Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass has selected Laura Rubio-Cornejo as the new general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation following an extensive nationwide search. Rubio-Cornejo will focus the department on executing solutions that make communities safer and more livable.
Rubio-Cornejo brings more than 20 years of municipal, regional and state transportation experience. She currently serves as the city of Pasadena’s director of transportation and previously held senior roles at Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro).
“We must do more to make Los Angeles neighborhoods safer for people to get where they need to go while better connecting communities to jobs and other opportunities,” said Mayor Bass. “Laura Rubio-Cornejo is a proven implementer with a record of delivering projects on time and on budget. She is well positioned to focus the department on executing critical traffic safety improvements and delivering a high-level of customer service to Angelenos. She is a leader who fights for equity and will guide the department’s efforts to implement real solutions that support historically disinvested neighborhoods who are disproportionately impacted by traffic violence. I am confident Laura will guide the department’s work to deliver for communities by making streets safer while helping us prepare for major upcoming events that will draw visitors from around the world. I want to thank Interim General Manager Connie Llanos, who for the past 14 months has provided steady and thorough leadership for this department. Her service to the people of this city has bettered Los Angeles for millions of Angelenos every day.”
“It’s an honor to be selected to serve the people of Los Angeles as the next general manager of the Department of Transportation. I’m excited to bring my strategic approach and extensive experience with project delivery, resource management and equity-focused decision making to this work,” Rubio-Cornejo said. “I look forward to working closely with staff, across departments and in close collaboration with the community to deliver multi-modal transportation solutions and initiatives to make Los Angeles neighborhoods safer, more accessible and more livable.”
“It’s an exciting time for Los Angeles – and for the region’s public transit agencies – as we do the work necessary to prepare for the 2028 Olympics and Paralympic Games,” said Stephanie Wiggins, CEO of L.A. Metro. “Laura Rubio-Cornejo brings deep transit experience, a commitment to collaboration and an understanding of the issues we face that will be vital as we create a regional public transit system Angelenos deserve. The L.A. Metro family looks forward to working with Laura once again.”
The appointment will be referred to the Los Angeles City Council for consideration.
