2025 LA Infrastructure Forum Agenda

Welcome Address & Opening Remarks

Building Resilience: A Conversation on Infrastructure

Join this engaging discussion as Los Angeles leaders delve into the most critical infrastructure development issues facing the city and county—from public transportation to the future of water, energy and housing supply across the city and county. Learn about new strategies to boost funding, equity, community engagement, small business opportunities and economic growth that will insure a more resilient and sustainable future for the region.

Lessons Learned from the 2025 Fires and What We Can Do Moving Forward

The 2025 wildfires across Los Angeles underscored urgent need for climate resilience strategies that span infrastructure, emergency management and resource stewardship. Leaders from Los Angeles County and regional agencies will reflect on challenges faced and coordinated responses that emerged—sharing perspectives on infrastructure hardening, water and power reliability, emergency operations and interagency collaboration. Discussion will highlight actionable strategies to adapt to future disasters, with a focus on resilience, equity and long-term sustainability for Southern California communities.

Moderator

Panelists

Pure Water SoCal—Coming Soon and Much More

Pure Water Southern California is one of the most ambitious water recycling initiatives in the nation, designed to strengthen regional water reliability, reduce dependence on imported supplies and build long-term climate resilience. The program is advancing innovative approaches to treat and purify recycled water to produce a safe, sustainable new source for millions of regional users. You will gain a compelling overview of the program’s goals, technological innovations and progress to date, highlighting critical partnerships among local, regional and federal agencies that will make the project possible.

Mega Events Opening Remarks

Putting the ‘L.A.’ In LAX: The Transformation of Los Angeles International Airport

As part of Los Angeles World Airports’ multi-billion-dollar capital program, LAX is undergoing a major transformation with new LA-themed architecture, upgraded terminals, and enhanced amenities featuring both local favorites and global brands. The projects will be delivered using a variety of methods including Progressive Design Build, Design Bid Build Best Value and CMAR. The vision includes procuring and delivering extensive improvements throughout the airport campus, positioning LAX as a modern gateway in time to welcome the world for global events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics and Paralympics.

Economics Opening Remarks

Mario Cordero, CEO of the Port of Long Beach, will open with reflections on the southern California economy through the lens of global trade and regional competitiveness. He will highlight the port’s role as a driver of economic development, the impacts of federal priorities and supply chain dynamics and opportunities ahead to strengthen resilience, sustainability and long-term growth.

LADWP's Transformative Power Plan

As the nation’s largest municipal utility, the Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power is transforming how a major city generates, delivers and manages electricity. The agency is advancing a comprehensive plan to accelerate transition to reliable and affordable clean energy for regional users to achieve 100% renewable power by 2035, while addressing challenges of grid modernization, wildfire risk, energy storage and service delivery equity. Senior Assistant General Manager David Hanson will outline strategies shaping the region's clean energy future, partnerships driving innovation and lessons learned to balance environmental responsibility and future needs of a growing metropolis.

The Intersection of Infrastructure and Mega Events

As the dates near for LA to host upcoming mega events, the region faces an unprecedented opportunity—and challenge—to deliver a world-class transportation experience. Hear new details from key leaders shaping regional mobility on planning, interagency coordination and infrastructure investment to move millions of residents and visitors seamlessly during the 2026 World Cup soccer matches and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Attendees will gain insight into what's needed to transform LA’s transportation network for these global events—and long-term benefits of the improvements.

Moderator

Panelists

Economics and Regional Infrastructure–What are Key Trends Ahead?

Rapid shifts in workforce dynamics, construction demands, federal investment priorities and broader economic trends are reshaping southern California’s business and development landscape. This panel will explore how infrastructure investment and federal initiatives are influencing economic growth, competitiveness and equity in the region. Join the discussion on how these forces are converging to define regional opportunities and challenges, and gain a deeper understanding of strategies being used to ensure long-term prosperity and resilience.

Moderator

Panelists

Here is how the conversation tables work

Grab your lunch and choose your seat!

Each agency and industry expert will be at a seated at one of the roundtables in the expo hall where they will facilitate a conversation on the topic they have chosen. The hosts will engage with the attendees in a conversation—giving them information but also asking about their experiences and answering questions.

Seating will be on first-come, first-seated basis per table.

There will be unstructured seating for those who prefer to chat with friends and colleagues.

