Staff
Neil M. Guglielmo
General Manager
Neil M. Guglielmo was appointed as the General Manager of LACERS by the Board of Administration in January 2018. In February, his appointment was confirmed by the Los Angeles City Council and the Mayor. In March, Neil officially started with LACERS.
Todd Bouey
Executive Officer
Todd Bouey has served as Assistant General Manager since May 2018 and was appointed as the Executive Officer in August 2021, overseeing the Administration, Systems, and Fiscal Management Divisions, along with direct oversight of the Data Office, Active Member Accounts & Member Stewardship, and Systems Operations Support Sections. Since joining the City in 2001, he has served in the Office of the City Administrative Officer, City Controller’s Office, and Office of Finance.
Dale Wong-Nguyen
Assistant General Manager
Ms. Dale Wong-Nguyen received an appointment to Assistant General Manager in 2021, overseeing the Health Benefits and Wellness Division, Retirement Services Division, and Member Services. Dale has worked for LACERS since 2006, and since 2010, as Chief over the Administration Division directing the budget, strategic planning, and administrative services. Her assignments have also included oversight of the Service Processing Section, Fiscal Management and Systems Divisions.
Rodney June
Chief Investment Officer
Mr. Rodney June is LACERS’ Chief Investment Officer. His responsibilities include: managing investment advisory, general partnerships, consultant and custodian relationships, performance evaluation, vendor selection, investment policy, investment strategy development and implementation. Mr. June’s appointment marks his return to LACERS where he previously served as an Investment Officer II from 1998 to 2008. From 2008 until his return to LACERS, Mr.
Edwin Avanessian
Division Manager, Administrative Services Division
Edwin Avanessian has served as Chief Management Analyst since November 2022, overseeing the Administrative Services Division of LACERS. Prior to taking on his current role, Edwin managed the Member Stewardship Section, comprised of Active Member Accounts, Member Processing Unit, and Member Stewardship Unit.
Edwin joined the City of Los Angeles in 2005 and has worked for the Housing Department, Office of Finance, and Office of the Controller before starting with LACERS in March 2020.
Taneda K. Larios
Division Manager, Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Taneda Larios serves as the Chief Benefits Analyst of the newly created Communications and Stakeholder Relations Division, focusing on internal and external communication functions and building stakeholder relations. The Division manages the Member Experience; Language Access Plan; Strategic Communications Plan; Branding; Crisis Communications; and cultivating stakeholder relations, including coordinating Pension Symposiums and other outreach activities.
Karen Freire
Division Manager, Health Benefits and Wellness Division
Ms. Karen Freire is the Chief Benefits Analyst who oversees the Health Benefits and Wellness Division which administers LACERS health plans, retiree benefits, and the Medicare compliance program. Prior to her current position, she managed the Retirement Services Division.
Ms. Freire joined the City of Los Angeles in 2001 and worked for the Departments of General Services, Building and Safety, and Recreation and Parks before she arrived at LACERS in 2008. She held positions in areas related to the administration of contracts, budget, and procurement.
Ferralyn Sneed
Division Manager, Retirement Services Division
Ferralyn Sneed is the Chief Benefits Analyst for the Retirement Services Division overseeing Service Retirement, Disability Retirement, Legal Processing, Benefits Determination, Survivor Benefits, and Research and Performance services groups. Since coming to LACERS in 2006, she has served as the project leader for several major projects, including, the City’s Early Retirement Incentive Program (ERIP), Enhanced Benefits for Airport Police Officers, and most recently, the Airport, City and Harbor Separation Incentive Programs.
Maria Melani Rejuso
Departmental Audit Manager
Ms. Maria Melani Rejuso joined the Department in 2014 and is now the Department’s Audit Manager. She reports directly to the Board and the General Manager. Her primary responsibility is to oversee the Department’s audit functions and to help provide assurance to the Board and Management as to the effectiveness of their governance, risk management and internal controls.
Anya Freedman
Assistant City Attorney, Public Pensions General Counsel
Ms. Freedman has served as general counsel to LACERS and its two sister City of Los Angeles pension plans since 2015. In 2018, she was appointed to manage the Public Pensions General Counsel division of the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney, where she leads a legal division of five Deputy City Attorneys, an Administrative Coordinator, and specialized outside tax, data privacy/cyber, fiduciary, investment/real estate, and securities monitoring and litigation counsel.
Joshua Geller
Deputy City Attorney, Public Pensions General Counsel
Mr. Geller has advised the LACERS Board of Administration and Executive Management on a wide array of matters since he joined the Public Pensions General Counsel division in 2015. His practice focuses on institutional investing and related transactional work as well as cybersecurity, real estate, contracts, benefits administration, and municipal law. He also handles discrete litigation matters. Before joining this division, Mr. Geller spent nine years as a prosecutor with the Van Nuys division of the Criminal Branch of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.
Miguel Bahamon
Deputy City Attorney, Public Pensions General Counsel
Mr. Bahamon has advised LACERS since joining the Public Pensions General Counsel division in 2018. His practice focuses on institutional investing (including consideration of ESG components), government contracting, litigation, member privacy, member health benefits, and fiduciary law. Before joining the division, Mr. Bahamon litigated civil enforcement actions related to consumer protection, wage theft, and unfair business practices as part of the Affirmative Litigation division of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.
Gina Di Domenico
Deputy City Attorney, Public Pensions General Counsel
Ms. Di Domenico joined the Public Pensions General Counsel Division in October of 2021, where she advises LACERS, the Water and Power Employees’ Retirement Plan, and the Los Angeles Fire and Police Pensions on a range of legal issues. Prior to joining the Division, Ms. Di Domenico supervised the Los Angeles County Homeless Court Program, a unique partnership between justice partners and law enforcement to help unhoused individuals clear their criminal records by engaging in restorative mental health and social services in lieu of traditional criminal penalties.
Sheri Cheung
Deputy City Attorney, Public Pensions General Counsel Division
Ms. Cheung joined the Public Pensions General Counsel Division in August 2021. She advises LACERS on a variety of legal issues and handles litigation involving the System. Prior to joining the City, Ms. Cheung served as outside counsel to state and other local retirement plans on matters involving wide-ranging aspects of public pensions, such as benefits administration, investments, conflicts of interest, governmental plan status, information security, and compliance with public records requests.
Alexandra de Rivera
Deputy City Attorney, Public Pensions General Counsel
Ms. de Rivera joined the Public Pensions General Counsel Division in April of 2022. She advises and represents LACERS and its two sister City of Los Angeles Pensions on various issues with a particular focus on healthcare benefits administration, health information privacy and security, and administrative writ proceedings.
Nicole Paul
Administrative Coordinator, Public Pensions General Counsel
Ms. Paul has served the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney since 2014. In 2018, she joined the Public Pensions General Counsel Division. Ms. Paul leads the division’s administrative operations where she manages internal relations across various city departments. Ms. Paul works closely with each division attorney, providing a wide range of administrative support.