Former Sierra Madre Mayor Among 16 Women Honored by Rep. Judy Chu

A longtime Sierra Madre resident was among a group of 16 distinguished women from the 27th Congressional District honored by Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) during her fourth annual Women of Distinction Awards at Huntington Library this past weekend. 

The April 6 event honored female entrepreneurs, volunteers, civil servants and a female Olympian, all from the San Gabriel Valley, including former mayor and clean energy community leader Enid Joffe of Sierra Madre.  

The honorees represent the 16 cities in the 27th Congressional District -- each chosen from nominations submitted by members of their communities.  

“No words can describe the contributions that all sixteen of these amazing women have made to our community in the San Gabriel Valley and to the world at large,” said Rep. Chu.

“From competing for our nation on the global stage, to advocating for those with developmental disabilities, to representing the cutting edge of entrepreneurial achievement, each one has had a profound impact on the world around them. Most importantly, all overcame tremendous obstacles in their careers, proving themselves to be wonderful role models for others who aspire to their success. I thank each of this year’s 16 Women of Distinction for their contributions, and urge them to continue being a shining beacon of inspiration for women and girls in our district and around the world," she added.

Enid Joffe Chosen to Represent the City of Sierra Madre

Clean energy community leader, Enid Joffe of Sierra Madre, was among the group of women recognized.  

Joffe would tell you that her claim to fame is that she hired former Labor Secretary Hilda Solis for her first job out of college. At the time, this Sierra Madre resident was working at United Way when she hired Solis to help with outreach to the Hispanic community. But of course, Joffe’s accomplishments extend far beyond hiring the former Labor Secretary. 

Joffe found her passion when she started working on charging technology for electric cars almost two decades ago. In 1999, she co-founded her company Clean Fuel Connection to provide infrastructure sales, installation, service and consulting support for electric and natural gas vehicles. In 2002, the industry experienced a severe downturn. Not the type to call it quits when things get rough, the determined Joffe and her company persevered. And in just 14 short years after the company’s founding, her company has an annual revenue of more than $4 million.

Before Joffe started her company, she expanded her knowledge of the clean energy industry by working as the manager of charging infrastructure for Edison EV where she worked with local, state, and federal governments on policy issues related to electric vehicles. In this role, she also managed activities to obtain incentives for electric vehicle infrastructure and coordinated sales of public charging stations to government and public sector organizations.

Besides her pioneering work in the clean energy industry, Joffe was also active in her community. She was first elected to the Sierra Madre City Council in April of 2004, and served as mayor from 2007 to 2008. In the non-profit sector, Joffe served on the board of West San Gabriel Valley YMCA from 1990 to 1993 and served as the president of the Rosemead Kiwanis Club from 1992 to 1993.

Joffe received her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Barnard College. In addition, she also has a master’s in sociology and an MBA from UCLA.

Other Local Women Recognized

The complete list of honorees included:

• Evie Romero (Community Leader in Development Disabilities)
• Inger Miller (Former Olympian)
• Lillian Lee Jang (Community Leader in API Issues)
• Karen Chen (Business Woman and Community Leader)
• Susan Schenk (Community Leader in Sustainability)
• Karen Komsak Davis (Elected Official)
• Mary Ann Lutz (Elected Official)
• Marta Escanuelas (Community Leader in Developmental Disabilities)
• Margaret “Margie” Martinez (Community Leader in Healthcare)
• Barbara Peterson Sinclair (Community Leader in the Health Profession)
• Mandy Wong (Community Leader in Public Safety and Education)
• Jeanne Raya (Community Leader in Law)
• Christina Kan (Community Leader in Healthcare)
• Enid Joffe (Community Leader in Clean Energy)
• Megan Pan (Small Business Owner)
• Wendy Gladney (Author and Inspirational Figure)