Kim Allender and Diana Abasta
Co-Presidents of the Burbank Teachers' Assn.
"Today, for the first time, the Leader is publishing a list of Burbank's 50 most influential people. On the pages of this section, you'll find those who are making a difference in city government, public safety, education, sports and the community.
We started with more than 100 names, many of which were submitted by our readers, and then whittled them down to 50. On the cover are people we feel are at the head of their class in each of the aforementioned categories.
The Leader's Top 50 is a collection of people who live and work in Burbank that we think have had the most profound effect on the world around them during the past year. You'll find people from all walks of life who are helping shape our community. You probably won't agree with all of our choices. You might think some people deserve higher mention, some not at all. And other names might be conspicuous by their absence.
That's just more proof Burbank has an abundance of citizens who are active in their communities. These are just our 50 choices. Who are yours?" - Tim Willert, Leader Editor
The BCEA would like to congratulate everyone who made the list. Some of the honorees include:
Co-presidents of the Burbank Teachers' Association worked tirelessly with membership to help defeat incumbent school board members Elena Hubbell, Mike McDonald and Richard Raad. Allender said it was the first time in many years that BTA has been so actively involved in a school board election. Abasta and Allender are the official spokespeople for the BTA . . . the pair have appeared at every school board meeting to plead with the board to keep budget cuts away from classrooms . . .have served two years as co-presidents . . . recently elected for another two-year term . . . preside at board of director's meetings . . . appoint union's negotiation team representative to board of directors . . . Abasta is a Burbank High School English teacher . . . Allender teaches fifth grade at Miller Elementary School.
Burbank City Manager since March . . . will help shape - spend - City's estimated $400-million-plus budget . . . took charge of a city faced with a $9.5 million budget deficit . . . goals include revitalizing downtown, completing Bud Ovrom Park and securing grants for a new Central Library . . . began career with city 33 years ago as a junior recreation leader . . . rose through ranks to become Burbank's top executive . . . council unanimously approved her appointment . . . is paid $12,650 per month.
Governing body of Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport . . . made up of three commissioners from each city . . . panel votes on airport policy, including noise reduction, security and land use . . . Burbank commissioners are Don Brown, Vice President Charlie Lombardo and Bill Wiggins.
Among the items new Library Services Director Sharon Cohen has discovered being used as bookmarks over the years: a $100 bill, love letters and toilet paper. But a fried egg found in the pages of a cookbook tops the list.
After 25 years in the Burbank library system that included stints as branch supervisor and interim library services director, Cohen was appointed to her new post last month by City Manager May Alvord.
"There's nothing like being able to connect a person to the information they want," said Cohen, who will make between $7,450 to $9,051 per month in her new position.
The Burbank resident is faced with the daunting task of meeting the needs of a library system whose patronage has grown 60% since 2000 with an undersized staff that is likely to shrink with budget cuts.
Cohen makes every attempt to let the staff know that she understands their challenges and appreciates their work by holding monthly meetings, having pot-luck lunches, and talking individually with employees.
"They work as a team, take pride in their job and feel that they are making a difference in their community," she said.
Alvord is pleased with the job Cohen's done so far.
"Sharon came up through the ranks of the library and is very trusted by the staff," she said.
Mayor Stacey Murphy, Vice Mayor Marsha Ramos, and fellow council members Todd Campbell, Dave Golonski and Jef Vander Borght help shape city by voting on everything from new development to new police officers airport noise, park projects and development proposals among the items being considered by members voted to deny a $200-million, mixed-use plan for the Media District.
Assemblyman since 2000 won reelection to 43rd Assembly District in November author of several bills, including legislation that prevents hospitals from overcharging; increases fines for cooperations that avoid paying taxes; and keeps firearms out of the hand of juveniles convicted of carrying an illegal gun until age 30.
When he was a senior at Buroughs High School in the mid-1970s, Mike Graceffo was persuaded into coaching in a Burbank Park, Recreation and Community Services Department league.
"I kind of got into coaching just because they needed people to coach youth baseball in the city," he said. "Little did I know that coaching would become my life, and I would come to love it so much."
Twenty-eight years later, Graceffo has become one of the most revered and most successful youth coaches in the city.
Whether it's guiding park and recreation teams, heading sports programs at St. Francis Xavier Elementary School, coaching at the high-school level or conducting local camps, Graceffo continually influences the lives of thousands of area boys and girls.
"Coaching has turned out to be more rewarding than I could have ever imagined," he said. "It is just special to see players grow from these small athletes to become successful, not only in sports, but in life."
Working at St. Francis Xavier since 1991, Graceffo was inducted into the Catholic Youth Organization Hall of Fame on May 1.
Graceffo also has the distinction of coaching at all four local high schools over the years.
Burbank Police Chief . . . continues to serve as the public face of the department . . . has recently appeared at City Council meetings to discuss potential budget cuts within the department.
Popular retired teacher and coach at Burbank High School was the only one of 15 school board candidates to win a seat in the February primary election . . . wants to involve more people from the community in the way the district allocates and spends money.
Former City Manager stepped down in March after 18 years on the job to head the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency . . . played a key role in revitalizing city after Lockheed Martin Corp., and other aerospace industries left and took 20,000 jobs with them . . . helped fill void and boost city tax revenue by attracting studio-related businesses and retail hubs, that include Media City Center, Empire Center and Costco . . . proposed park in South San Fernando District will bear his name.
Democratic U.S. representative for the 29th Congressional District, which includes Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena and the foothills . . . recent legislations include a resolution recognizing the Armenian Cenocide, and bills broadening police access to DNA and making terrorist hoaxes a federal crime.
Democratic state senator for the 21st Senate District who has introduced several education-specific bills . . . wrote bills that guaranteed gun-lock devices sold or distributed in the state and protecting children from registered sex offenders teaching in classroom.
Burbank Fire Department Captain is President of the Burbank Firefighters Union . . . a strong advocate for firefighters in Burbank and throughout California. Following the 2001 terrorist attacks, he coordinated a task force representing 30,000 California firefighters and lobbied state officials for money to purchase high-tech response equipment . . . in December he helped negotiate a contract for firefighters that included pay raises and a new pension plan . . . in addition to his administrative duties, he's assigned to Fire Station 11 as a chief's aid.