Area Planning Commissions
Julio Esperias, Jr
Julio C. Esperias, Jr. is a strategic communicator and storyteller with more than 15 years of experience advancing social justice across California. As Communications Director at Western Justice Center, he shapes the organization’s voice, leads media strategy and develops narratives that uplift restorative justice, peer mediation and community-driven conflict resolution as tools for social change.
David Ryan
Commissioner Ryan is a partner at Felker Toczek Suddleson McGinnis Ryan LLP, where he represents individual creative professionals and rightsholders in transactions across all media. He holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in political science and theatre studies from Swarthmore College and a law degree from Columbia Law School, where he was a Hamilton Fellow and a James Kent Scholar. He lives in Mar Vista with his wife and daughters.
Duncan Sachdeva
Commissioner Sachdeva is an experienced real estate asset and portfolio manager. He currently oversees real estate investments with Singh Partners LP and previously served as Managing Director at AGS Investments Inc., specializing in real estate acquisitions and mortgage note transactions.
Steven Welliver
Commissioner Welliver is the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for The Hollywood Partnership and also serves as Executive Director of Hollywood Partnership CommunityTrust. In this capacity, he works across the organization’s four primary goals of public space management, place enhancement, stakeholder engagement, and advocacy and economic development to support the planning and funding of projects that accelerate implementation of the strategic plan for the Hollywood community.
Derek Powell
Derek brings over 20 years of experience in media and entertainment to the Central Area Planning Commission, combining his expertise in media supply chain operations with a deep commitment to sustainability. His background includes extensive research and analysis of sustainability challenges and opportunities within the media sector, providing him with valuable insights into integrating sustainable practices. He is adept at identifying key trends and offering actionable recommendations for organizations seeking to improve their environmental impact.
David Phelps
Commissioner David Phelps is a State and Local Public Affairs Professional and Principal of Phelps Public Affairs. He has 25 years of hands-on experience with non-profit management, business consulting, and organizational advocacy. The Commissioner regularly works with top employers in the North Valley’s manufacturing sector to address future workforce and economic development needs in our region.
Joe Gatlin
Commissioner Gatlin is a proud San Pedro resident and California native who has been a community leader, advocate, activist, and humanitarian for over sixty years. He is the founder, and current vice-president of the NAACP Branch #1069 and founded the Juneteenth 400 non-profit which has been hosting a Juneteenth celebration for over thirty years.
