After starting as a communications intern at the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (California JPIA) in July 2024, Melane Olmeda has joined the team full-time as an administrative assistant, bringing six years of experience working with local governments to the role.
“From day one, Melane added value to the Authority with her eagerness to learn and make things happen,” said California JPIA Communications Director Olga Berdial. “Her positive energy and proactive approach inspire everyone she works with. I’m confident she will make significant contributions in her new role serving the IT, risk management, and communications teams.”
“As a public affairs student, I heard nothing but great things about the California JPIA,” Olmeda said. “Being here for the last year really solidified that. Everyone’s always so collaborative and intent on assisting our member agencies.”
Olmeda’s path to the Authority started early. While working toward her associate’s degree, she served as an administrative assistant for a small construction company whose primary client was the City of Los Angeles. This piqued her interest in local government.
After transferring to California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, where she earned her undergraduate degree in political science, Olmeda worked in the university’s government and external affairs department, supporting tabling, newsletters, and social media. The role expanded to include preparing one-pagers and conducting legislative research.
Originally, Olmeda planned to pursue a career in law and was accepted into a dual program at the University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy (USC Price) for a Master of Public Administration and a JD. Then her aptitude for communications pulled her in a different direction.
“During my internship at the Los Angeles Superior Court, I realized how much more interested I was in communications than I was in a law degree,” she said. “Communications taps into my creativity. Transforming complex topics into clear, engaging content showed me the power of strong messaging and design.”
At USC Price, where she earned her master’s in public administration, she interned at the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) for nearly two years. At SCAG, Olmeda developed a deep understanding of public agencies. Working in their government and public affairs department, she assisted with committees, drafted reports, and tracked different regional developments for their government affairs officers.
That skillset has directly translated into her ongoing work supporting the Authority’s risk management, IT, and communications teams. “Overseeing and executing projects with various departments has helped me understand the range of work the Authority does to serve our members,” she said. “My goal is to break down layered topics and communicate them clearly and effectively.”
Providing innovative risk management solutions for its public agency partners for more than 45 years, the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (California JPIA) is one of the largest municipal self-insurance pools in the state, with more than 125 member cities and other governmental agencies. Members actively participate in shaping the organization to provide important coverage for their operations. The California JPIA provides innovative risk management solutions through a comprehensive portfolio of programs and services, including liability, workers’ compensation, pollution, property, and earthquake coverage, as well as extensive training and loss control services. For more information, please visit the California JPIA’s website at cjpia.org.