2023 Regional Conference & General Assembly

We would like to thank all attendees, speakers and sponsors who attended the 58th annual Regional Conference & General Assembly. Local leaders from throughout Southern California convened at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert. This conference brought together state and local elected officials, CEOs, business and civic leaders, transportation and environmental stakeholders, local government staff, and others.

We would like to extend sincere appreciation for our sponsors and their generous support of the program. Thanks also to our speakers, panelists, members and partners who made the event such a success.

Highlights

• SCAG kicked off the 2023 Regional Conference & General Assembly with a video review of SCAG’s accomplishments from 2022-23.  
• New board officers for 2023-24 were welcomed: Hon. Art Brown (City of Buena Park) who will serve as the new SCAG Regional Council President; Sup. Curt Hagman (San Bernardino County) who will serve as Regional Council First Vice President; and Hon. Cindy Allen (City of Long Beach) who will serve as Regional Council Second Vice President. Additionally, former Regional Council First Vice President Sup. Carmen Ramirez was posthumously named Regional Council President, In Memoriam, for the 2023-24 term.   
• Recognition of seven exemplary local projects at the 2023 Sustainability Awards Luncheon.  
• Attendees participated in our Student Showcase and panel sessions. The panels looked at some of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the region, including mobility hubs; accelerating clean transportation in Southern California; job growth in an inclusive economy; and housing in the region. 
• Photo gallery 

Sponsors

Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors

Platinum

Sustainability Awards Luncheon

Reception

Panel

Technology

Breakfast

Auto Showcase

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Keynote Speaker

FEATURED KEYNOTE, FRIDAY, MAY 5

OZAN VAROL

Rocket Scientist turned Professor, Bestselling Author, and Expert on Creativity and Critical Thinking 

Ozan Varol is one of the world’s foremost experts in creativity, innovation, and critical thinking. He helps industry-leading organizations reimagine the status quo with moonshot thinking.

A native of Istanbul, Ozan moved to the United States when he was seventeen to attend Cornell University where he majored in astrophysics. In 2003, he served on the operations team for the 2003 Mars Exploration Rovers project that sent two rovers – Spirit and Opportunity – to Mars. 

Ozan’s diverse personal background (as a former rocket scientist turned lawyer turned university professor and popular author) allows him to connect with wide-ranging audiences. He’s delivered keynote speeches to small and large crowds at conferences, start-ups, and Fortune 500 companies across numerous industries. Ozan is also the #1 bestselling author of Think Like a Rocket Scientist: Simple Strategies You Can Use to Make Giant Leaps in Work and Life. 

 

 

Agenda

MAY 3 | WEDNESDAY 

3 p.m. EXECUTIVE/ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING  

5 p.m. NEW MEMBER PROGRAM (Invitation Only)  

6 p.m. PRESIDENT’S RECEPTION (Invitation Only) 

MAY 4 | THURSDAY 

8:00 a.m. REGISTRATION, NETWORKING & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST 

9:00 a.m. REGIONAL COUNCIL MEETING 

10:00 a.m. WELCOME & OPENING REMARKS 

11:00 a.m. GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING 

• Presentation of Colors, Palm Desert California Cadet Corps 

12:15 p.m. SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS LUNCHEON 

• SPONSORED BY REYES COCA-COLA BOTTLING & COCA COLA NORTH AMERICA 

2:15 p.m. BREAKOUT SESSIONS I 

ACCELERATING CLEAN TRANSPORTATION IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 

• SPONSORED BY CLEAN POWER ALLIANCE 

Driven by the need for greenhouse gas emissions reductions, needed improvements in local air quality, and state and federal targets, the urgency to advance clean transportation is higher than ever. For local governments, public agencies, private companies and manufacturers alike, it’s no longer a question of “if”, it’s a question of how fast and what will it take to prepare. This panel will explore the state of technology and infrastructure for zero- and near-zero-emission vehicles, opportunities and challenges to ‘clean the fleet’ for both transit and goods movement, and the role of consumer behavior and barriers in furthering adoption. 

MODERATOR: Jimmy O’Dea, Assistant Deputy Director, Transportation Electrification, Caltrans 

PANELISTS: 

• Zanku Armenian, Director of Public Affairs, Southern California Edison 
• Darrell Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Orange County Transportation Authority 
• Megan McKernan, Research Director, Automobile Club of Southern California 
• Matt Miyasato, Vice President, Strategic Growth & Government Affairs, First Element Fuels 

JOB GROWTH IN AN INCLUSIVE ECONOMY 

• SPONSORED BY MAJESTIC REALTY 

Despite forecasts of an economic recession on the horizon, the region’s job growth remains strong. Nevertheless, considering the actual and potential impacts of emerging social, technological and climate disruptions, we must re-examine what the jobs of the future will look like and rethink pathways to these jobs in the SCAG region. This panel will explore how our region can foster a resilient workforce and robust business climate in the face of new challenges and opportunities while reaping the benefits of more inclusive economic growth. 

