Sober-Curious Paint & Sip
2025-02-11 12:15 - 13:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | Room 4357 Public Affairs Building, 337 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Relax, unwind, and connect with your Luskin Family at our Sober Curious Paint and Sip event! Join us for an afternoon of creativity, conversation, and community-building on Tuesday, February 11th, 2025, from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. This event is perfect for those who want to enjoy the creative process in a relaxed, alcohol-free environment.
Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just looking to have fun, this is an excellent opportunity to get to know others from all Luskin departments, decompress, and build connections in a friendly, sober setting. No artistic experience is required—bring your enthusiasm and an open mind!
Why Attend?

Meet and mingle with fellow Luskin community members across all departments.
Decompress and enjoy a creative, alcohol-free environment.
Perfect for anyone interested in the sober-curious lifestyle or looking for a fun, relaxing afternoon.

We can’t wait to see you there for a fun and relaxing time! Paint, sip, and build connections with your Luskin Family in a supportive, sober-curious space!

Upzoning and Gentrification in New York City
2025-02-11 12:30 - 14:00 | 4320A Luskin School of Public Affairs, 337 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, 90095, United States
Reforming zoning to increase housing development capacity, or upzoning, is an increasingly common strategy for improving affordability. There is strong evidence that a larger housing supply is associated with greater affordability, but we know less about the effects of upzoning itself. Minjee Kim, Assistant Professor in the Urban Planning department, will discuss her new research on upzonings in New York City and long-term changes to neighborhood demographic, socioeconomic, and housing characteristics. She will also share where gentrification appeared strongest, different mechanisms of gentrification, and what her findings may say about designing more effective upzoning policies.
Minjee Kim
Minjee Kim is an Assistant Professor in the Urban Planning department at UCLA. Her research is situated at the intersection of real estate development and urban planning. She writes about land use regulation and zoning, large-scale real estate developments, exactions, and urban public finance. Her works have appeared in high-impact academic journals such as the Journal of the American Planning Association, Journal of Planning Education and Research, Journal of Planning Literature, and Urban Studies. She has been recognized both nationally and internationally as an emerging expert in U.S. land use regulation and zoning and has been working closely with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy to promote land-based public financing.
RSVP Here

Public Affairs Major Information Session
2025-02-12 17:00 - 18:00 | 3333 Public Affairs Building, 3250 Public Affairs Bldg, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
REGISTER HERE!
Join us at the Public Affairs Major Information Session to learn about the scope of the B.A. in Public Affairs, major requirements, application process, and how the Luskin School of Public Affairs supports your academic goals!
The information session is open to first-year students who are interested in the Public Affairs major.
Information Session Dates

February 12, 2025
5:00pm – 6:00pm
3333 Public Affairs Building
Light refreshments will be served. Walk-ins welcomed.

Registration
Register here to attend the information session.
Learn More About the Major
Learn more about the Public Affairs major at www.luskin.ucla.edu/undergrad or schedule an appointment with a Luskin undergraduate counselor.
Questions?
For questions about the Public Affairs Major, contact the Public Affairs Undergraduate Program via MyUCLA Message Center.

UCLA Teaching Kitchen Hands-On Culinary Workshop
2025-02-13 12:00 - 13:00 | 3rd Floor Commons, 337 Charles E. Young Drive East, 3383 Public Affairs, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
UCLA Teaching Kitchen Hands-On Culinary Workshop
Get ready to stir up some fun and flavor!
The UCLA Teaching Kitchen brings its culinary expertise to the 3rd Floor Commons for a special hands-on workshop exclusively for Luskin students. Join us on Thursday, February 13th, 2025, and learn to create a delicious recipe—just in time to kick off your Valentine’s Day celebrations.
Whether you’re a seasoned cook or new to the kitchen, this is a perfect opportunity to learn, create, and enjoy a fun culinary experience with your Luskin community.
Stay tuned—more details are coming your way soon!
Mark your calendar, and don’t miss this tasty event!

Estolano Advisors/Better World Group Career Tour
2025-02-19 11:00 - 13:00
Join us for a UCLA Luskin Career Tour with Estolano Advisors and Better World Group in Downtown Los Angeles! This immersive event offers Luskin students an exclusive opportunity to connect with professionals at leading urban planning and policy consulting firms. Don’t miss this chance to network, learn, and envision your future in public affairs!
This opportunity is open to all Luskin graduate students and senior undergraduate students majoring in Public Affairs. Graduate students can register via CareerHub. Undergraduates register here: https://sa.ucla.edu/forms/p/43hCX.

