Mario Hernandez

Mario.Hernandez@LACity.org
Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate
Civic Leadership Division

Mario Hernandez serves as a Neighborhood Empowerment Advocate (NEA) at EmpowerLA. In his role, he is responsible for supporting Neighborhood Council Boards with capacity building, training, and organizing skills that empower board members and engage the community. Mario currently supports Atwater Village, Boyle Heights, Downtown LA, Eagle Rock, Pico Union, Rampart Village, Westlake South, and Wilshire Center-Koreatown Neighborhood Councils. Prior to the pandemic, Mario led the Homelessness Liaisons and coordinated the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment’s first Homelessness Resource Fair.

Mario began his career with the City of Los Angeles at EmpowerLA in April 2014 where he processed the Neighborhood Council’s Demand Warrants and other vendor related issues. Soon after, Mario was promoted to Funding Supervisor, overseeing the four funding representatives and led the Neighborhood Council Funding Training. The Funding Division and Funding staff was transferred to the Office of the City Clerk in 2016, where Mario assisted in the initial development of the current funding portal and policies, but when given the opportunity to join the Field Division at EmpowerLA, he transitioned back in 2017.

During the pandemic, Mario worked as a Disaster Service Worker in Project Room Key. He was appointed as a Disaster Service Worker Liaison, assisting other City employees with their Disaster Service Worker assignments as well as assisting the Project Room Key service provider issues that would arise.

Mario believes in the idea of health is wealth, so he works to maintain a healthy diet and regularly hits the gym, primarily to be healthy.

Ok, one last personal note, Mario is a Believer and loves Jesus.