MODERATOR: Gigi Moreno, Senior Economist, SCAG 

PANELISTS: 

• Guillermina Gina Núñez-Mchiri, Dean, San Diego State University, Imperial Valley 
• Brian Radley, Vice President of Operations, Brookfield Residential 
• Rachel Selleck, Executive Director of Government Affairs, Providence Health 
• Gene Seroka, Executive Director, Port of Los Angeles 

2:15 p.m. STUDENT SHOWCASE 

Some of the SCAG region’s most outstanding students will present exciting and innovative research and planning work on regional challenges and opportunities. All attendees can vote for their favorite projects to win an Audience Award and accompanying cash prizes. 

PROJECTS: 

• The Implications of Siting Choices in the RHNA Process 
  Dylan Ando – University of California, Irvine 
• The Path to Connectivity: Improving Bikeways in Orange County 
  Emily Le – University of California, Irvine 
• Food Accessibility & Inequality in the Inland Empire 
  Shane Sheldon – University of Redlands 
• Breaking it Down: Crime and Public Transportation 
  Hasti Soutehkashan – University of California, Irvine 
• Los Angeles’ Orange Economy Potential 
  Iskar Waluyo – University of Southern California 

3:15 p.m. BREAK & NETWORKING 

3:45 p.m. BREAKOUT SESSIONS II 

MOBILITY HUBS: FORGING CONNECTIONS ACROSS MODES 

• SPONSORED BY WSP 

Mobility hubs are spaces where people can access a range of public and private transportation options – from e-scooters, buses and rail to charging stations and secured bike storage – in locations convenient to nearby housing, employment and retail. Mobility hubs connect to many new trends in mobility today, which encourage collaboration and coordination across operators and stakeholders. They represent a departure from traditional, often siloed approaches to mobility planning and operations. This panel will explore the ongoing efforts to plan and implement these hubs across the region, highlighting their potential to create a more multimodal, sustainable and resilient transportation system. 

MODERATOR: Mylissa Magallenes, Deputy Director for Strategic Partnerships & Initiatives, California State University, Los Angeles 

PANELISTS: 

• Joe Iacobucci, Senior Principal, NP Leader New Mobility, Sam Schwartz 
• Danielle Kochman, Mobility Planning Manager, San Diego Association of Governments 
• Gene Oh, Chief Executive Officer, Tranzito 

HOUSING THE REGION 

• SPONSORED BY JAMBOREE HOUSING 

With an influx of funding for housing production, how can jurisdictions achieve meaningful outcomes? This panel will explore the who, how and where of housing production in the context of the region’s housing crisis. Attendees will learn about tools and resources that can help position the region for funding and to accelerate housing production. 

MODERATOR: Cecilia V. Estolano, Chief Executive Officer & Founder, Estolano Advisors 

PANELISTS: 

• Mark Asturias, Executive Director, Irvine Community Land Trust 
• Wells Lawson, Deputy Executive Officer, Joint Development, LA Metro 
• John Reekstin, Senior Vice President, The Olson Company 

3:45 p.m. STUDENT SHOWCASE 

Some of the SCAG region’s most outstanding students will present exciting and innovative research and planning work on regional challenges and opportunities. All attendees can vote for their favorite projects to win an Audience Award and accompanying cash prizes. 

PROJECTS: 

• The Steps to Solving Southern California’s Housing Shortage 
  Uriah Campos – University of California, Irvine 
• A Two-step Floating Catchment Area (2SFCA) Method to Evaluate Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Accessibility in Los Angeles 
  Baoqi “Eileen” Chen – University of Southern California 
• Water Wonderful World: Groundwork for Greener Governments 
  Auzzsa Eaton – University of California, Irvine 
• Following the Food Trail: A Systems Examination of Food Waste Management at Upland, CA 
  Denise Truong – California State Polytechnic University, Pomona 
• The Unhoused Crisis in Los Angeles, California: A Prospective Policy Analysis 
  Bailey Wong – California State Polytechnic University, Pomona 

5:30 p.m. EVENING RECEPTION 

• SPONSORED BY ONTARIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY 

MAY 5 | FRIDAY 

8:00 a.m. REGISTRATION 

8:30 a.m. BREAKFAST 

• SPONSORED BY NATIONAL COMMUNITY RENAISSANCE 

9:00 a.m. WELCOME 

9:10 a.m. STUDENT SHOWCASE AWARDS 

9:30 a.m. KEYNOTE ADDRESS 

REIMAGINE THE STATUS QUO WITH MOONSHOT THINKING 

Ozan Varol, Rocket Scientist turned Professor, Bestselling Author and Expert on Creativity and Critical Thinking 

10:00 a.m. PLENARY PANEL SESSION 

CONNECT SOCAL: LOCAL DECISIONS, REGIONAL IMPACT 

Connect SoCal 2024, SCAG’s upcoming Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy, will have a draft release this fall, but the success of the plan relies on local decision-making. During this closing session of the conference, we will hear from leaders in the public and private sectors about how leadership at the local level can create a more equitable and resilient region. What new ideas, approaches or technology can we leverage to produce meaningful outcomes in our communities and across the region? 

MODERATOR: Jan Harnik, Outgoing President, SCAG 

PANELISTS: 

• Erik Dietz, Chief Operating Officer, Michelin Mobility Intelligence 
• Noelani Derrickson, Senior Policy Adviser, U.S. West, Tesla 
• Dan Dunmoyer, President & Chief Executive Officer, California Building Industry Association 
• Anna Roach, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, Atlanta Regional Commission 

11:15 a.m. CONFERENCE WRAP-UP