Guest Speaker

Luke Meyer, Director, Los Angeles Center of Excellence for Labor Market Research (LA COE)

Luke Meyer is the Director of the Los Angeles Center of Excellence for Labor Market Research (LA COE), hosted at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA. Meyer holds a Master’s degree in Psychology and Evaluation from Claremont Graduate University as well as Master’s degree in Education from the University of La Verne...

Prior to joining the COE team in 2017, Meyer conducted research for the Department of Public Social Services, evaluating the effectiveness of various social programs and services. Throughout his professional career, Meyer has worn many hats–from group home treatment counselor and manager, to community-based caseworker, to community college professor and after-school enrichment teacher, to research assistant and program evaluator. His path has veered and winded, but at the heart of each step along the way one thing has remained constant–Meyer’s desire to help others. His research with the COE directs community college students towards living wage jobs in growing industries, especially in middle-skill occupations that support the fabric of our regional labor market.

Guest Speaker

Stephen Cheung, President and CEO, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC)

Stephen Cheung is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) and its subsidiary, the World Trade Center Los Angeles (WTCLA). As CEO of the LAEDC, Mr. Cheung brings together the capabilities of LAEDC’s mission-delivery department areas, including the Institute... for Applied Economics (Research), Business Assistance, Industry Cluster Development, Workforce Development, World Trade Center Los Angeles (International), Strategic Relations, Communications & Marketing, and Public Policy, into a single team that delivers the LAEDC’s critically important, public-benefit mission – Reinventing our economy to collaboratively advance growth and prosperity for all.

In 2023, Cheung was elevated to President and CEO after serving as Chief Operating Office and Executive Vice President of LAEDC, and continues in his concurrent role as President of World Trade Center Los Angeles, a title he has held since coming to the organization in 2014. Prior to that, Cheung was the Secretary General and Managing Director of International Trade and Foreign Affairs for Los Angeles Mayors Eric Garcetti and Antonio Villaraigosa, and was responsible for managing policies and programs related to the Port of Los Angeles, Los Angeles World Airports, International Affairs, Global Trade and Clean Technology. In these roles, he was the lead organizer for the Mayors’ previous international trade missions to Mexico, China, Korea, Japan, Colombia, Chile and Brazil. Furthermore, Cheung implemented the city’s strategic plan to make Los Angeles a global capital of clean technology by building the infrastructure to support research, development and manufacturing with key partners.

Concurrently, Cheung was the Director of International Trade for the Port of Los Angeles – the busiest container port in North America, and was responsible for developing programs to increase trade through the Port of Los Angeles, and facilitate goods movement through the Southern California region.

Cheung currently sits on the Board of Advisors of UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs, UCLA Extension, Coro Southern California and Sister Cities of Los Angeles, while also serving on the Los Angeles County Workforce Development Board.