Jeannie Park is a Senior Management Analyst with the Street and Stormwater Division of the Bureau of Engineering in the City of Los Angeles. Somewhat improbably for an English and Art History major, she works with engineers, project managers and consultants to deliver $300 million dollars annually in transportation projects that are physically and conceptually changing our ideas of resources such as the LA River, as well as public space and mobility in the City. Her job can be characterized as diplomacy for the Bureau, navigating among numerous stakeholders in the dance between the public right of way and land use conflicts whether through projects or initiatives such as Great Streets and Green Streets. Ultimately, though, her job is to make Los Angeles work for all of its constituents. The critical lack of affordable housing - and homelessness - in Los Angeles represents a gaping public/private sector failure.
Jeannie’s interest in urban development was sparked by James Rouse’s pioneering projects in her home state of Maryland - namely, the City of Columbia and Baltimore’s Harborplace. After graduating from Wellesley College, she spent nine years in Seoul, Korea working for the national broadcasting system and two public sector “start ups” promoting Korea’s fledgling contemporary art and cable TV industries. Korea’s rapid ascent as a “tiger economy” engendered profound political, economic and cultural shifts, echoes of which she sees in Los Angeles today.
The Asian financial crisis of 1996 compelled her to study economics and political science at what is now the School of Global Policy and Strategy (formerly, International Relations and Pacific Studies) at UC San Diego on a Nielsen Fellowship. One of her favorite classes was environmental studies. Though reducing our reliance on fossil fuels through alternative transportation modes is a priority, she is exploring the possibility of a similar mode shift in housing. Outside of work, Jeannie is involved with a group trying to develop co-housing in SoCal. Jeannie has also completed a certificate program in Project Management through UCLA Extension and is a certified Envision Sustainability Professional. Cities - and people - are a source of endless fascination and experimentation.
Email: Jeannie.park@lacity.org