As Director of Human Resources & Talent Management Team, Gala leads recruitment, hiring, onboarding, retention and performance management processes for First 5 LA, as well as the administration and management of employee compensation and benefits. The Human Resources & Talent Management Team is part of First 5 LA’s Center for Operational Excellence which works to review, refine and improve operational practices foundational to organizational effectiveness and Strategic Plan success. Prior to serving as the Human Resources & Talent Management Director, Gala was the HR Manager. She has over twenty years of experience in human resources, nearly fourteen of which have been at First 5 LA.
Before joining First 5 LA, Gala worked in various positions with the Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation, working in various capacities in supportive services and case management, before being named the Assistant Director for the Department of Human Resources, a position she filled for seven years.
Gala has a B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in social welfare from California State University, Northridge.
She enjoys traveling, good food and spending time with her husband and her two dogs.