Luskin Day at City Hall Information Session
2025-02-21 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Please attend to learn more about this year’s Luskin Day at City Hall. This program is exclusively for Luskin graduate students. RSVP to receive the Zoom link: https://luskin-ucla.12twenty.com/events/30006101249264

Tents and Tenants: After Echo Park Lake - Tenants in the Streets, A Panel Discussion
2025-02-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Skid Row History Museum & Archive, 250 South Broadway, Los Angeles, 90012, United States
The UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy invites you to join us at the Skid Row History Museum & Archive for a panel discussion entitled, “Tenants in the Streets.” Featuring Lupita Limón Corrales, Deshonay Dozier, Erin McElroy, and Annie Powers, with Pete White as moderator, this program will foreground the struggles of housed and unhoused tenants, those who are forced to live on the streets and take to the streets.
—–
Tents and Tenants: After Echo Park Lake is a public exhibition about how poor people make the city their home, even in the face of state violence. Abandoned by the city during a global pandemic, unhoused organizers created an encampment at Echo Park Lake that soon became an uprising against the policed-propertied order of Los Angeles. The exhibition and associated public programs activate an archive of organizing histories that is intended to be the practice of a collective future.
Join us for the final Tents and Tenants public program on Friday, March 21, 7pm: The Liberatory Living Room, A Performance.
This exhibition is organized by the UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy with support provided by the Mellon Foundation. It is on display February 1-March 30, 2025 at the Skid Row History Museum & Archive, a project of Los Angeles Poverty Department.
Skid Row History Museum & Archive hours: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 2-5pm and by appointment.

Sacramento Alumni Regional Reception
2025-02-24 18:00 - 20:00 | Zocalo- Midtown, 1801 Capitol Ave, Sacramento, 95811, United States
The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs invites you to join your fellow alumni for an evening of connection, conversation, and community. Whether you are a seasoned professional, a recent graduate, or somewhere in between, this event is the perfect opportunity to expand your network, rekindle old friendships, and create new ones. Early Bird Tickets go on sale on January 1st. Stay tuned!

2025 UCLA Luskin Sacramento Briefing
2025-02-25 09:00 - 12:15 | UC Student and Policy Center, 1115 11th St, Sacramento, United States
New research that can light the way toward real policy solutions for California will be shared at the 2nd Annual Sacramento Briefing, presented by the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. Faculty from top UCLA research centers will join state lawmakers, agency officials and community leaders to present findings, build networks and pursue transformative change.
Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Time: 9 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Location: UC Student and Policy Center, Sacramento
Cost: Free
The Luskin Sacramento Briefing is also envisioned as a listening opportunity. If you’re involved in policymaking in Sacramento, please contact us about attending and encourage your colleagues to do so as well. We look forward to hearing your suggestions relating to legislative priorities that would benefit from UCLA research. INQUIRE ABOUT ATTENDING

SACRAMENTO BRIEFING PANELS

Can California Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled? Should It?
Presented by the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies
California has declared that it wants to reduce the total number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) across the state. In this session, presenters will discuss strategies and best practices for achieving this complex goal. VMT is accompanied by undeniable costs but also by real benefits — and the benefits may be largest, paradoxically, in places where driving is most common. Thus, the broader goal of making VMT less necessary involves both reducing the amount of space given over to automobiles while also recognizing that, for the immediate future, some increases in driving will be socially desirable.

Moderator: Catharine Baker, UC Student and Policy Center

Faculty Presenters: Adam Millard-Ball and Michael Manville, UCLA Luskin
Legislator: State Sen. Catherine Blakespear
Agency Representative: Chanell Fletcher, California Air Resources Board

How Can California Maximize Investment Benefits for Heat-Resilient Communities?
Presented by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
California is making significant investments and targeted interventions to build resilience to extreme heat, particularly for its most vulnerable communities. To support this goal, the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation (LCI) conducts research to inform state policies and investments that address extreme heat. LCI researchers and other expert panelists will shed light on why state legislators should care about extreme heat mitigation and management, what the state is doing, and how upcoming investments and additional policies could benefit Californians in direst need of intervention in settings such as schools, homes and public spaces.

Moderator: Alissa Ko, Health Net

Faculty Presenter: V. Kelly Turner, UCLA Luskin
Legislator: State Sen. Caroline Menjivar
Agency Representative: Braden Kay, Governor’s Office of Planning and Research
Community Representative: Christian Rodriguez Ceja, Kounkuey Design Initiative

Trailblazers: UCLA Luskin Alumnae in Consulting & Entrepreneurship
2025-02-27 12:00 - 13:15 | 3333 Public Affairs Building, 3250 Public Affairs Bldg, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Join us for “Trailblazers: UCLA Luskin Alumnae in Consulting & Entrepreneurship,” an inspiring panel discussion featuring Luskin alumnae of color who have forged successful careers in consulting and entrepreneurship.
Discover how these changemakers have navigated challenges, seized opportunities, and leveraged their social work education to drive meaningful change and uplift their communities. Gain valuable insights into their professional journeys and learn actionable strategies for your career path.
Why Attend?

