Gina Barro

Vice President, Strategic Relations

As Vice President, Strategic Relations, Ms. Barro is responsible for recruiting leadership from private sector businesses, municipalities and educational institutions to support the company’s mission through membership contributions and program sponsorships. Ms. Barro is also responsible for engaging members in LAEDC programs, including strategic advisory and governance committees, networking activities and special events. Prior to the LAEDC, Ms. Barro served as Business Planning Manager at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. in Torrance, CA where she lead the effort to institutionalize the planning process to better connect business needs and financial plans. She also developed and managed internal strategic communications, covering topics such as the automotive industry and economic outlook, company sales and profit performance, employee relations, and key business initiatives.

Prior to this position, Ms. Barro worked in Toyota’s corporate learning and development division and held management roles in Marketing and Communications, Learning Technology, Finance, and Operations.
Ms. Barro’s career at Toyota spans over 15 years, and during that time she also held positions with Toyota Financial Services in Cedar Rapids, IA, Baltimore, MD and Torrance, CA.

Ms. Barro earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in international business from Alma College in Alma, Michigan, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

Ms. Barro currently serves as Board Chair of the Loyola Marymount University (LMU) MBA Alumni Association, and is an active Board member of the Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA. She is also a member of the Dean’s Business Advisory Council for LMU’s College of Business Administration, and a graduate of the 2005 Leadership California Annual Issues and Trends Program.