Mayor Eric Garcetti today nominated Mia Lehrer to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) Board of Commissioners — setting the Department up for its first ever all-female Board.
“Mia will bring her proven leadership, firsthand experience, deep expertise, and extraordinary drive to ensuring LADWP remains one of the most sustainable, reliable, and responsible public utilities in America,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “When Mia takes her seat on the Board, we will make history for our city and mark a critical moment of progress on the road to true equity — all while deepening the department’s commitment to safeguarding our environment, combating climate change, and creating good-paying jobs.”
Pending City Council confirmation, Mia will join four existing Commissioners, each appointed by Mayor Garcetti: Board President Cynthia McClain-Hill, Board Vice-President Susana Reyes, Commissioner Jill Banks Barad, and Commissioner Nicole Neeman Brady.
Mayor Garcetti has made gender equity a top priority from the beginning of his term in office, taking actions to bring parity and balance into the heart of City leadership. Women currently hold more than 50% of the positions on more than 40 City Boards and Commissions, and there are no longer any all-male commissions for the first time in L.A. ‘s history.
“I am excited to be a part of this commission comprised of women leaders, and look forward to working with the LADWP team to make Los Angeles a model of sustainability,” said Lehrer. “This appointment is a true honor, and I can’t wait to work with Mayor Garcetti to advance the goals of L.A.’s Green New Deal principles, put this plan into action, and help keep this city front and center in the movement to preserve our environment, strengthen our economy, and promote equity.”
Mia Lehrer is the founder and president of Studio-MLA, an L.A. urban design and landscape architecture firm. Her firm specializes in the design and implementation of public and private sector projects, such as urban waterway programs, local and regional parks, and mixed-use developments. Mia has a breadth of experience in the public sector, including service as a member of Los Angeles’ Cultural Affairs Commission, Zoning Advisory committee, and the Mayor’s Design Advisory Panel.
Mia is also known as a long-time champion for the Los Angeles River, notably through her work as a member of the team that delivered the City’s River Revitalization Master Plan and the 2020 Upper LA River and Tributaries Revitalization Plan.
A native of El Salvador, Lehrer earned a B.A. from Tufts University and a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. She was named a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects in 2010. If confirmed, she would replace former Commissioner Mel Levine.
