Student Project Team Leaders manage communication and correspondence with Project Leaders and Sponsors. They are the only members of the team to upload files to the team's Google Drive folder.
Project Team Coordinators take attendance, meeting minutes, manage communications, create a Team calendar.
Presentation Writers create and work with Graphic Designers to compile the final presentation.
Newsletter Writers document the team's development and project process in a newsletter-type format.
Graphic Designers images, design, slides/PPT, taking screenshots of your team meetings, team logo).
Project Presenters present the project presentation at graduation.
Researchers - Everyone on the Team conducts research.
Content
Cris Liban + Serene Raslan + Hoan Tang + Max Nuemann + Katya Balakhovsky
See Serene's Bio
Serene Raslan is a Sustainability Project Coordinator at Cumming Group, and supports LA Metro’s Office of Sustainability. She supports day-to-day coordination, stakeholder engagement, and climate risk mapping. She has a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Environmental Science from Cornell University, and a master’s degree in Climate and Health from Columbia University. In her spare time, she loves baking!
See Hoan's Bio
Hoan Tang joined LA Metro in Sept. 2024 and is a Senior Director in Environmental Compliance and Sustainability. She helps to manage environmental compliance/ sustainability projects and programs. She manages and implements work activities associated with the agency′s environmental compliance/ sustainability programs such as the agency’s 10-year strategic sustainability plan, Moving Beyond Sustainability. Hoan is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences, has a Master of Science degree from the California State University at Fullerton in Environmental Policy and a Master of Public Administration with a focus on Leadership and Management from the California State University at Northridge.
Lori Huddleston
Katherine Kwan + Jamal Polk
See Lori's Bio
Lori Huddleston is a Transportation Planning Manager in Metro’s Long Range Planning Department. In addition to working on long- and short-range plans, she is also a liaison to the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD). At those agencies, she works on Metro’s contribution to their policies and plans.
Lori has 35 years of experience in transportation planning at three countywide transportation planning agencies, two public transit providers, and two transportation consulting firms. Prior to being a planner, she managed a college scholarship program and negotiated in the F-14 and F-18 programs. Her BS degree is in business management from California State University, Long Beach. While working full-time at Metro, she attended graduate school full-time and earned a master’s degree in urban and regional planning.
She has enjoyed hiking since she was one month old (thanks, Mom and Dad), and volunteers for various animal rescue and care groups. Her two children are on the Speech and Debate Team at Gabrielino High School, and they also keep her very busy.
See Katherine's Bio
Katherine Kwan is part of the Creative + Brand, Signage & Environmental Graphic Design team. After graduating from Art Center College of Design, Katherine worked with various design and architecture studios in Los Angeles before making her way to LA Metro. She enjoys riding her bike and using transit to keep discovering new parts of Los Angeles.
Dolores Vera + Mildred Perez + Tess Paige
See Dolores's Bio
Originally from Sacramento and a UCLA alum, I have over eight years of experience managing all phases of multi-million-dollar projects in the Right-of-Way industry. My background includes coordinating complex efforts across teams, timelines, and technical requirements to keep things moving smoothly and on budget.
For the past two and a half years, I’ve been with LA Metro, where I’ve continued to build on that foundation—working on projects that shape how people move through their cities. I’m especially interested in the space where planning, public infrastructure, and community impact come together. Never a dull moment within Metro’s Real Estate’s Department.
When I'm not working, you’ll often find me volunteering at the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center. In my downtime, I’m courtside from the couch, passionately rooting for the Sacramento Kings.
See Mildred's Bio
Mildred Perez joined Metro’s Joint Development team in Spring 2022, bringing a background in affordable housing advocacy and municipal planning. As a Senior Transportation Planner, she has contributed to several Joint Development projects, including Lorena Plaza, Crenshaw Crossing, and the Santa Monica Vermont Apartments. Most recently, she played a key role in launching one of the first sites under Metro’s 10K initiative.
Mildred is also deeply committed to engaging students and introducing the next generation to careers in transportation and Metro’s efforts to create transit-oriented communities. She actively participates in outreach and mentorship programs that connect young people with real-world planning opportunities.
She holds a Master’s in Urban Planning from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor’s in Urban Studies from the University of California, Irvine.
Francisco Garrido + Peter Yau
See Francisco's Bio
I am a Senior Engineer at LA Metro with a background in structural engineering and over seven years of experience in projects engineering. I began my career at Metro as a college intern and have grown within the organization to my current role. My project experience includes major transit initiatives such as the K Line and the LAX Transit Center Project.
