3540 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 910
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Phone: (213) 388-1428
Fax: (213) 388-5879
www.ivcla.org
E-mail: info@ivcla.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 9, 2009
DWAYNE GATHERS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL VISITORS COUNCIL OF LOS ANGELES BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Downtown business owner, Dwayne Gathers has been elected by the board of directors of the International Visitors Council of Los Angeles (IVCLA) to serve as president of the board for the 2009 term. Gathers is President and Chief Executive Officer of Gathers Strategies, Inc., an independent business development/ government relations/international consulting practice, based in Los Angeles.
Gathers has a strong background in international affairs, having served in the Bureau of African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. and having been appointed by the Governor of California to open and manage the state’s Office of Trade and Investment in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he lived from 1995–2000. In addition, he has participated in a variety of leadership, democracy building and education exchange missions internationally, including to Morocco, Vietnam and Jordan; served on a U.S. pre-election assessment team to Haiti; was a consultant to the South Africa Democracy Support Project; and served as a U.N. Election Observer for South Africa’s first all-race elections in 1994.
Gathers is involved with IVCLA due to its mission to increase international understanding and cooperation through citizen diplomacy. IVCLA works to accomplish its mission by facilitating the open exchange of ideas between emerging international leaders and the businesses, organizations and individuals of the Los Angeles area.
IVCLA arranges programming for emerging foreign leaders who are selected by U.S. embassies abroad. Lasting business, cultural and educational contacts with prominent international professionals often develop. Among the alumni are 65 current Chiefs-of-State or Heads of Government including: Prime Minister of the United Kingdom- Gordon Brown; French President Nicolas Sarkozy; and Mexican President Felipe Calderon.
As an IVCLA board member and professional resource for several years, Gathers has met with numerous international visitors.
“This organization brings nearly one thousand emerging international leaders to the Los Angeles area each year,” said Gathers. “As president of the IVCLA board of directors I look forward to furthering the important work of this organization which also broadens our community’s understanding about the rest of the world.”
For additional information about becoming a member of IVCLA visit www.ivcla.org.
Contact Information: Janet Elliott, Executive Director
Phone: 213 388-1428 ext 27
jelliott@ivcla.org www.ivcla.org |
