“Jeff will chart the course for leading the future growth of this agency, in service of our mission, to help everyone, regardless of background, find meaningful work to sustain their families and communities.” – Leland Felsenthal, Board Chair

December 20, 2023 – JVS SoCal is pleased to announce that Jeff Carr has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the agency. He joins the agency after having most recently served as the Chief Executive for Albertina Kerr Centers, a prominent human services agency in Oregon. Previously Jeff served as Chief of Staff to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

“Jeff will chart the course for leading the future growth of this agency, in service of our mission, to help everyone, regardless of background, find meaningful work to sustain their families and communities. Jeff is a seasoned leader with three decades of experience serving those on the margins of society,” said Leland Felsenthal, Chair of JVS SoCal’s Board.

Carr’s career began in the Westlake neighborhood in Central Los Angeles, leading sports and afterschool programs for at-risk youth. He went on to lead Mayor Villaraigosa’s gang reduction strategy, and eventually served as chief of staff. After he left City Hall, he represented Los Angeles on the world stage as Chief Operating Officer of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games.

“I believe JVS SoCal’s mission to empower individuals to achieve dignity through sustainable employment lies in centering those who have historically been at the margins. When I led the city’s gang reduction strategy under Mayor Villaraigosa,” Carr said, “I partnered with leading agencies, educators, law enforcement, and social service providers throughout the region to develop intersectional strategies designed to sustain pathways toward prosperity in every zip code in Los Angeles. This is the vital work that we must do to keep JVS SoCal at the center of innovative post- COVID labor strategies for Southern California.”

‘Helping build better lives, one job at a time’ has been JVS SoCal’s mantra for nearly a century and Carr’s appointment marks an important milestone in the agency’s history.

“Our diverse community in Southern California deserves the leadership of an innovative, globalthinking leader like Jeff, and we believe our partners will agree,” said retiring CEO Alan Levey, “Jeff is the right leader to advance workforce development for the coming generation of skills, opportunities, and services that meet the moment and sustain good jobs and careers for all people from all walks of life.”

Carr’s first day will be February 13, 2023, and current CEO Alan Levey’s last day will be June 2, 2023, providing for a smooth transition. Plans are underway for a staff and stakeholder listening tour, for Carr to connect directly into the agency’s operations at its more than 20 sites across 40+ programs.

Founded in 1931, JVS SoCal is a nonprofit, non-sectarian social service agency, providing job training, career services, mentoring and placement assistance to diverse and multicultural populations, transforming lives and empowering individuals to achieve dignity and economic independence through sustainable employment. With over 20 locations throughout Southern California, JVS SoCal currently serves over 30,000 people annually in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange Counties.