Learn from accomplished alumnae who are leading the way in consulting and entrepreneurship.
Discover how to apply your skills and passions to diverse career opportunities.
Build your professional network and connect with fellow students and alumni.

Lunch will be provided to encourage lively discussions, and we kindly ask that you bring your water bottle to support our sustainability efforts.
We look forward to seeing you there for an engaging conversation and an opportunity to connect with inspiring leaders and peers.

CHIPing In: A Spatial Assessment of Los Angeles' Rezone Program
2025-02-27 12:30 - 14:00 | 2355 Public Affairs, 337 Charles E Young Dr, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Los Angeles has a state-mandated housing target of 456,000 new units by 2029. As part of that effort, in December the city council approved the Citywide Housing Incentive Program (CHIP), which upzones multifamily areas across LA. Aaron Barrall, data analyst at the Lewis Center, will share results from a detailed evaluation of CHIP with an emphasis on fair housing outcomes and development feasibility. Although the policy shifts housing capacity towards higher-opportunity neighborhoods and is likely to increase housing production, it also differs from LA’s original plan by excluding all properties with single-family zoning, greatly reducing its potential benefits. We will discuss what these decisions may mean for future growth, affordability, and access to opportunity in the city.
Shane Phillips
Shane Phillips manages the Randall Lewis Housing Initiative for the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies. In this role, he supports faculty and student research, manages events, and publishes research, policy briefs, and educational materials. His work covers a wide range of housing topics including tenant protections, housing production policies, and government revenue and financing reforms. Shane is also the author of “The Affordable City: Strategies for Putting Housing Within Reach (and Keeping it There),” in which he argues for an “all of the above” approach to housing policy and outlines 55 strategies for improving affordability and household stability.
Aaron Barrall
Aaron Barrall is a housing data analyst at the Randall Lewis Housing Initiative for the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, assisting faculty, students, and staff with data analysis and visualization. Before joining the Lewis Center, he worked as a private-sector urban planner, where he developed comprehensive land-use and housing plans. He has also held environmental-related roles at state and local government agencies.
RSVP Here

InterActions LA 2025
2025-03-10 09:00 - 16:00 | The California Endowment, 1000 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA, 90012, United States
InterActions LA 2025: Advancing Housing & Transportation Solutions
To achieve California’s ambitious goals of addressing the housing crisis, improving the transportation system, enhancing people’s lives, and mitigating climate change, governments and agencies need to adopt new approaches to longstanding policy challenges. Academic research offers some solutions, but how to best implement these solutions remains a tricky question. At InterActions LA, the Lewis Center strives for answers from people who have been successful in their own cities.
By bringing together local leaders with policymakers and government officials from outside of Los Angeles and California, InterActions LA ignites conversations and exchanges ideas to increase equity and sustainability in the state’s housing and transportation sectors.
Registration
Registration fee includes day’s programming, plus breakfast, lunch and reception.
Regular: $50
Students & Nonprofits: $10-25
Register Today
Schedule
Schedule is subject to change as more speakers are confirmed. Visit event site for up-to-date information.
8:30 am | Breakfast
9 am | Welcome and Keynote Speaker
9:30 am | Panel 1 | Housing Affordability at the Household and Community Level
Southern California cities must chart a new course on housing and land use policy. They must plan for much more housing production and meet ambitious affordable housing targets, overcoming tensions between these two goals, and they must do so in ways that break down historical segregation patterns. This has proven challenging, with many entrenched interests opposing these changes. These challenges are not unique to Southern California, however, and other West Coast cities have made great progress reforming their policies in recent years. They join us to share the nuts and bolts of their reforms, their early impacts, and the work and partnerships that made them possible.

Spencer Gardner, Planning Director, City of Spokane
Mahdi Manji, Director of Public Policy, Inner City Law Center

11 am | Panel 2 | Program and Infrastructure Approaches to Transportation Equity
Cities and transportation agencies must improve transportation systems to ensure the state meets greenhouse gas emission targets and that transportation access does not further disadvantage people and communities. Delivering innovative improvements requires new transportation management approaches like managing driving and reallocating street space. Cities can also enact programs that help address other transportation barriers and improve safety. This session explores approaches that innovate using infrastructure and programmatic approaches to better address transportation challenges and find ways to meet stated community needs.

