Hermelinda Sapien Chosen as Grand Marshall of 2010
Throughout the 1980s and 90s, Hermelinda Sapien's experience and knowledge of workforce development and her civic involvement enabled the Center for Employment and Training (CET) to grow from a single center into a national network of independent and affiliated programs. She was appointed in 1999 as executive director of CET and has worked to bring local, state and federal resources to the students of CET nationwide.
Under her continued guidance, CET continues to be one of the premier employment training programs. Recent awards bestowed on CET include:  U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration's 2009 Excellence in Economic Development Award, MACSA's 2008 "Most Influential Latino National Organizations," U.S. Department of Labor's 2004 "Top Workforce Innovations," PepNet's 2003 "Promising and Effective Practices in Youth Initiatives," among many others.
In addition to her many achievements at CET, Ms. Sapien is heavily involved in her community, she serves on numerous boards and commissions. She was also chosen as the 23rd Assembly District's Woman of the Year in 2010. She has been an advocate for civic engagement and has worked on many campaigns to increase voter registration. She has received national, state and local recognition for her many contributions and achievements.