As Executive Director of A Better LA, Brian Center draws from a vast array of experiences that make him uniquely qualified to accomplish the organization’s mission of transforming communities that struggle with violence.
Mr. Center obtained his Juris Doctor from U.C.L.A in 1993 and practiced law for over 8 years. As a lawyer, he worked at high-powered firms, representing a wide variety of businesses in high stakes and multi-million dollar litigation.
In 2001, Mr. Center left the world of litigation and assumed the role of Justice Deputy for County Supervisor Gloria Molina. Having taken on one of the most unique jobs in government, he helped manage the County’s $16 billion budget and 90,000 employees. He participated in gang task forces with law enforcement and helped manage police oversight efforts. He led efforts to reform the juvenile justice and children services systems. He oversaw funding of non-profits doing crime prevention work and led successful efforts to improve the quality of their work, as well as oversight and outcome measures. He also played an instrumental role in bringing evidence-based programs to key departments within Los Angeles County. Through these experiences, Mr. Center has become an expert in the areas of violence prevention and evidence-based practice.
In 2005, Mr. Center moved to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and became the point person on issues pertaining to homelessness and ex-offenders re-entering society from jail and prison. He also served as the Chair of the Los Angeles County Re-entry Advisory Board. During this time, he also ran for the California State Assembly.
Over the past 17 years, Mr. Center has been active in a broad array of community activities. To name only a few, he has served as Judge Pro Tem for the Los Angeles County Superior Court and as a board member of the South Pasadena Educational Foundation. He also helped found CalAware, an organization dedicated to open government. He currently serves on the Advisory Boards of Foothill Family Services and Art Share LA, non-profit organizations that help at-risk families and youth.
Mr. Center is a frequent speaker in the areas of gang violence and violence prevention. He also is a delegate to the Alliance of Youth Movements, a non-profit that has brought together the State Department and other non-profits from around the world to combat extremism, violence and injustice, with a focus on the use of social media to transform communities. You can find blogs by Mr. Center on the Huffington Post.
