By Ruth SOWBY

Recently announced as GLA’s Woman of the Year is Jennie Quiñonez-Skinner. Glendale Police Chief Manuel Cid was named Man of the Year by the organization. The announcements were made at GLA’s Installation & Awards Luncheon on Feb. 29. Heading the program was GLA’s 2023-24 president, Anita Quiñonez Gabrielian. The Oakmont Country Club was the setting for the festivities with over 200 GLA supporters attending.  

Woman of the Year Skinner is the Outreach and Student Engagement Librarian at Glendale Community College. In 2020 she was recognized as one Business Life Magazine’s Women Achiever Honorees. Man of the Year GPD Chief Cid was appointed as Glendale’s 20^th police chief in 2023. Prior to joining the Glendale Police Dept., Chief Cid was the Culver City chief of police from 2020-23.  

Before the luncheon, guests were treated to the harmonies of the Crescenta Valley String Quartet. At the start of the program, President Gabrielian welcomed luncheon guests and introduced mistress of ceremonies Azalea Iniguez. Iniguez is the consumer investigative reporter for Telemundo 52 in Los Angeles. 

Following the flag salute led by the Crescenta Valley High School Air Force Junior ROTC was the presentation of advisory board members, which includes former Glendale mayor and current Councilmember Paula Devine. Following was the recognition of outgoing board members and installation of the 2024 board of directors and officers. They were installed by Judge Mónica Ramirez Almadani. Judge Alamadani is the first Latina federal judge in California’s Central District, having been in office for four days.  

The program ended with the Glendale Youth Alliance awarded GLA Organization of the Year and remarks from the GLA Scholarship Alumni speaker Cynthia Vazquez-Gonzalez, who received her GLA scholarship in 2023. 

Last year, GLA awarded 21 scholarships to worthy students in the Glendale Unified School District and Glendale Community College. The scholarships each ranged from $500 to $2,000.