See Peter's Bio
I'm a Director at LA Metro with a background in Architecture and Design Technology. After becoming a licensed architect, I shifted my focus to Building Information Modeling (BIM), using digital tools to help design and deliver transit projects more efficiently. I'm passionate about combining creativity and technology to improve the way we build our cities.
The Program Management Department is focused on the delivery of Capital Projects including Transit (Rail & Bus Rapid Transit), Highways, and Regional Rail Projects. Safety, Quality and On-Time/On-Budget Delivery of Projects are major goals of the Program Management Department. What is the Long-Range Plan for Transportation in the Southern California Region and what do you know about the projects that will need to be completed in time for the Olympics 2028? Create your storyboard to include any new or proposed capital projects or concepts (i.e., Measure M, Short/Long Range Transportation Plan, Office of Extraordinary Innovation, Transit Oriented Development, Mobility 21, and Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), etc.).
This project is designed around the Television Show entitled, “Shark Tank”. Your project team is tasked to be members of a company and your project team is tasked to come up with a product/strategy to increase ridership among teens and young adults! Your overall objective is to find how a business/company is:
Financed
Markets
Production
Your project team is to develop a “Business Plan” and to construct a written business plan analyzing your financials, marketing strategy, management, organization, production. Write up a budget sheet detailing your company’s expenses. In addition, your team is to develop a “Sales Pitch” to include the following deliverables to sell your product/strategy to Metro! Make a video, power point, or any type of presentation to convince us why your product/strategy is the best one for Metro.
Information Technology is what helps one of the largest transportation agencies in the world operate and function smoothly, it is the heart of everything we do. This is an opportunity to showcase your computer software skills along with your love for technology. How has information technology impacted the transportation industry and what role will IT play in the future in terms of advance technology and the “New Mobility Transportation Systems”?
In “creating the future” think in terms of developing a “Smart City” and what that future needs to look like. Smart Cities are connected through technology so that they can efficiently and effectively serve and protect the public. Be forward-thinking when you begin “brainstorming” with your break-out team members. Concentrate on today’s pandemic challenges and other types of catastrophic events such as earthquakes, sea level rise, etc. Begin thinking about how your team will identify innovative ways to create a “new future” for LA County. Smart City year, because the pandemic has shown how critical smart city infrastructure is to everyone in LA County to maintain and increase productivity, social connections, and learning. We are looking forward to the students’ experiences and ideas! Infrastructure supports economic growth and opportunities for people in the following areas:
Transportation
Energy
Water/waste treatment
Broadband and digital innovation
Health and healthcare
Education
Environment/sustainability
Emergency services/safety
Create a video marketing campaign to enhance the visibility of Rail Safety Programs (RSP) and effectively communicate safety messages to one of our target demographics, teenagers, and young adults within our communities. They will be empowered to choose from a diverse array of social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as various formats including safety messages, short videos, or YouTube clips. This is a great opportunity to showcase your talents in technology along with learning about LA Metro’s Safety Programs.
The Gridlock Buster Traffic Control Game developed by the University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies Program. Try busting the gridlock and controlling traffic signals by using the game, developed to demonstrate some of the tools and concepts that traffic engineers use every day. As a player, you will imagine you have been hired by the Traffic Management Laboratory and handed your first assignment. Players must pass a series of levels (3) while acquiring specific skills for controlling the traffic and ensuring that delays do not get out of hand.
Develop a Safety Campaign featuring your storyboard which would be featured or illustrated to the MTA ridership; to reduce the number of current crime trends on the rail and bus system. This campaign will be geared towards the young adult ridership and will be used on LAPD Transit’s social media platform. Create your storyboard to illustrate what types of social media campaigns your team would like to feature to reduce the current crime trends. Be creative and innovative in your teams thinking in terms of LA Metro’s standards.
This TCAP project team was tasked to conduct an audit of LA Metro’s map cases system wide. Interns were tasked to locate, validate, and record the state of equipment and content, and enter their findings or data into a small EAM. Metro has approximately 1,600 map cases installed system wide. These map cases hold transit/travel information enabling customers to use the system effectively. Map cases are installed in all 93 operational rail Stations On rapid bus transit stations such as Orange Line and Silver Line – 28 stations. Map cases get broken, vandalized, and parts may wear out. Broken glass, broken locks, broken bulbs Vandalism and damage. TCAP interns worked in the field, learned the Metro system, and picked up technical skills for them to consider as part of their career pathway and/or future college career.