Retirement keeps getting better! The years after employment can be filled with more fun, learning, exercise, longevity and fellowship than ever. Together they enhance your purpose.
That’s the idea behind LACERS Well, a collection of in-person events and informative virtual webinars available to all City Retirees. Offerings are free.
LACERS Well: An Investment in Retirees
LACERS Well is an innovative program designed to help City Retirees attain the best retirement possible. LACERS believes that Retiree health is an important investment and by taking care of themselves, emotionally and physically, Retirees are more likely to have:
- More active years in retirement;
- More time with friends and loved ones
- More independent living
- Less time and money spent on doctor visits, medical expenses, and illness
Offerings
Retirees are unique and so is the LACERS Well program. Its commitment to you is to provide fun, engaging, and informative events. Retirees can look forward to:
- Participation incentives and rewards
- Worthwhile workshops and seminars
- Wellness meet-ups with fellow LACERS Retirees
- Information delivered to homes and via email, and available online 24/7.
Live With Purpose
LACERS Well aims to provide Retirees tools and resources to help them navigate through difficult transitions like retirement by finding or renewing purpose, rediscovering passions, and making a difference. The program believes that by keeping Retirees more engaged in life, they will be more apt to take care of things that matter, such as health, and are more likely to enjoy fulfilling retirement years.
The Team
The LACERS Well Team is small but mighty and consists of Alejandra Zuniga, Kristal Baldwin, Katherine Thompson, Betty Smith and Jonathan Jimenez.
The Alive! Interview: Healthier, Happier Retirees
On March 23, Club CEO Robert Larios and Alive! editor John Burnes interviewed two of the administrators of LACERS Well – Kristal Baldwin, Sr. Benefits Analyst, 30 years of City service; and Alejandra Zuniga, Benefits Analyst, 7 years. Both are Club Members.
Alive!: Thanks for joining us today, Alejandra and Kristal. Before we get into the LACERS Well program, tell us: What’s your career path to where you are now?
Alejandra Zuniga: I first heard about City careers when I was a sophomore at Cal State LA. The Chief Operating Officer of the LACERS Investment Division was a presenter at a club meeting and discussed LACERS and the investment portfolio. I applied for an internship. I started working as an Administrative Intern in the Investment Division, where I learned about how employee contributions are invested. As the internship was coming to an end, I didn’t want to leave, as I really liked it here. But there was no place for me as it was meant to be a short-term internship. At the same time, the Retirement Services Division was looking for an Administrative Intern, so I transferred to that division. While I was working in Retirement Services, I learned about retirement and how to calculate benefits. That ultimately led me to take and pass the Benefits Specialist exam and become a Benefits Specialist. I was a Benefits Specialist for two years, serving Retirees by counseling them on their health and medical benefits.
Once I qualified, I took the Benefits Analyst exam and was promoted to Benefits Analyst. That’s when I came over to LACERS Well. I’ve been here almost two years.
Got it. That gave you a strong foundation in telling Retirees what their benefits are through LACERS.
Alejandra: It really did. It’s funny because sometimes, when I see the people at the LACERS Well events, I remember them from two years ago, when they retired; I was the one who helped them select their medical or dental benefits. Two years later, I’m seeing them now at the Retiree events, and we’re having a lot of fun together.
Great! Kristal, same question — your career path.
Kristal Baldwin: Thank you so much. I began my career with the City on May 13, 1996, as a Clerk Typist at the Community Development Dept. (CDD), now known as the Economic and Workforce Development Dept., in their Human Resources Division. I spent 11 years at CDD as a Clerk Typist and a Sr. Clerk Typist. During my tenure at CDD, I learned the City’s hiring process and gained supervisory experience. I really enjoyed working there. I later applied for the Benefits Specialist exam and was selected by LACERS in October 2006. At LACERS, I was hired into the health unit, where I served as a Health Advocate and Medicare Compliance worker. I helped members resolve their medical billing issues and problems with their medical providers, and I gave presentations on their health benefits, which I actually loved.
In 2020, a couple of months before the onset of the pandemic, I was promoted to a Management Analyst position at LACERS Well. At the same time, a new Wellness Manager, Stephanie Smith, was hired. Once everything shut down in March of 2020, we had to stop all in-person activities and pivot to virtual offerings. It was just her and me facilitating the LACERS Well program during this critical time. With Stephanie’s guidance, we partnered with our medical carriers and non-profit organizations to offer virtual webinars, seminars and other activities. We later added one Administrative Clerk and two Administrative Interns to the team.
Then our small but dedicated team faced a profound loss when Stephanie passed away on Jan. 30, 2025. During this difficult period, I took on the responsibility of running the LACERS Well program, working with one Administrative Clerk and two Administrative Interns. Then we were blessed to have Alejandra join the team, and I was promoted to Sr. Benefits Analyst effective December 2025. We have been able to offer new and exciting activities with Alejandra’s help.