Madeline Feig, Transportation Wallet: Access for All Program Coordinator, Portland Bureau of Transportation
Greg Francese, Transportation Planner, City of Hoboken

12:15 pm | Lunch
1:15 pm | Panel 3 | Making Change Happen Locally
This session will be a moderated discussion among local leaders to reflect on the themes previously discussed during the day and share how agencies and groups in the Los Angeles region can work to implement new approaches in housing and transportation. Where will leadership come from? What changes can fit within existing processes? Where is the political appetite and opportunity windows to change away from the status quo?
2:15 pm | Closing Remarks
2:30 pm | Reception

Public Affairs Major Application Information Session
2025-03-10 16:00 - 17:00 | Room 2343 Public Affairs Building, 337 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
REGISTER HERE!
Are you applying to the Public Affairs major this year? Join us at the Public Affairs Major Application Information Session to learn about the major application eligibility criteria and application process!
The major application information session is open to students who are applying to the Public Affairs major this Winter 2025.
Information Session Dates

Information Session #1:

Date: Monday, March 10, 2025
Time: 4:00pm-5:00pm (PT)
Location: 2343 Public Affairs Building
Register here

Information Session #2:

Date: Thursday, March 20, 2025
Time: 4:00pm-5:00pm (PT)
Location: Zoom
Register here

Information Session #3:

Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Time: 2:00pm-3:00pm (PT)
Location: Zoom
Register here

Registration
Register here to attend the information session. If you are registering for the online session, you will receive the Zoom meeting link to your information session after you register.
Learn More About the Major
Learn more about the Public Affairs major at www.luskin.ucla.edu/undergrad or schedule an appointment with a Luskin undergraduate counselor.
Questions?
For questions about the Public Affairs Major, contact the Public Affairs Undergraduate Program via MyUCLA Message Center.

Public Affairs Major Application Information Session
2025-03-20 16:00 - 17:00 | Zoom
REGISTER HERE!
Are you applying to the Public Affairs major this year? Join us at the Public Affairs Major Application Information Session to learn about the major application eligibility criteria and application process!
The major application information session is open to students who are applying to the Public Affairs major this Winter 2025.
Information Session Dates

Information Session #1:

Date: Monday, March 10, 2025
Time: 4:00pm-5:00pm (PT)
Location: 2343 Public Affairs Building
Register here

Information Session #2:

Date: Thursday, March 20, 2025
Time: 4:00pm-5:00pm (PT)
Location: Zoom
Register here

Information Session #3:

Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Time: 2:00 pm- 3:00pm (PT)
Location: Zoom
Register here

Registration
Register here to attend the information session. If you are registering for the online session, you will receive the Zoom meeting link to your information session after you register.
Learn More About the Major
Learn more about the Public Affairs major at www.luskin.ucla.edu/undergrad or schedule an appointment with a Luskin undergraduate counselor.
Questions?
For questions about the Public Affairs Major, contact the Public Affairs Undergraduate Program via MyUCLA Message Center.

Defining LA’s Future: The Collision of Federal Politics and Local Realities
2025-03-20 17:30 - 20:00 | Los Angeles Athletic Club, 431 W 7th St, Los Angeles, 90014, United States
Registration will open to the public on February 17, 2025. Register here.
A conversation addressing the challenges of recovery while the federal administration attacks equity and dismantles federal bureaucracies.

This event is presented as part of the UCLA Luskin Lecture Series in partnership with the UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute.
5:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. Check-in and Reception
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Program

About the Event
Los Angeles is at a crossroads. As communities begin to recover from the devastating wildfires, systemic barriers and policy decisions at all levels of government will shape their ability to equitably rebuild.
Join us for Defining LA’s Future: The Collision of Federal Politics and Local Realities, a timely discussion on the intersection of local recovery efforts and federal policy. Moderated by Emmy Award-winning reporter and former Univision news anchor Jorge Ramos, this conversation will address:

The disparate impacts of the wildfires on underserved communities.
Systemic barriers to accessing disaster relief and recovery resources.
How federal priorities related to immigration, disaster relief, and the federal workforce could complicate recovery efforts.
The roles of government, community organizations, and the private sector in ensuring a just and equitable recovery.

Date: Thursday, March 20, 2025
Time: 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Los Angeles Athletic Club, 431 W 7th St., Los Angeles, CA 90014
Go Metro: Plan your trip at metro.net.

