Westwood official resigns, joins animal welfare initiative

A Westwood Village official resigned Monday to join an animal rights group, after serving the community for two years.

Sheila Kouhkan, who worked as deputy director of the Westwood Village Improvement Association, also known as the BID, will become the manager of No-Kill Los Angeles, a Best Friends Animal Society initiative intended to ensure no cats or dogs will be killed in animal shelters by 2017.

“Working full time to save animal lives while utilizing my background in policy and community relations is a dream come true,” Kouhkan said.

As deputy director, Kouhkan met with Westwood community members and helped implement their ideas. She also updated the Westwood Neighborhood Council, which takes stances on Westwood issues, on the status of planned renovations.

During her time with the BID, Kouhkan worked to replace unused loading zone parking spots in Westwood with metered parking. She also worked with city and state officials to differentiate between people who need disabled placards and those who use them illegally to park for the whole day.

Andrew Thomas, executive director of the BID, said he thinks Kouhkan was an asset to Westwood, as a UCLA alumna and Westwood homeowner who previously worked for L.A. City Council member Paul Koretz.

Jerry Brown, president of the Westwood Neighborhood Council, said Kouhkan’s tenure as deputy director has furthered Westwood’s development. He added he is sad to see Kouhkan leave.

In her last project, Kouhkan added decorative vinyl paper to utility boxes throughout Westwood Village, including the one outside Starbucks.

Steve Sann, chair of the Westwood Community Council, said he believes Kouhkan focused on trivial matters rather than what he considered to be more significant issues, such as aiding the homeless population in Westwood.

Thomas said the BID has not begun to search for Kouhkan’s successor and thinks it will be difficult to find someone as qualified for the position.