LOS ANGELES WORLD AIRPORTS NAMES BARBARA YAMAMOTO TO NEW COMMUNITY RELATIONS DIRECTORSHIP

(Los Angeles, CA – January 8, 2001) Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has appointed Barbara Yamamoto as LAWA Community Relations Director, a position newly created to strengthen the agency’s commitment to issues of concern to communities adjacent to LAWA’s four airports: Los Angeles International (LAX), Ontario International (ONT), Van Nuys (VNY), and Palmdale Regional (PMD).

Yamamoto is responsible for developing and implementing cohesive, department-wide community relations programs designed to enhance two-way communications with neighbors about the four airports’ extensive efforts in managing and mitigating the impacts airport operations have on neighboring communities. In addition to monitoring the community relations activities at ONT, VNY, and PMD, Yamamoto will direct the LAX Community Relations Division. This includes community meetings with senior LAWA executives, community forums, area advisory committees, speakers bureaus, airport tours/briefings, public agency-private industry partnerships, educational outreach, LAWA employee volunteerism in the community, participation in community and charitable organizations, and support of the extensive community outreach for the LAX Master Plan.

Yamamoto has 15 years of progressively responsible positions managing communications programs at Los Angeles’ two other proprietary agencies, the Port of Los Angeles and the Department of Water and Power.

"Barbara’s tremendous record at the Port of Los Angeles and DWP provides her with a phenomenal springboard toward enhancing communications and relations with the airports’ many important constituencies," said Lydia H. Kennard, LAWA executive director. "We are extremely happy to have someone with Barbara’s energy and experience lead our community relations team."

At the Port of Los Angeles, one of the nation’s busiest seaports, Yamamoto planned and implemented communications strategies and programs for port projects and issues; managed media and customer relations, publications, the port’s website, and its Speakers Bureau. At DWP, she served as government affairs representative and liaison to the district offices of local, state and federal elected officials. She also served as senior public relations specialist, where she planned and implemented public information programs for various DWP issues.

Yamamoto earned a Master of Arts degree in journalism/public relations from the University of Southern California in 1986, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1984.