The UCLA Luskin Lecture Series enhances public discourse on topics relevant to the betterment of society. The Series features renowned public intellectuals, bringing together scholars as well as national and local leaders to address society’s most pressing problems. Lectures encourage interactive, lively discourse across traditional divides between the worlds of research, policy and practice. The Series demonstrates UCLA Luskin’s commitment to encouraging innovative breakthroughs and creative solutions to formidable public policy challenges.
The UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute addresses the most critical domestic policy challenges facing Latinos and other communities of color through research, advocacy, mobilization, and leadership development to propel policy reforms that expand genuine opportunity for all Americans.
UCLA Luskin Photo Release
By attending this event, you will be entering an area where photography, audio and video recording may occur. With your presence, you authorize UCLA Luskin and its licensees to photograph you, make sound and/or video recordings of you, and use the recordings for marketing, publicity and promotion of this event and UCLA Luskin generally. Please click on the link for the full UCLA Luskin Notice of Filming Release.
Attendance by a public official will constitute acceptance of a reportable gift.

Tents and Tenants: After Echo Park Lake - The Liberatory Living Room, A Performance
2025-03-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Skid Row History Museum & Archive, 250 South Broadway, Los Angeles, 90012, United States
The UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy invites you to join us at the Skid Row History Museum & Archive for a performance entitled, “The Liberatory Living Room: Belongings Precede Belonging.” As the closing public program of the Tents and Tenants: After Echo Park Lake exhibition, members of the After Echo Park Lake Archive Collective will present the politics and poetics of how an encampment became the commons.
—–
Tents and Tenants: After Echo Park Lake is a public exhibition about how poor people make the city their home, even in the face of state violence. Abandoned by the city during a global pandemic, unhoused organizers created an encampment at Echo Park Lake that soon became an uprising against the policed-propertied order of Los Angeles. The exhibition and associated public programs activate an archive of organizing histories that is intended to be the practice of a collective future.
This exhibition is organized by the UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy with support provided by the Mellon Foundation. It is on display February 1-March 30, 2025 at the Skid Row History Museum & Archive, a project of Los Angeles Poverty Department.
Skid Row History Museum & Archive hours: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 2-5pm and by appointment.

Public Affairs Major Application Information Session
2025-03-26 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
REGISTER HERE!
Are you applying to the Public Affairs major this year? Join us at the Public Affairs Major Application Information Session to learn about the major application eligibility criteria and application process!
The major application information session is open to students who are applying to the Public Affairs major this Winter 2025.
Information Session Dates

Information Session #1:

Date: Monday, March 10, 2025
Time: 4:00pm-5:00pm (PT)
Location: 2343 Public Affairs Building
Register here

Information Session #2:

Date: Thursday, March 20, 2025
Time: 4:00pm-5:00pm (PT)
Location: Zoom
Register here

Information Session #3:

Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Time: 2:pm – 3:00pm (PT)
Location: Zoom
Register here

Registration
Register here to attend the information session. If you are registering for the online session, you will receive the Zoom meeting link to your information session after you register.
Learn More About the Major
Learn more about the Public Affairs major at www.luskin.ucla.edu/undergrad or schedule an appointment with a Luskin undergraduate counselor.
Questions?
For questions about the Public Affairs Major, contact the Public Affairs Undergraduate Program via MyUCLA Message Center.

2025 Luskin Undergraduate Program Graduation Workshop #1
2025-04-03 14:00 - 15:30 | Zoom
REGISTER HERE
Are you a Public Affairs major planning to graduate this year? Attend a Luskin Undergraduate Program Graduation Workshop to learn about graduation requirements, commencement logistics, resources for graduating students, and how to prepare for your final quarter at UCLA.
The Spring 2025 Public Affairs Undergraduate Program Graduation Workshop is open only to students who are graduating Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025.
The workshops will be held on the following dates via Zoom:

Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 2:00pm – 3:30pm
Monday, April 7, 2025 at 3:00pm – 4:30pm
Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 1:00pm – 2:30pm

Register here to receive Zoom meeting information.
For detailed information about the Luskin Undergraduate Program commencement ceremony, visit the Luskin Undergraduate Program Graduation & Commencement website.
Questions?
For questions about undergraduate graduation or commencement, contact the Public Affairs Undergraduate Program via MyUCLA Message Center.

San Francisco Alumni Regional Reception
2025-04-03 17:00 - 19:00 | Lao Table, 149 2nd St., San Francisco, 94105, United States
Join us for the UCLA Luskin San Francisco Alumni Regional Reception!
📍 Lao Table📅 Thursday, April 3, 2025⏰ 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Reconnect with fellow UCLA Luskin alums and engage with our Interim Dean over an evening of great conversation, delicious food, and expertly crafted cocktails. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to expand your network and strengthen our Bruin community in the Bay Area!
🎟️ Tickets:

Early Bird Alumni: $20 (Available March 4th – March 21st)
Regular Alumni: $40 (After March 21st)
Alumni +1: $60
Includes:
🍴 Banquet-style Lao menu with fresh spring rolls (v), moon nun pla, crispy calamari, tom yum french fries (v) and fresh Miyaki oysters with spicy lime sauce
🍹 Two drink tickets (redeemable for a beverage of your choice)

