Los Angeles Economy & Jobs Committee
Elizabeth “Libby” Williams is the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Economy and Jobs Committee, a private-sector advisory board created by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to work with him on key issues of economic development and quality job creation in Los Angeles. Williams coordinates the committee’s activities to evaluate business attraction and retention efforts in Los Angeles and develop recommendations for action and improvement.
From 1996 to 2006, Ms. Williams worked for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation in the Business Assistance Program, and was responsible for identifying opportunities and developing community economic development programs and initiatives to stimulate economic growth. In addition, Ms. Williams worked to increase the knowledge of her colleagues on the available business assistance resources throughout the County of Los Angeles.
Ms. Williams created and managed the Los Angeles County Regional Business Assistance Network, (otherwise known as RBAN), which is hosted and supported by the LAEDC. RBAN is a collaboration of all business assistance service providers located in or servicing Los Angeles County, and works to educate, connect and add harmony to the various business assistance organizations throughout the County.
Ms. Williams’ responsibilities were expanded to work on building a closer working relationship between the workforce development community and economic development professionals focused on job creation activities. Because workforce related issues are the number one concern of business in LA County, the LAEDC stepped up its involvement and placed Ms. Williams to lead the charge. She served on the City of Los Angeles Workforce Investment Board as well as convened and facilitated several countywide workgroups on the subject. In addition, she administered many contracts with the County of Los Angeles to hire, train and monitor the workforce enhancement activities of several consultants.
Before joining the LAEDC, Ms. Williams worked for the City of Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Economic Development - LALDC, the Stakeholder Magazine (a minority business publication), and participated as a Coro Fellow. Ms. Williams has a BA and an MPA from California State University at Long Beach and is currently working on a Master in Leadership from the University of Southern California. |
