Mayor's Honorees

June 1 Honorees: Palos Verdes/South Bay Chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon and Ms. Kylie Mone

The City Council proudly recognized the work of the Palos Verdes/South Bay Chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon and Ms. Kylie Mone on June 1, 2021.

Rancho Palos Verdes residents, and members of the Palos Verdes/South Bay Alumni Chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon, Lenee Bilski, Ramona Gifford, Kathy Kerstein, Jean L. Strickland, Lois Jen Tai, Anli Lin Tong, Darlene Vlasek and Jun Yoo raised over $12,000 in 2019-2020 to support youth music and music therapy through grants and scholarships.   Since 2011, their annual Musical Mosaic fundraiser has raised over $150,000 for instruments, music stands, teaching support, and sound equipment for 18 South Bay schools.  Additional information on the Palos Verdes/South Bay chapter may be found on their website.

The City thanks the members of Mu Phi Epsilon for their ongoing efforts to support music education and music therapy.

Ms. Kylie Adare Mone is a Palos Verdes High School freshman and has an impressive record of community service. She is a member of Be the Change, a student group whose mission is to promote positivity, inclusivity and diversity. She is the freshman representative for the One Hill Project, working with the School District to discuss student policies and mental health. She is an ambassador for Growth, a student non-profit that works to prevent hunger and provide clean drinking water, and works with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help raise money to combat blood-related cancers.  Ms. Mone is also a four-time recipient of the Gold Presidential Service Award and dreams of becoming a doctor.

The City thanks Ms. Kylie Mone for her inspiring work.

May 4, 2021 Honorees: Dr. Govani and Dr. Thobani

The City Council proudly recognized the work Dr. Rahim Govani and Dr. Salima Thobani on May 4, 2021.

Dr. Govani and Dr. Thobani, along with their friend Dr. Nilesh Vora, answered a call for medical assistance on their flight returning from the Super Bowl, after being among 7,500 frontline healthcare workers honored by the National Football League. They worked tirelessly to diagnose and stabilize a fellow passenger who has having difficulty breathing and was exhibiting signs of severe distress. They urged the flight crew to make an emergency landing and are credited with saving the passenger’s life.

The City thanks Dr. Govani, Dr. Thobani, and their friend Dr. Vora for their life-saving skills and inspiring work. 

If you would like to nominate an RPV resident or nonprofit making a difference to be recognized as a Mayor’s Honoree, email a short bio to cityclerk@rpvca.gov. 

April 20, 2021 Honorees: Ryan Family and Ms. Lauren Kim

The City Council proudly recognized the work of the Ryan Family and Ms. Lauren Kim on April 20, 2021.

Through their Community Clean Initiative, the Ryan Family – Max, Nick, and Alexa Rose – picked up trash at our City beaches, coves, trails, and parks for over 80 consecutive days, and counting.

Lauren Kim, a former Peninsula High School student, founded Never Ever Give Up (NEGU) to support children with cancer and their families, helped launch Rotary Interact at her high school to work with food pantries and help build homes in the greater Los Angeles area, and was appointed to the board of Camp Kesem, an organization dedicated to providing support for children whose parents have cancer.

The City thanks Max, Nick, and Alexa Rose Ryan and Lauren Kim for their inspiring work.

March 16, 2021 Honorees: Team Illuminate, Dr. Chappell, and the American Red Cross

The City Council proudly recognized the work of Team Illuminate for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Students of the Year Campaign, and Dr. Bradley Chappell, Attending Physician at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Emergency Department. The City Council also proclaimed the month of March to be American Red Cross Month.

A number of local students, including Naomi Kao and Vivian Chen of Team Illuminate, participated in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s 2021 Students of the Year Campaign, a philanthropic leadership development program for high school students. Student leaders fundraise for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in honor of children who are blood cancer survivors. For more information on the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, visit the Students of the Year website.

Dr. Bradley Chappell has displayed the highest levels of professionalism during this extraordinarily challenging and stressful time and has worked tirelessly to acquire needed supplies to maintain patient and staff safety and build successful strategies to improve community health.

The American Red Cross supports local communities by sheltering, feeding, and providing emotional support to disaster victims, providing 40% of the nation’s blood supplies, teaching life-saving skills, providing humanitarian aid, and supporting military members and their families. For more information on the American Red Cross, visit the Red Cross website.

The City thanks the students who participated in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s 2021 Students of the Year Campaign, Dr. Chappell, and the American Red Cross for their inspiring work.  

If you would like to nominate an RPV resident or nonprofit making a difference to be recognized as a Mayor’s Honoree, email a short bio to cityclerk@rpvca.gov.  

March 2, 2021 Honorees: CASA LA and Wayfinder Family Services

The City Council proudly recognized the work of Jeremy Davies, Member of the Board of Directors for CASA LA  and Miki Jordan, President and CEO of Wayfinder Family Services.

 Mr. Davies has been a force for lasting community change through his innovative and never-ceasing philanthropic endeavors. Since 2010, he has worked closely with CASA LA (Court-Appointed Advocated for Children, Los Angeles), a nonprofit organization of volunteers who advocate on behalf of children in Los Angeles County who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, and abandonment.

 Ms. Jordan has been the President and CEO and Wayfinder Family Services since 2006 and has been a tireless advocate for the dignity and rights of people with a wide degree of physical and developmental disabilities.  Wayfinder Family Services provides crucial vision loss, special needs, foster care, adoption, and mental health services to over 16,000 individuals a year across the country.

 The City thanks Mr. Davies and Ms. Jordan for their inspiring work, and encourages residents to learn more about CASA LA and Wayfinder Family Services.

For additional information on CASA LA, view their flyer (PDF), Three to Three Thousand campaign (PDF), or watch a video on their mission and services.

February 2, 2021 Honoree: Palos Verdes Peninsula Village

The City Council proudly recognized the work of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Village for its ongoing legacy of service and support to seniors.

The PVP Village has provided a network of support and a connected community for older adults who choose to continue independent living, dedicated to helping them live engaged and full lives with independence, dignity and purpose.  The PVP Village and its network of volunteers provide an array of services including social and educational activities, transportation, technical help, legal assistance, household maintenance, phone-check-ins, and referrals.

The City thanks the Palos Verdes Peninsula Village for its ongoing effort to enhance the quality of life and independence for older adults, and encourages residents to learn more about the PVP Village.

December 15, 2020 Honoree: Marine Mammal Care Center

The City Council proudly recognized the work of Amber Becerra, President of the Marine Mammal Care Center.

Ms. Becerra oversees a local non-profit marine mammal hospital that allows sick and injured animals, primarily seals and sea lions, to recover from illness and injury before being returned to the wild.  Since it was built in 1992, the Marine Mammal Care Center, with the help of 150 dedicated volunteers, has cared for 8,000 seals and sea lions rescued from Malibu to Seal Beach.  

The City thanks Ms. Becerra for her efforts to keep the Marine Mammal Care Center financially viable during a turbulent period, and encourages residents to learn more about the Marine Mammal Care Center.