent efficiently and she brought greater transparency to government.

In 2013, Wendy was engaged by the Orange County Discovery Science Center to help open their new facility, Discovery Cube LA, in the San Fernando Valley. She is providing strategic advice on Board development, fundraising and civic engagement for Discovery Cube L.A.

In addition, in 2016, Wendy was appointed as an Executive in Residence and Strategic Advisor at the California State University Northridge Nazarian College of Business and Economics. She currently serves on the LAHSA Commission working on homeless issues, as Co-Chair of the LAUSD Task Force, as a member of the Women And Girls Initiative Governing Council, and on the boards of Emily’s List, Emerge CA, East Valley YMCA, Oakwood School, Discovery Cube L.A., Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project, CAUSE, ABODE, Pico Union Project, Homeland Security Advisory Council, UCLA Luskin Advisory Board and on the L.A. Kings Business Advisory Board. Wendy and her husband Dean are the proud parents of Thomas, who is a high school freshman.

Ralph Barnes

CAUSE Board Member
General Manager, Beverly Center

Ralph Barnes is the General Manager of Beverly Center, Southern California's premier fashion destination. Since taking the helm in 2013, Barnes is responsible for overseeing all functions related to center operations as well as retailer and community relations, marketing, and sponsorship.

Barnes had served in several roles at Beverly Center including director of facilities and director of operations, positions he held since joining the center in 2008. He has played a key role in high-profile, luxury leasing initiatives as well as overseen all aspects of the center's physical operations such as tenant and capital construction projects, production of major events, and vendor negotiations and budgets.

Barnes is very active in the Los Angeles community and currently supports various initiatives for Metro expansion, Homelessness, Education, Arts, Law Enforcement, and Small Business.

Most recently, Barnes played a significant role in obtaining corporate, board of directors and City of LA approval for a $500 million dollar remodel of the iconic Beverly Center. The evolution of the center includes a comprehensive rebrand, technology investments, digital marketing enhancements and increased community relations with a focus on civic and social strategies and responsibilities.

Barnes' experience prior to joining Beverly Center included several years with Enterprise Rent-A-Car where he oversaw the company's real estate portfolio for Southern California including development, negotiations, construction, facilities, operations and customer service.

Barnes holds a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara and is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, CAUSE, West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and West Hollywood Travel & Tourism. As a former musician and competitive tennis player, he spends most of his free time raising his 6 year-old twin boys.