Larry Frank

Senior Advisor to Mayor Karen Bass, City of Los Angeles; Former Deputy Mayor to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, City of Los Angeles

Larry Frank is a veteran community organizer, labor advocate, educator, and public policy leader with decades of experience advancing workforce development, neighborhood empowerment, and civic engagement across Los Angeles. As Senior Advisor to Karen Bass, Frank advises on community partnerships, workforce initiatives, public engagement, and cross-sector collaborations that support the City’s priorities around economic opportunity, resilience, and neighborhood revitalization. Frank’s career has consistently focused on strengthening connections between government, labor, education, and community organizations. He began his organizing work with the United Farm Workers and later held leadership and organizing roles with several labor unions, including the Amalgamated Clothing & Textile Workers Union and the Communications Workers of America. Over the years, he became a respected figure in Los Angeles progressive politics and grassroots coalition building. After earning his law degree from the UCLA School of Law, Frank spent a decade practicing criminal and labor law while continuing his involvement in civic organizing and public policy advocacy. He later joined the UCLA Labor Center, where he served in senior leadership roles focused on labor studies, workforce development, and economic justice initiatives. Frank previously served in the administration of former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as Deputy Mayor for Neighborhood and Community Services and later as Deputy Chief of Staff. In those roles, he oversaw neighborhood outreach, constituent services, workforce development programs, labor relations, and several city departments, helping strengthen engagement between City Hall and communities across Los Angeles. From 2013 to 2020, Frank served as President of Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, where he championed career pathway programs connecting students to high-quality jobs in construction, advanced manufacturing, transportation, and emerging industries. He later returned to UCLA Labor Center leadership to support major fundraising and institutional expansion efforts tied to labor education and workforce equity initiatives. Widely respected for his collaborative leadership style and long-standing commitment to public service, Frank continues to play an active role in workforce policy and civic engagement initiatives throughout California. He currently serves on the California Workforce Development Board and remains deeply involved in efforts to strengthen economic mobility, community resilience, and inclusive regional development.