Public Service in the New Era of Federal Government

ASPA/CSUDH Student Professional Dinner 

The Southern California Chapter of ASPA in partnership with the California State University, Dominguez Hills Department of Public Administration Public, Policy Institute of the College of Business and Public Policy and Pi Alpha Alpha is pleased to present its fourth annual student/professional networking event on the Dominguez Hills campus.

Please join us for dinner and an evening of networking and student-led discussion with our distinguished guest speakers about their career paths in public service.

Moderator: Cale Espinel, CSU Dominguez Hills, MPA Candidate

-- Invited Speakers --

Mr. Glen Banks, the Social Security Administration (SSA) Area Director for the Sierra West Area

Mr. Banks oversees enthe Sierra West Area, which compasses twenty-two field offices across nine different counties, including Los Angeles, Kern, Santa Barbara, and Ventura, with over 550 employees in field office operations. Mr. Banks started his federal career with SSA as a summer aide in the SSA Manhattan Beach Office in 1986, and was appointed to the executive position of Area Director for the SSA Sierra West Area in 2005.  In his role as Area Director, he had the opportunity to attend the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, VA in 2007.

Currently, Mr. Banks represents operations nationally as the Regional Telework Lead. He is also a member of the Greater Los Angeles Federal Executive Board (GLAFEB) where he served two tenures as Chair.  In addition, Mr. Banks was the Chairperson of the Combined Federal Campaign in 2008 and 2009, and continues to serve on the Campaign’s board.  He is also the Chairperson of the Trustee Board for his local church. Mr. Banks earned his degree from Pitzer College.  

Ms. Evette Rivera, Special FBI Agent

Ms. Rivera joined the FBI in September 2003. As a Special Agent in the FBI, SA Rivera has investigated White Collar and Violent Crime matters.  Ms. Rivera obtained a Bachelor’s Of Science in Biology and a Master’s in Public Health.  Prior to joining FBI, shed worked in the social service industry and public health arena.

Ms. Diane Arkow Gross

Judge Gross is presently the Supervisory Administrative Judge for the Los Angeles District Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).   Previously, she was an Administrative Judge for the EEOC in Los Angeles for fifteen years, presiding over discrimination cases brought by federal employees against the federal government.  Before entering government service, Judge Gross practiced employment and labor law with the firm of Richards, Watson & Gershon in Los Angeles, advising both public agencies and private sector employers in personnel, employment, and labor-related matters.  Judge Gross has extensive experience in representing employers in both state and federal court and in administrative proceedings, developing personnel rules and policies, and conducting harassment and misconduct investigations.   Judge Gross has also published papers on a variety of employment-related topics for the California Public Employers’ Labor Relations Association and the Labor and Employment Law Section of the State Bar of California. 

          Judge Gross is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Duke University and received her Juris Doctorate cum laude from the University of Southern California Law School.  Following law school, Judge Gross clerked for the Honorable Ewing Werlein, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas.  Judge Gross is admitted to practice law in California and Washington, D.C.