Former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros and Others Join CSLA Board
December 15, 2002
LMU in the News
THE THOMAS AND DOROTHY LEAVEY Center for the Study of Los Angeles has gained four prominent new members on its advisory board, including former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros; David Levine, chief of staff to California High-Speed Rail Authority member Jerry Epstein; Chris Modrzejewski, public affairs specialist and vice president of Anschultz Entertainment Group (AEG); and Dominick Rubalcava, attorney.
Cisneros, now chairman and CEO of American CityVista, served as the former secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1993-1997. In 1981, he became the first Hispanic-American mayor of a major U.S. city (San Antonio). Cisneros holds a bachelor's degree and master's degree in urban planning from Texas A&M University, a master's degree in public administration from Harvard, and a doctorate in public administration from George Washington University.
Levine serves as chief of staff to California High-Speed Rail Authority member Jerry B. Epstein and also as president of the Pat and Jerry Foundation. He also was appointed by then-California Governor Pete Wilson as chairman of the State of California Council for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education from 1996-97. Levine holds a bachelor's degree in American civilization from the University of Pennsylvania, a master's degree in history and doctorate in American civilization from Harvard.
Modrzejewski is currently vice president of public affairs for AEG, an organization that deals with issues relating to political and community affairs, business diversity, charitable involvement, and issues that involve public and media interest in the LA Arena Land Company's or affiliate organizations' development programs. He also serves on the State of California's Seismic Safety Commission and is a board member for both the Los Angeles Headquarters Association and Para Los Ninos. Prior to his tenure with AEG, Modrzejewski served as assistant deputy mayor and director of policy for former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan. He holds a bachelor's degree in history from the University of California, Davis.
Rubalcava is an attorney with law offices in Santa Monica. He serves as vice president of the Board of Water and Power Commissioners and previously served as assistant U.S. attorney in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles. Rubalcava holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Southern California and received his juris doctor degree from UCLA's School of Law.
Chartered in 1994 by Loyola Marymount University, the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles focuses on undergraduate education, using Los Angeles as a laboratory for understanding the urban experience. The center is dedicated to advancing knowledge and understanding in order to promote a more just and ethical community. In that spirit, the center's research and programs assist students, faculty, and the University in becoming agents for change that leads to justice.
Board members are responsible for helping to guide the development of the center's programs and activities, assist with fundraising, and contribute their expertise to center endeavors.