InfrastructureLA – Let’s Collaborate Together

TJ Moon, Assistant Deputy Director, LA County Public Works

InfrastructureLA invites regional leaders, industry experts, and community stakeholders to connect at a dynamic networking event focused on advancing Southern California’s infrastructure priorities. Attendees will engage in meaningful conversations, share best practices, and explore collaborative solutions that drive economic growth, climate resilience, and equitable community development. This gathering offers a unique platform to strengthen partnerships, exchange insights, and align on strategies that will shape the future of the region’s transportation, water, energy, and public works systems.

County Contracting: Advancing Equity and Diversity

Soo Kim, Division Head, Business Relations and Contracts, LA County Public Works
Marika Medrano, Assistant Division Head, Business Relations and Contracts, LA County Public Works

Join us for a dynamic conversation on how Los Angeles County Public Works is advancing equity through its contracting practices. This discussion will highlight initiatives designed to increase participation from local small businesses and historically underutilized businesses in County contracts.

Learn about impactful programs such as the Community Workforce Agreement and the Local and Targeted Worker Hiring Program, and discover how these strategies are shaping a more inclusive, community-centered approach to public infrastructure development.

The 2025 OurCounty Sustainability Plan

Matthew Gonser, Climate Resilience Officer, County of Los Angeles
Rita Kampalath, PhD, Chief Sustainability Officer, County of Los Angeles

Join us to learn more about the 2025 OurCounty Sustainability plan and to inform its implementation. The LA County Chief Sustainability Office leads cross-departmental efforts to achieve a sustainable LA County that advances equity, economic opportunity and climate resilience. It provides policy support and guidance to the Board of Supervisors, county departments and regional partners to ensure a sustainable future for all county residents.

Pure Water: Coming Soon and Much More

Suzanne Brown, Senior Engineer, Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts
Johan Torroledo, Team Manager, Pure Water Los Angeles at LADWP

Water is too precious to use just once. Pure Water programs across the state create new clean and sustainable supplies of water to help meet the needs of the region by purifying water used from homes, businesses, and industries. Join us for a conversation about the benefits, challenges, and opportunities of two local programs: Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts’ and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Pure Water Southern California program and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and City of LA Sanitation’s Pure Water Los Angeles program, and discover what the future holds for water resiliency in our region.

Complex Integrator: Recovery and Modernization

Ken Billups, Vice President, Community & Industry Engagement, AECOM
Sonia G. Sanchez, Director of Client Services (LA Water), AECOM

Major events, whether unexpected disruptions or globally celebrated milestones, offer Los Angeles a powerful opportunity to lead with vision. From the rapid recovery at Palisades to the ambitious preparations for LA28, these moments demand complex coordination, but they also create space to rethink what’s possible. This conversation will explore how we can apply the urgency, visibility, and resources surrounding major events to modernize legacy infrastructure, pilot innovative solutions, and rethink how we deliver public value. By turning recovery and readiness into platforms for innovation, we can deliver smarter, more resilient systems that serve communities better, long after the event has passed. Join us to share strategies, lessons learned, and bold ideas for the future of Los Angeles.

20 Years of the Green Port With Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero

Mario Cordero, CEO, Port of Long Beach

CEO Cordero will discuss how the Port of Long Beach embraced environmental sustainability and proved you can clean the air and be an economic engine at the same time.

The Rise of Dispute Review Boards at Public Agencies

Janie Winning, MDR, Construction Mediator & Coach, Dispute Resolution Board Foundation

Historically, many public infrastructure projects have been plagued by delays, cost overruns, defaults and drawn-out claims resolution processes. There is no “silver bullet” to fix all these problems. However, a multi-layered approach from beginning to end of the project, focused on avoidance and early resolution can produce very positive outcomes. When implemented correctly Dispute Review Boards can be a key ingredient to this approach and mitigate many of these problems. DRBs combined with partnering, stepped negotiations and mediation are a most potent formula to keep public projects from going off the rails.

How Does ENR Find Its Stories?

Corinne Grinapol, Assistant Editor, Energy & Environment, Engineering News-Record
Aileen Cho, Deputy Editor, Infrastructure, Engineering News-Record

Join two ENR editors to learn about ENR’s editorial process and how your projects can get coverage. This will also be an opportunity to let us know the types of stories you’re interested in and what you’d like to see more of on the pages of ENR.

Closing Remarks