LOS ANGELES – On Wednesday, July 2, the Los Angeles City Council confirmed Mayor Eric Garcetti’s appointment of another Filipino American to an LA city commission, further boosting the degree of representation of the Filipino community in city government.
Dermatologist and community leader Dr. Mariedel Leviste was recently confirmed by the LA City Council to become the next commissioner for the LA Commission on Community & Family Services.
The Commission on Community & Family Services acts in an advisory capacity to the City of Los Angeles on policy and issues of poverty, and the needs, concerns, and interests of children, youth and their families. Its mission is to create pathways out of poverty, and into self-sufficiency for children, youth, and their families, who reside in low-income communities of Los Angeles, with comprehensive and viable tools to become self-sufficient, and participate in the economic mainstream in the city through the holistic integration of programs, and services that help raise families out of poverty.
After her confirmation in City Council Chambers, Leviste headed straight for the City Clerk’s office, where Deputy City Clerk Eric Villanueva administered her oath of office. The event was attended by various Filipino community leaders.
Leviste is married to Filipino lawyer Roman P. Mosqueda, who is also a community leader in his own right.
Leviste used to run her private dermatology practice in Beverly Hills and Sherman Oaks. Now, she is the President and CEO of National Healthcare Accountable Care Organization, Pacificare Medical, Biodermik, Inc., and Telemedicine USA, Inc.
In an interview with Asian Journal, Leviste said that she and Mayor Garcetti go way back, dating to the days when he was still councilmember for City District 13. Leviste revealed that Garcetti had previously nominated her for a different city commission, but that initiative didn’t pan out.
In this year’s appointment, Leviste said that Garcetti’s office had been trying to get in touch with her since 2013, in hopes of nominating her again to a city commission. When the Mayor’s Office finally got through to her through Ryan Carpio, Leviste admitted that she initially thought that Garcetti’s people was “joking” about the nomination, and that she didn’t think it was a serious proposition. She also said that she was taken aback by the thorough background check she had to undergo for the appointment.
As a commissioner, Leviste now plans to focus on engaging the doctors and physicians, in hopes of reinvigorating them and assisting their professional needs. She also indicated that she will look into promoting health care and youth engagement.
“There are so many issues at hand, but I am excited to serve as commissioner for Los Angeles, and to represent the Filipino-American community,” Leviste said.
“Whatever I can do to help, I always want to help our community. And I want that to be part of my legacy,” she added.
Leviste said that she will take advantage of being a person of two cultures — Filipino and American — and use that to provide effective input to the commission.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Weekend July 5-8, 2014 Sec A pg.1)