Dress Code: Business Smart
Show up polished and ready to impress while keeping it comfortable enough to enjoy the evening!
Registration opens March 3rd at 9:00 a.m. We can’t wait to see you there! 💙🐻💛

2025 Luskin Undergraduate Program Graduation Workshop #2
2025-04-07 15:00 - 16:30 | Zoom

From Blueprint to Reality: Project Managers Tackling Housing Affordability
2025-04-08 12:00 - 13:15 | 4357 Public Affairs Building
The escalating demand for affordable housing presents complex challenges that require innovative solutions and effective project management. This panel brings together experienced project managers who have successfully navigated the intricacies of affordable housing development. They will share insights into the planning, execution, and completion of housing affordability projects, discussing strategies to overcome obstacles such as rising construction costs and regulatory hurdles.
Lunch will be provided for all registered attendees.
Key Discussion Points:

Project Planning and Execution: Understanding the critical phases of affordable housing development, from initial concept to project completion.
Overcoming Challenges: Exploring solutions to common obstacles in affordable housing projects, such as securing financing and managing stakeholder expectations.
Innovative Approaches: Highlighting creative strategies and best practices that have led to successful affordable housing developments.

Networking Opportunity:
To enhance the value of this event, we have incorporated a dedicated networking session, recognizing that panel discussions provide valuable insights and foster networking opportunities among attendees.

Networking Session (12:00 PM – 12:15 PM): Before the panel discussion, attendees are invited to participate in a 15-minute networking session. This time encourages connections among professionals with shared interests in affordable housing and project management.

Who Should Attend:
This event is ideal for professionals and students interested in affordable housing, urban planning, real estate development, and community development. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the role of project management in addressing housing affordability and learn from real-world examples of successful projects.
Format:

Networking Session (12:00 PM—12:15 PM): Meet fellow attendees to build connections and share experiences.
Panel Discussion (12:15 PM—1:00 PM): Listen to project managers share their experiences and lessons learned in affordable housing development.
Q&A Session (1:00 PM – 1:15 PM): Participate in an interactive question-and-answer segment to delve deeper into specific topics of interest.

Join us for this insightful discussion to understand how effective project management can transform blueprints into reality, providing affordable housing solutions to our communities.

Luskin Day at City Hall
2025-04-11 10:00 - 18:00 | Los Angeles City hall, Los Angeles City Hall, Los Angeles, CA, United States
Luskin Day at City Hall will take place April 11, 2025. This event is exclusively for Luskin graduate students. The goal of this event is to facilitate networking between Luskin graduate students and officials working in local government and to pipeline Luskin graduate students to jobs and internships in the City and County of Los Angeles.
To participant in this experience, lease apply via CareerHub February 17-March 1.
For more information visit:https://luskin.ucla.edu/student-affairs/career-services#toggle-id-15

Luskin Summit 2025
2025-04-16 07:30 - 14:30 | UCLA Meyer & Renee Luskin Conference Center, 425 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
The seventh annual UCLA Luskin Summit will focus on the rebuilding and recovery of the Los Angeles region following the devastation caused by the wildfires in January 2025. This event is intended to provide policymakers and non-profit leaders with the latest research and guidance from UCLA Luskin experts, community groups, and government agencies to guide the effort to expedite recovery equitably.
The UCLA Luskin Summit is not just about recovery; we want to share the expertise and experience of leaders in Los Angeles and researchers at UCLA so we can restore communities and make them more resilient than before.
Date: Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Time: 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Location: UCLA Luskin Conference Center
Admission: $60 general admission | $20 for UCLA students
For those experiencing financial hardship or who were directly impacted by the Los Angeles fires, please email UCLA Luskin Events Director Tammy Borrero to learn more about registration fee discounts.
REGISTER BY APRIL 13

SESSIONS
Opening Plenary: Rebuilding Together
Track 1: Strategies in Rebuilding
Track 2: Community Recovery for Vulnerable Populations
Track 3: Impacts on Mental and Physical Health
Track 4: Climate Risk and Resilience
Closing Plenary: Unified to Thrive

2025 Luskin Undergraduate Program Graduation Workshop #3
2025-04-16 13:00 - 14:30 | Zoom

Community Organizing for Social Change
2025-04-17 17:00 - 18:00 | 2343 Public Affairs, Los Angeles, CA, United States
Join James Suazo, activist in residence with the UCLA Institute for Inequality and Democracy, to learn about different approaches to social change, direct action/community organizing, and power building ecosystems. James also serves as the Executive Director of Long Beach Forward, so participants will learn about the work that LBF does and how to get involved.

