Our executives are responsible for carrying out the strategic goals set by the Boards of Retirement and Investments, while our division managers lead the 15 specialty departments within LACERA and oversee day-to-day operations. With unique and diverse professional backgrounds, they are dedicated to providing dependable, responsive oversight and exceptional service to our members.
Luis A. Lugo, Acting Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Lugo brings a deep record of administrative and operational leadership across public, private, and healthcare sectors to his role of safeguarding the pensions and benefits of LACERA’s more than 200,000 active and retired members.
Appointed Acting CEO in March 2025, Mr. Lugo originally joined LACERA in July 2021 as Deputy Chief Executive Officer, where he led enterprise-wide initiatives, strengthened organizational performance, and advanced key strategic priorities. Before coming to LACERA, he served as Chief Operating Officer for the Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association (MN PERA), the state’s largest public pension system, directing critical operational functions that supported public employees statewide. Earlier in his career, Mr. Lugo spent more than a decade in leadership roles with the Social Security Administration, including positions overseeing multistate field operations. His professional background also includes leadership roles in the private sector and healthcare organizations, further broadening his operational and managerial expertise.
Mr. Lugo earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Minnesota Duluth and a Master of Business Administration from Hamline University.
JJ Popowich, Assistant Executive Officer
Mr. Popowich has extensive experience in customer service management and business administration, both in the private and public sector, and specializes in process improvements. Prior to coming to LACERA, he managed customer service in the retail banking industry. At LACERA he has held the positions of Manager of the Member Services Call Center and Division Manager of Member Services before joining the executive team. In addition to oversight of the Member Services, Disability Retirement, Communications, Quality Assurance, and Benefit Services divisions, Mr. Popowich is the liaison to the Operations Oversight Committee. Mr. Popowich received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix.
Laura Guglielmo, Assistant Executive Officer
Ms. Guglielmo has extensive public sector administrative leadership experience in various municipal organizations, with expertise in the areas of budget, finance, accounting, information technology, human resources, and strategic planning. Prior to joining LACERA, Ms. Guglielmo served as City Manager for the City of Palos Verdes Estates, Assistant General Manager of the Los Angeles Fire and Police Pension System, and Executive Officer for the City of Los Angeles’s Housing and Community Investment Department. Ms. Guglielmo holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Arts and Sciences from the University of Southern California.
Steve Rice, Chief Counsel
Mr. Rice has practiced law in Southern California for over forty years, including more than twenty years representing County retirement systems. He advises LACERA’s Board of Retirement, Board of Investments, management, and staff regarding legal, compliance, and governance issues. He oversees the Legal Division, which includes attorneys and other professional staff specializing in Benefits, Investments and Commercial Transactions, Disability, Litigation, Employment, and Legislation. Mr. Rice holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Occidental College and a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School.
Jonathan Grabel, Chief Investment Officer
Mr. Grabel manages the multibillion-dollar defined benefit pension fund on behalf of LACERA's active and retired members. He also oversees the investments for the LACERA-administered healthcare benefits program.
Prior to LACERA, Mr. Grabel was the CIO for New Mexico PERA, where he oversaw the investments for the agency’s $15 billion defined benefit fund and the associated PERA SmartSave deferred compensation plan. Previously, he was a general partner at a private equity firm focused on growth-stage investments in technology, networking industries, and digital communications. Earlier in his career, Mr. Grabel was an investment banker and licensed CPA (inactive). He received his Bachelor of Science in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Jude Pérez, Deputy Chief Investment Officer
Mr. Pérez helps manage LACERA’s pension fund and is responsible for overall administration of the Investment Division and day-to-day operations. He also leads the implementation and monitoring of investments for the LACERA-administered healthcare benefits program and actively contributes to strategic initiatives alongside LACERA’s Board of Investments.
Mr. Pérez previously held positions as Deputy Chief Investment Officer for the New Mexico PERA and Investment Officer at the Educational Retirement Board of New Mexico. Earlier in his career, Mr. Pérez established and operated a successful retail business and also specialized in underwriting real estate investments. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; MBA from the Anderson School of Management at the University of New Mexico; and is recognized as a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA).
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