I see others who work on your LACERS Well team at various events.
Kristal: That’s correct. Betty Smith is our Administrative Clerk, and Katherine Thompson and Jonathan Jimenez are our Administrative Interns.
Excellent, thanks.
Building Retiree Health
Give us a broad overview. What is LACERS Well?
Kristal: The LACERS Well program was formed to take an innovative approach towards Retiree health optimization through the development of educational and interactive support, to improve the health of the Retired members. The goal is to educate members on ways to maintain their health and inform them of various programs and benefits available through LACERS medical plans. By engaging the members in their healthcare, LACERS aims to reduce claims costs and minimize premium increases.
In 2008, the LACERS Well program was introduced as part of the LACERS Strategic Plan to enhance the value of healthcare and improve control over healthcare costs. In 2012, the program officially launched with the creation of the Champion program and the hiring of a Wellness Coordinator to expand and to promote the LACERS Well initiatives. During the COVID pandemic, from 2020 to 2022, the program shifted to virtual classes and webinars via Zoom. From 2023 to the present, the in-person events have resumed while we continue our virtual offerings.
Alejandra: The program offers a comprehensive mix of virtual and in‑person activities that support member engagement and well‑being. Virtual options expand access for those living outside the area or with mobility limitations, while LACERS‑sponsored health education events—such as lunch‑and‑learns led by medical professionals—provide valuable guidance on chronic disease management. Members can also participate in recreational outings and tours, along with Champion‑led activities facilitated by fellow Retirees. Together, these offerings create a well‑rounded approach to promoting health and connection across the membership.
Kristal: We encourage members to share ideas and propose activities for consideration, and returning to in‑person events after the pandemic was especially important to them.
LACERS Well was developed internally in response to concerns about Retirees’ long‑term health, activity levels, and overall well‑being—an essential focus for the department.
LACERS previously explored potential partnerships with other municipalities to expand collective wellness efforts, but that initiative is currently on hold. Today, LACERS Well is recognized as one of the few robust, Retiree‑focused wellness programs within United States municipal retirement systems, largely because we administer, manage, and facilitate the program directly. In contrast, most municipalities provide only resource links for Retirees and primarily concentrate their wellness efforts on active employees.
Sounds like LACERS Well is a leader in the field.
Alejandra: Absolutely. We’ve had other municipalities reach out to learn what we’re doing because we’re taking it a step further. Many organizations shift employee and Retiree wellness onto the health plans. Our health plans are doing a lot to keep the Retirees healthy. Anthem has its own program to help its members manage their chronic diseases; Kaiser has its own wellness programs and initiatives. But having us provide in-house programs keeps everybody accountable, and adding that extra layer helps to ensure our members’ health. Our health plans are constantly involved with us, and we’re involved with them. It works really well together.
Members really enjoy participating in our programs, and our participation numbers are increasing. I haven’t been here long enough to know what was going on 15 or 20 years ago, but there was no sort of wellness program in place. From the stories we hear about them improving their healthy habits, that’s been the motivator to keep the program going and growing. The idea is that if we can keep you healthy, you will pay less for healthcare. The longer we keep Retirees healthy, the more it mitigates that cost for us, only for LACERS, who ultimately pays the claims, but for the member, too. It saves them money, helps them be healthier, and, in turn, benefits LACERS.
Kristal: I’m glad that we have established ourselves as a leader in this field. As Alejandra stated, a few municipalities have reached out to us – the Utah Retirement Systems comes to mind. They wanted to know, “Hey, what are you all doing? How did you get this set up? We need to set something up like this here.” I’m glad to help.
Growth
We talked a little about this. Is LACERS Well growing?
Alejandra: We are steadily growing. We’re a very small team, so sometimes it’s difficult for us to be able to do more to grow as much as we want to. Every year, we’re increasing our availability and the number of our events. In 2024, we had 3,400 members participating, and that number is now up to 3,600. The LACERS Retired member and beneficiary population is approximately 23,000. Unfortunately, we haven’t reached as many people as we’d like, but we’re slowly growing, and we definitely want to establish our presence. We’re happy that we’ve met, and sometimes exceeded, the goals we’ve set for ourselves. For 2026, we’re aiming to have 3,700 or more participants in the program. It’s slowly increasing as a reflection of the wonderful staff that we have. We’re looking to work with our nonprofits a little more. And we’re beginning to partner with the Employees Club’s Retiree Society to spread the word and grow our numbers. We just want to reach as many people as we can because we’re so confident that if members have a positive interaction with us, they’ll want to keep coming back. That’s the feedback that we get. Many members attend every single in-person event because they just love what we do and love how we do it. And we’re always open to hearing their ideas. Many times, a Retiree comes to me and suggests an event. Our visit to the Autry Museum is an example of it. Our visit to the Ronald Reagan Library is another. We made that happen due to the suggestions we received from our members. If any Retiree out there has an idea for an activity they would like to do, they can always let us know. Email us at lacerswell@lacers.org, and we’ll do our best to put something together for them.
