Hermelinda Sapien Chosen as 23rd Assembly District's Woman of the Year
On March 8, 2010, Assemblymember Joe Coto and the California State Assembly honored Hermelinda Sapien as the 23rd Assembly District "Woman of the Year." The California State Assembly's "Woman of the Year" program honors eighty dynamic women who work to make their communities better places to live. They are chosen by the Assemblymembers of each of California's eighty Assembly districts and recognized during a ceremony in the Assembly Chambers.
"Hermelinda has dedicated her life to being a champion of the disadvantaged and unemployed. The outstanding job training programs she has helped to develop and provide have allowed thousands of people over the years to transition back into the job market and improve the quality of their lives. This recognition is just a small token of appreciation for her contributions to the residents of the 23rd district."
Throughout the 80s and 90s, Ms. Sapien's experience and knowledge of workforce development and her civic involvement enabled the Center of 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, MACSAs'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 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.