Spring Career and Internship Fair
2025-04-22 16:00 - 18:30 | UCLA Ackerman Union Grand Ballroom, 308 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, United States
You are invited to participate in the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Career & Internship Fair on Tuesday, April 22 from 4:00-6:30pm at the Ackerman Grand Ballroom. Employer and graduate student registration will open on CareerHub in March 2025. Undergraduate Seniors pursuing a BA in Public Affairs must RSVP here: LINK COMING SOON.
At the Luskin Career Fair, you will have the opportunity to speak with Public Policy, Urban and Regional Planning, and Social Welfare graduate students and undergraduate Public Affairs majors looking for job and internship opportunities. Our students are interested in a variety of fields, including government agencies, nonprofit organizations, public service and private sector establishments, mental health clinics, hospitals, social service agencies.

Lunch and Learn with JCI Worldwide
2025-04-24 12:30 - 13:45
Join Ken Chawkins, Steve Crosby, and Seth Jacobson from JCI Worldwide for a lunch and panel discussion on the recent Palisades and Eaton fires from a public affairs PR perspective. Panelists will explore the backlash against the LA County administration, including how leadership (especially Mayor Karen Bass) responded and what could have been done differently on the PR side.

Ken Chawkins, Senior Advisor: Having spent almost 30 years in public affairs, serving business, labor, government, and nonprofits, Ken is an expert in identifying strategic partners, developing sharp messaging and outreach efforts. Chawkins’ works with Gemini Motors and South Coast Air Quality Management District. He is Project Lead for the City of South Pasadena in their transition to become the first city in the US with an all zero-emissions Police Force and National Demographics Corporation helping public jurisdictions in California navigate the development of electoral maps. He teaches Stakeholder Engagement at UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs.
Steve Crosby, Senior Advisor: Known for his years of extensive business, educational, and political relationships on the state and federal level. Crosby has more than 30 years of experience in public affairs, strategic corporate and crisis communications, government, and community relations, as well as grassroots coalition-building. As a senior advisor at JCI he provides insight and strategy for a variety of clients ranging from telecommunications and healthcare to technology. He has extensive experience in Sacramento having worked for the California Legislature for a number of years as well as providing public affairs strategy for clients on a multitude of issues in the State.
Seth Jacobson, Principal: Seth Jacobson is one of the nation’s leading marketing and communications specialists, with more than 25 years of experience in corporate communications, coalition advocacy, and public affairs. He specializes in creating highly effective advocacy programs for companies, governmental agencies, and organizations competing in the new global marketplace. Prior to starting JCI, he spent 12 years leading the western divisions of two of the nation’s largest public relations and advertising agencies: Edelman Public Relations and Ogilvy & Mather, where he ran divisions responsible for public affairs, public relations, and new technology. Prior to this, Seth spent five years working in Washington, D.C., including several years in the Carter and Clinton administrations in positions focused on press relations, global and national presidential events, technology, economic development, and foreign policy.

Founded in 1995, JCI is a leader in communications, advocacy, and public affairs. With award-winning campaigns and successful partnerships, their agency has built a reputation for delivering results and driving success. Their team is made up of communications professionals, crisis experts, and other individuals from diverse work experiences looking to grow their careers. JCI seeks out bright, motivated people who are curious and desire a challenge. People who succeed at JCI thrive on collaboration, continuous learning, and regular feedback.
Don’t miss out if you are interested in a career in strategic communications, public affairs, and advocacy!

NASW: Social Work Licensure in CA
2025-04-25 15:00 - 16:30 | Zoom
Join NASW-CA Executive Director, Kimberly Warmsley for an information session about social work licensure in California! MSW students interested in the process and timeline of licensure will learn those logistics, along with requirements and costs.

Tribal Leadership and California Policy in Action
2025-04-28 14:00 - 16:50 | 2343 Public Affairs, Los Angeles, CA, United States
President Rudy Ortega Jr. of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians will join the California Policy course at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs as a guest speaker. His visit offers students a rare opportunity to engage directly with tribal leadership and gain insight into how tribal governments intersect with California state and local policy systems. President Ortega will speak on topics such as tribal sovereignty, the governance and history of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band, and how tribal nations collaborate with public agencies on shared challenges like housing, environmental protection, and infrastructure. Students can expect a rich, thought-provoking discussion that deepens their understanding of tribal-state relations and the critical role of Indigenous voices in shaping California policy.
He will be joined by :

Citlaly Ortega, Policy Specialist
Miguel Luna, Chief Administrative Officer
Luis Cervantes, Executive Director of the Tataviam Land Conservancy.

This special session highlights the broader impact of Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia’s course and the incredible lineup of guest speakers helping students deepen their understanding of California policy and governance.

