Geraldine Knatz & “America’s Port”
Geraldine Knatz Keeps the Port of Los Angeles running smoothly
As the Port of Los Angeles moves toward a greener future, much of the credit must be given to Executive Director Geraldine Knatz, PhD. She came to POLA in January, 2006 after serving in the number two slot at the Port of Long Beach.
Dr. Knatz began her maritime career as an environmental scientist at POLA so her agenda as Executive Director focuses on responsible growth and environmental leadership. She took her message nationwide in the National Geographic series America’s Port, which presented the day-to-day operations of POLA and the decisions necessary to keep the Port running smoothly.
ITEP spoke with her recently about the Port and her outstanding record in bringing in green technology.
Q. How did your interest in environmental concerns and green technologies develop?
I’ve been interested in the environment since I was 10. I was into science and biology. I got excited about green technology because of David Freeman (S. David Freeman, Harbor Commissioner and author). It came about because we had a goal to eliminate the health risk of port operations on the community. The problem was air pollution related, so we looked at electric trucks.
Q. Have the methods and protocols you initiated at POLA been adopted by other ports? Have the practices of other ports influenced your management of environmental issues at POLA?
Los Angeles is setting the bar in reducing emissions associated with port activity. I understand most of the ports on the West Coast developed some sort of green air plan after we adopted ours. Several ports around the country have gone to electric trucks. Every port on the West Coast now has defined an air cleanup plan. [ed. note: According to Dr. Knatz's office, ports currently in various stages of clean truck programs are Seattle, Tacoma, Oakland, Houston, Virginia, New York/New Jersey.]
Q. Has the National Geographic program America’s Port resulted in increased interest in the Port of Los Angeles and maritime industries?
That came out of the blue. A local production company called up Arly Baker (Director, Public Affairs, POLA) and pitched the idea of a TV show. A half hour later, they pitched it to National Geographic, and called us back. It was a blast! It takes getting used to wearing a wire, walking around with it all day. They actually filmed in front of my house. I get up at 4:30 a.m. every morning, and they wanted to film in the dark, with a shot of the light going on in the morning. They followed me to Israel, London-it was fun.
To this day, I still have people come up and ask me if I’m the person that’s in that TV show. I was in Alaska and I asked a maintenance guy to fix the heater in my hotel room, and he asked me about it. It’s amazing to me how much exposure it got to the port industry. We copyrighted “America’s Port”, so other ports call themselves “one of America’s ports”.
Q. How has your involvement with this series has affected your job or how your job is perceived?
I think people understand a lot better about what we actually do and what goes on at a port. I heard from other port directors, “Now I understand what you do.” Heck, I even learned things from the show! In one of the early episodes, they showed lashing a container-I’d never seen that from that perspective, looking down on what they actually do.
Q. Was there an increased interest in jobs at the Port?
There was an immediate increase for the Port Police. Applications came in from around the country to work with the Port Police. It solved our recruiting problems.
Q. How has the current economic downturn affected the Port?
We are the number one container port in the United States, and probably the most profitable port in the United States. There are lots of ports that don’t make money. Some have the ability to tax. Some have a mission focused on economic development. For the type of work we do, the scale of projects, we have to generate revenue.
It has affected us significantly. Everything dropped. Like every other governmental agency, we had to tighten our belt, eliminate a lot of things, stop hiring, cut back in a lot of things we do. It’s a good exercise to go back and peel back the layers of the onion to see what we spend money on and see, “Heck, we don’t need to do this anymore.”
Q. Do you have any ideas to share in how to rebuild business at the Port?
Our focus in the success of the port is directly linked to the health of the customer. We have programs for them to succeed, to invest in the future-borrow money to keep construction going, provide jobs, and prepare for growth that will occur at some point. It’s going to take several years to get back where we were in 2006. It will happen, but it will take longer.
Q. The Port of Los Angeles has been a major supporter of ITEP since its inception, under various mayors and port executive directors. What is ITEP’s attraction the for you?
The ITEP program is a “feeder program” for potential port employees. I don’t know how many ITEP interns have become full time employees here but we have a lot of them.
