Lys Mendez is one of four students from the Luskin School who are participating in this year's Bohnett Fellows program.  Bohnett Fellows are selected to work with faculty and senior executives in the Mayor's Office on the real world issues that face the city of Los Angeles.   The program offers a great opportunity for students to gain first-hand experience in the highest levels of city government and provides senior executives in the Mayor’s office with an outstanding cohort of policy interns.

Lys, a second year MURP student, is working with the Mayor's Office of Environment and Sustainability on transportation and climate adaptation issues.

Lys has worked as a reporter, covering city government and Latino affairs for the Press Enterprise in Riverside and as a  grant writer   Most recently, she worked in the public information office for the County of Riverside. Her interest in bike transportation, immigrant communities and economic development led her back to school at UCLA's graduate urban planning program. Her undergraduate degree is in Latin American Studies from UC Santa Cruz. Mendez enjoys discovering the city through its food and is glad to recommend some of LA's best taco trucks.