LA Times LGBT Forum

These Multicultural financial workshops aim to inspire, empower and educate the various communities on starting, sustaining and growing their small businesses.  Attendees will have the unique opportunity to have industry professionals answer questions.

Each person making a RSVP will be allowed to bring one guest and that guests name must be entered when making a RSVP.  A RSVP of 1 means you are not bringing a guest.

2016 Multicultural Business Forum Schedule*

 Latino - January 28, 2016   "Presented by Hoy"
African American -March 10, 2016
Asian American - April 29, 2016
Women - May 26, 2016
LGBT - June 30, 2016
Latino - September 29, 2016  "Presented by Hoy and Northwestern Mutual" 

*Dates subject to change

LGBT Business Forum

6:00 PM-10:00 PM

Speaker 
 

Mitch O'Farrell 
Councilmember, 13th District 
Mitch O'Farrell has built a strong reputation of improving the quality of life for his constituents in the 13th District. Mitch is focused on creating good paying jobs that strengthen the local economy, preserving and building more affordable housing units, revitalizing the Los Angeles River, and enhancing the look, feel, and safety of the neighborhoods he serves

 
 Moderator 

Mekahlo Medina 
Tecnology & Social Media Reporter 
NBC4
Mekahlo Medina is an Emmy Award-winning technology and social media reporter for NBC4 Southern California who uses his news stories across multiple social media platforms in both the digital sphere and on television. He is also known for leveraging the 'second screen' experience by encouraging the station's viewers to engage on Twitter and Facebook. 
Medina graduated from New Mexico State University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and speaks Spanish fluently. 
Panel 

Debbie Cabreira-Johnson
Chief, Small Business Services,
Department of Consumer & Business Affairs  
Debbie Cabreira-Johnson is Chief of Small Business Services for the County of Los Angeles. Her mission is to connect businesses with government opportunities with the County, federal agencies, primes and sub-contractors. Her team offers technical assistance on County procurement, helps “start-ups” with opening a business in the County, and counsels business on the government bidding process.
 
 
Richard Corral 
CEO and Principal Consultant 
Corral Consulting
Richared Xavier Corral, MPP, brings over twelve years of professional experience along with a lifelong commitment to advancing social change to the nonprofit, for profit, corporate, community-based, government and philanthropic organizations with whom he consults. He seamlessly integrates his extensive formal studies, passion for building business know-how and big picture problem solving to craft win-win solutions around education, health and wellness, green economies, LGBTQ equality, place-based initative and supplier diversity. 
 
 
Jason Lott
Attorney Advisor for Trademark Educational Outreach,
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Jason Lott works within the Office of the Commissioner for Trademarks in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Alexandria, Virginia. Currently, he is the Attorney Advisor for Trademark Educational Outreach, assisting the effort for increased USPTO educational activities in the area of trademark fundamentals. For four years prior, he spearheaded the Pro Se Video Work Project, tasked with creating multimedia-based trademark educational materials. Mr. Lott has been with the USPTO since 2000, previously serving as a Law Office Examining Attorney.
 

Sam McClure
Senior Vice President
National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce  
Sam McClure serves as Senior Vice President at the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. In this role, Sam oversees the Affiliate Relations, External Affairs, and Supplier Diversity departments and is a member of the NGLCC executive leadership team. In 2014, Sam led NGLCC’s legislative campaign to pass the historic California Assembly Bill 1678, the first law of its kind in the nation which added certified LGBT Business Enterprises (LGBTBEs) to the Supplier Diversity program of the California Public Utilities Commission.