Where is the growth coming from? Do people prefer in-person activities to webinars on health and other topics?
Alejandra: In‑person events consistently draw the highest participation, with the San Pedro boat tour leading this year at roughly 170 attendees. While these activities are especially popular, our programming extends beyond social events. We also offer member‑education opportunities, including lunch‑and‑learns on topics such as health plans and open enrollment. Providing meaningful education is a key priority, helping members make informed decisions about their well‑being.
Kristal: Socialization is a big benefit of in-person activities. Retirement is a major transition for most members, especially those who have worked for over 25 years in a given position. Once they retire, they lose that connection with their coworkers.
Right.
Kristal: Through counseling Retired members in a prior role, I found out that some members become depressed after retirement. They miss the structure of work, their colleagues, and the routine. Our in‑person LACERS Well activities provide an important opportunity for connection — members reunite with former coworkers and supervisors, sometimes after many years, and the joy in those moments is unmistakable. These gatherings help reduce isolation, complemented by webinars on topics such as grief, loneliness, and emotional well‑being. Watching Retirees reconnect and regain a sense of community is one of the most rewarding aspects of this work.
Are you looking to expand where you’re offering your in-person events, like maybe to Arizona or Nevada, Oregon, or maybe Hawaii, where there are a lot of City Retirees?
Kristal: Yes, we are looking to expand the program, and we will achieve this by recruiting Retired members in other states to serve as Champions who will lead or facilitate activities in their areas. We will provide support to them by marketing their activity and encouraging others to participate.
Prior to the pandemic, we had Champion-led activities in different regions of California and more than 40 active Champions. When everything shut down, many of them stopped what they were doing. Our future goal is to increase our Champion numbers.
Are there programs you’d like to add?
Alejandra: We are exploring the possibility of hosting a member health fair this year or next, with the goal of expanding our offerings and strengthening engagement with our carriers. A lot of the wellness events offered by our carriers — Kaiser, Anthem, UnitedHealthcare, SCAN Health Plan, Anthem Blue View Vision, and Delta Dental — are very basic. We’re always pulling them towards us, and they work really well with us. We’re happy with the relationship that we have with the carriers. It’s also nice that the account managers attend these events, because members get to meet them and see who’s behind the scenes. We don’t have access to members’ medical groups, much less their medical records and history, but we have a direct line via phone or email to one specialized person in charge of the member’s entire account, who can facilitate their issues.
An Invitation
What would you say to encourage City Retirees to take part in the LACERS Well program?
Alejandra: I’d say, come on by. The City of Los Angeles is a small world. You never know who you’re going to run into. You might see some friends whom you haven’t seen in a long time. And it’s always nice to get out. I would say to our members, for those looking to learn something new, develop healthy habits, or simply get out and participate in enjoyable activities, the LACERS Well program provides a welcoming and supportive environment grounded in a shared commitment to the City of Los Angeles
Kristal: I don’t think that some Retirees realize that they have full access to the LACERS Well program at no cost. Everything is designed with their well-being in mind. And then they have our support. Participating isn’t just about attending programs. It’s about embracing a lifestyle that keeps them active, engaged, and thriving. This is a benefit that they have access to. Everyone gets this benefit automatically at no cost.
There are also various ways to find our events and programs. If you have a Facebook account, please join our LACERS Well Facebook Group. We also post our events and programs on our website [at lacers.org/lacerswell]. You can also sign up for many of our events and programs directly via your MyLACERS account [mylacers.lacers.org]. If you have any questions, you can always reach out to us via email [at lacerswell@lacers.org] or call us [(800) 779-8328].
Favorite Activities
What are some of your favorite activities?
Kristal: I love all of the virtual offerings. Before the pandemic, we had no virtual presence. Nobody had heard of Zoom. Everything was done in person. It excluded everyone outside California from our offerings. Now, members in Nevada, Nebraska, Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina are attending our virtual Brain Health and Computer Tech Classes. These members plug into everything we do online. They feel a part of LACERS. They feel included.
Alejandra: I like the in-person ones. It’s nice that we get to do the behind-the-scenes planning and then watch it be executed successfully. Members always come up to us at the end and thank us. “We had such a great time. Can’t wait to do this again.” Or if we’ve introduced them to a new place, it’s “thank you so much. I never even knew this was here. I’m going to come back on my own.” That’s always nice to hear. It’s always nice to see everyone in person, shake their hand, give them a hug, get some air, and get our steps in.
