Four new city commissioners

LOS ANGELES – Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced four new commission appointments: Alicia Maldonado to the Housing Authority; Margarita C. Garr to the Housing Authority; Marsha Hirano-Nakanishi to the Commission for Children, Youth and Their Families; and Christopher D. Lee to the Industrial Development Authority.

Alicia Maldonado- Housing Authority

Alicia Maldonado was appointed to the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. Maldonado brings with her more than 30 years of experience in media, public affairs, strategic communications, issue development and community outreach. Formerly the Deputy Managing Director of GCG Rose & Kindel, a premier public affairs firm, Maldonado is President of Mockingbird Communications, a public affairs company that provides a full range of services, including public advocacy with a focus on social reform initiatives. Previously, Maldonado served as Senior Director of Communications and Public Policy for the national non-profit Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, developing and implementing communication plans on widespread policy issues. Maldonado has extensive writing experience, having been published in the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Hispanic Business Magazine, the Los Angeles Business Journal and other publications. She is an active member of several organizations including the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Education and Workforce Development Committee, the Camino Nuevo Charter Academy, the American Jewish Committee, and the Chamber’s Land Use, Construction and Housing Committee. Maldonado currently resides in Mount Washington.

Margarita C. Garr- Housing Authority

Margarita C. Garr was appointed to the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. Garr has more than 10 years of experience in finance and has worked as a loan consultant for Washington Mutual Home Loans since 2003. Previously, Garr served as a financial advisor for the Founders Bank of Commerce from 1999 to 2002. Prior to her finance work, Garr was a licensed insurance agent with Allstate Insurance beginning in 1996. Currently, she is the President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Urban Financial Services Coalition, where she leads a Credit Awareness Day in local high schools, advocates for senior empowerment, and holds a small business technology summit, partnering with Southern California Edison. She is a board member of the African American Red Cross Advisory Board, as well as the Leon and Mattie Garr Foundation. Garr is a resident of Baldwin Hills.

Marsha Hirano-Nakanishi- Commission for Children, Youth and Their Families

Marsha Hirano-Nakanishi was appointed to the Commission for Children, Youth and Their Families. Nakanishi has been an Assistant Vice Chancellor of Academic Research and Resources in Academic Affairs at the California State University System’s Office of the Chancellor where she has served since 1989. More recently, she has coordinated the development of the Early Assessment of Readiness for College English and Mathematics. Hirano-Nakanishi also works to support public education as the CSU’s representative to boards of WestEd, Far West Regional Laboratory and Southwest Regional Laboratory. Hirano-Nakanishi received her doctorate in social policy analysis from Harvard University, where she served as co-editor-in-chief of the Harvard Educational Review, and has been published on diversity in America and American education. She chaired the Asian American Education Commission of the Los Angeles Unified School District and was a member of the Los Angeles YWCA Board of Directors. Hirano-Nakanishi is a resident of El Sereno.

Christopher D. Lee- Industrial Development Authority

Mr. Christopher D. Lee was appointed to the Industrial Development Authority. For the past eight years, Lee has served as an integral member of the leadership team at Forever 21 Inc.; currently he serves as Senior Vice President for Forever 21. As a vital member of the Forever 21 team, Lee has helped with the company’s financial initiatives and investments. He has also led the development of a consulting arm for the company that focuses on finding Korean talent and matching them with partners and capital. He has built an extensive network through his Vice-Chairman position for the Korea IT SME and Venture Business Association and as a sponsor for Integrated Corporate Relations. Before joining Forever 21, Lee worked as a financial consultant at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, and Shearson Lehman Brothers. He currently resides in Pacific Palisades.