Joe Mendoza, newest Global Security Academy Teacher, ITEP
ITEP welcomes Joe Mendoza as the new lead teacher for the Global Safety and Security Academy at Banning High School. He comes to us with a deep background teaching and working with at-risk high school students. He has taught World History, U.S. History, Government and Economics at Banning since 2003 and has forward-looking ideas for GSS.
“Teaching is all I have really wanted to do since a young age. I try to bring history to life every day and provide a strong model of organization in the classroom,” Joe says
“I am really looking forward to taking over as lead teacher of the GSS academy. I appreciate all the help I have received from retiring lead teacher Jim Gregson. I plan to take what has worked (which is everything) and keep it going, but add a few elements to the mix. I am planning on starting an event security team that can provide security at school and other events. I want our academy to offer a service and create products.”
Joe came to Banning from Johnson Opportunity High School, a facility for kids with inner-city problems, where he taught for nine years and was the lead teacher for seven. At Johnson, he started a branch of Students Run L.A., a program that trains at-risk students to run the marathon. In 1998, he started teaching concurrently at Johnson Opportunity and Banning Adult School.
“When I walked the halls at night I was jealous of all the activities going on at Banning, as my running program was the only thing on campus at Johnson Opportunity,” Joe says. “I had always wanted and expected to work at a big high school with big classes, so when I found out about an opening to teach history at Banning in 2003, I jumped at the opportunity and got the job.”
He brought the SRLA program with him to Banning, and has since become the coordinator for the SRLA program itself. It is a high-profile program that has been often featured in the media. Approximately 3000 students compete in the marathon and have a graduation rate of 95% and a finish rate of 98%. Banning has had almost 200 students complete the marathon since 2004.
Joe is looking forward to working individually with each student and trying to accomplish the highest graduation rate possible. Some of the means he will use to do so is starting a website that will highlight the achievements of students and take on other functions as needed, charting statistics and acting on the numbers to provide personalized assistance, and starting an after school detention program to address tardiness and classroom disrespect on the part of a few students.
“I can’t wait for the school year to start!” he exclaims.
San Pedro Earth Alert participates in Earth Day
ITEP students learn about their environment in hands-on class experiences.
One of our newest academies, San Pedro Earth Alert at San Pedro High School, had a terrific time at their Earth Day Event. SPEA Advisory Board members provided students with exhibits, demonstrations, and gifts. The US Coast Guard, Cabrillo Marine Museum, BP, and ITEP staff were instrumental in hosting the event. One of the more engaging topics was grunion hatching.
Other events this year included an Ice Cream Social to brief students on the basic elements of the Earth Alert program and Academy Launch Speaker Assembly to connect students to opportunities in the environmental industry.
Students in the academy are excited about the possibilities and are anticipating expanded events in the upcoming school year.
ITEP students take notes while Michael Schaadt, Marine Aquarium Administrator of the Cabrillo Marine Museum illustrates marine life.
Pictured above is Michael Schaadt, Marine Aquarium Administrator of the Cabrillo Marine Museum.
ITEP Students take notes at San Pedro Earth Alert class.
For more about ITEP visit: www.ITEPinc.org or call
Media call: George Mc Quade,
MAYO Communications 818-340-5300
or Publicity@MayoCommunications.com.
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Meantime, in other ITEP developments:
Mojave XP Completes Successful Job Shadowing Program
ITEP’s Mojave XP Logistics Academy at Barstow High School completed a successful first year, culminating with a 6 week job shadowing program for 20 of Mojave XP’s best students.
“We are already seeing attitude and motivation changes in the students,” said Gary Johnson, lead teacher at Mojave XP.
The Job Shadowing program helped students understand the need to develop academic skills in high school so that they could prepare for high quality, high paying jobs in the future.
Filed under: Coast Guard programs, Education, International Trade Education Programs, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, Marine, Maritime, Mentors, Michael Schaadt, Museum, Schools, Teens, Trade, Trade Fair, World Trade Week, Youth at Risk, logistics, nonprofit, transportation | Tagged: Aquarium, Cabrillo, Campus, Carol Rowen, Education, going green, high school, high school international trade classes, high schoolers, International Educational Education Programs, internships, ITEP, jobs, LA Area Chamber, LA Port, logistics, Marine, maritime careers, mentors in transportation, Michael Schaadt, Museum, Port of Long Beach, San Pedro, Students, Teens Beating the Odds, transportation, workforce, WTWA