Lessons in Leading Mission-Based Innovation in Transportation: Zero Fatalities, Zero Pollution, and Zero Disparities
2025-04-28 17:00 - 19:30 | UCLA James West Alumni Center, Tom Davis Founders’ Room, 325 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, 90095
RSVP HERE
This event is part of the Luskin Lecture Series and co-hosted by the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies as part of the Martin Wachs Distinguished Lecture Series.

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Check-in and Reception
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Program
RSVP required for admittance. Admission is free, but registration is required for each attendee.

Description
Speakers

Robert Hampshire, Associate Professor of Public Policy, University of Michigan (featured speaker)

Ann E. Carlson, Faculty Director, Emmett Institute on Climate Change & the Environment (moderator)

During this session, Robert Hampshire will share several in-depth case studies of national significance on the role of innovation in roadway safety, aviation safety, supply chain disruptions, and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) drones. Based on firsthand experiences from leading the US Department of Transportation research and technology enterprise, he will highlight the role that a mission-focused approach to innovation can play in addressing some of our most important societal challenges. In order to eliminate transportation fatalities, pollution and carbon emissions, and to serve all travelers, a collaborative multi-stakeholder, multi-industry approach is required. He took this approach during his time as a political appointee and senior leader in the US Department of Transportation during the Biden-Harris administration.
About the Speaker
On January 20, 2021, Hampshire was sworn in and performed the duties of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology at the United States Department of Transportation, and served as the department’s Chief Science Officer, becoming the first to fill the role in over 40 years.
In this role he led the $2B research and technology portfolio of USDOT and agenda across all modes of transportation. His office included the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Cambridge, MA), Transportation Safety Institute (Oklahoma City, OK), Bureau of Transportation Statistics, and the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office, the SMART grant program, University Transportation Centers grant program , Advanced Research Projects Agency for Infrastructure (ARPA-I), Climate Change Center, Office of Position Navigation and Timing (PNT) and Spectrum management, ant the Highly Automated Safe System Center of Excellence (HASS COE).
On Jan 21, 2025, Hampshire returned to his faculty position at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. His research applies a blend of public policy, operations research, data science, and systems approaches to analyze novel transportation systems such as smart parking, connected vehicles, autonomous vehicles, ride-hailing, bike sharing, car sharing, as well as, pedestrian and bicyclist safety. His research focuses on environmental impacts, equity, and access to opportunities. His work has been cited widely, and covered by major press outlets. He has worked extensively with both public and private sector partners worldwide. He has also been a faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University and a visiting professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Hampshire received a PhD in operations research and financial engineering from Princeton University.

Public Transportation

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines – “Big Blue Bus”
Culver City Municipal Bus Lines
LADOT Commuter Express
Antelope Valley Transit Authority
Santa Clarita Transit
Metrolink (Commuter Trains)
LAX Transportation Services

Map, Direction & Parking
View Large Map
Direction: From the 405 freeway, exit on Wilshire Boulevard East. Turn left on Westwood. Proceed north onto the UCLA campus.
Parking: The nearest parking to the venue is LOT 7. You may purchase a parking permit through the Bruin ePermit system and at self-service pay stations. An all day pass currently costs $16 per vehicle and $5 per vehicles with handicapped placard.
For more information, please visit UCLA Parking Rates and Fees.

The UCLA Luskin Lecture Series enhances public discourse on topics relevant to the betterment of society. The Series features renowned public intellectuals, bringing together scholars as well as national and local leaders to address society’s most pressing problems. Lectures encourage interactive, lively discourse across traditional divides between the worlds of research, policy and practice. The Series demonstrates UCLA Luskin’s commitment to encouraging innovative breakthroughs and creative solutions to formidable public policy challenges.
The UCLA Institute of Transportation’s Wachs Lecture Series draws innovative thinkers to the University of California to address today’s most pressing issues in transportation. Created by students to honor Professor Martin Wachs upon his retirement from the University, the lecture rotates between Berkeley and UCLA, the campuses at which Marty taught. He passed away April 12, 2021.
Photo Release: By attending this event, you will be entering an area where photography, audio and video recording may occur. With your presence, you authorize UCLA Luskin and its licensees to photograph you, make sound and/or video recordings of you, and use the recordings for marketing, publicity and promotion of this event and UCLA Luskin generally. Please click on the link for the full UCLA Luskin Notice of Filming Release.
Attendance by a public official will constitute acceptance of a reportable gift.
The Luskin School of Public Affairs at UCLA acknowledges the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar (the Los Angeles basin and So. Channel Islands). As a land grant institution, we pay our respects to the Honuukvetam (Ancestors), ‘Ahiihirom (Elders) and ‘Eyoohiinkem (our relatives/relations) past, present and emerging.