Tell us some stories.
Alejandra: We have a particular member who uses a walker. When she saw us promoting our hike at El Dorado Nature Center, she recognized how beautiful it was and, despite her mobility issues, said, “I want to give it a try.” She’s been very active. She attends the monthly fitness classes and the 5Ks that we’ve had in the past; she makes it to the finish line. The hike at El Dorado Nature Center is unpaved and a little hilly, and she was up for the challenge. That was really a build-up of her attending the monthly fitness classes, where she doesn’t miss a single class. She completed that hike. Everybody’s pushing themselves to be the better version of themselves, even at retirement age, when they have the time to do so.
Kristal: Here’s another story. LACERS Well Champion Ben Gaetos leads our monthly Griffith Park and Rose Bowl hike. He’s faithful in doing it every month. He has a group of about seven to 13 people who meet him at 7:30 a.m. to hike. They’ve been all over the place.
LACERS Well Champion Jannette Allen, who facilitates virtual book and movie review clubs, also faithfully attends our monthly fitness classes. She checks in with other members of the fitness group to keep each other accountable.
Alejandra: Getting together in person is another reminder of how motivating it can be to motivate each other. There’s a member of that group who goes to every single hike. He’s 87 years old, and I’m huffing and puffing going up the Griffith Park hills. Every single time I’ve gone on the hike, I’ve always been the last one. They’re always waiting for me, but it’s encouraging because they don’t leave anyone behind.
LACERS Well and The Retiree Society
You’re developing a partnership with the Club’s Retiree Society. How is that working?
Kristal: We’re working on that with Lupe [Lira].
Alejandra: We’re doing similar things as the Retiree Society is. We see the power of partnership in the health and wellness benefits for City Retirees.
In addition, it would be really nice to have another voice out there, like the Club, to echo what we’re doing and get more eyes on us. It’s sometimes difficult to reach our growing membership of 23,000. Every month, we send out a monthly calendar of events to everyone who’s registered with us. We’d really love to get the word out more, and I hope partnering with the Retiree Society can bring more eyes to us so we can see more participation and host more events. We’d love to expand our voice and have a megaphone, and Alive! can help with that.
Absolutely.
The Alive! Question
One of my favorite questions to ask is this one: What do you love about what you do?
Kristal: I enjoy providing a service that keeps our members engaged, motivated, and active. I love supporting them. I love helping them make healthier choices and build habits that strengthen their overall well-being. That’s rewarding to me. I also enjoy empowering members with the tools and confidence they need to live longer, stronger, and a more fulfilling life in retirement.
One thing that I can say is that when I was a health advocate in the health unit, I also used to get the death reports of members. Occasionally, members pass away within a year of retirement. It used to really sadden me to see that. It’s important for them to have something to do and a focus. Now I’m able to provide them with the tools they need to stay active, stay healthy, enjoy life, and live longer. I get so much more joy out of what I do now than I did then. I really enjoy making them happy and putting smiles on their faces.
Alejandra: That’s such a good point, Kristal. Oftentimes, every interaction that we had with a member was answering questions, solving problems, or listening to their issues. We were helping them fix a negative experience. But now, because everything we do is fun, positive, and engaging, every time we interact with our members, it’s always going to be a positive experience. What I really like a lot is the behind-the-scenes work that we get to do to make sure that everything runs smoothly. It requires work on the back end, whether that’s communicating with our partners, engaging with the nonprofits, and making sure the logistics are in place so all they really have to do is show up and have fun.
And it’s rewarding to see that the work that we do behind the scenes contributes to them having such a fun time and a good experience. Our efforts in organizing and planning directly contribute to their positive experience, and that makes it something fun for them and for us.
In the end, it’s a full commitment.
Alejandra: Right. Remember that Kristal and I, as City employees, are also members of the retirement system. We’re going to be on the other end one day. Well…I still have 30 years!
Kristal: You treat things differently when they may affect you one day. Alejandra and I have skin in the game with this program. We’re building something that we’re going to be a part of later when we’re retired. It behooves us to build it right and put the right programs in place, because I definitely want to live longer and stronger. Yes!
Well said. Kristal and Alejandra, thank you for your time today and for all you do for City Retirees.
Alejandra: Thank you so much.
Kristal: Thank you. I appreciate you.
Sign Up!
City Retirees, joining LACERS Well is as easy as signing up.
For more information:
LacersWell@lacers.org
mylacers.lacers.org
An invitation to Retirees: ‘Come on by. The City is big, but it’s a small world. You never know who you’re going to run into. You might see some friends that you haven’t seen in a long time.’ — Alejandra Zuniga