What does it really take to transform the way Los Angeles moves—and who gets to design the future of our city's transit? In this episode of The Future Of Work podcast, host Salvatrice Cummo sits down with Ali Mir, Senior Vice President and West Regional Planning Lead (WSP) and a leader in regional planning, to uncover the stories and strategies behind LA's public transit evolution. From his own transformative experience as a student riding every mode on the LA Metro—and realizing just how diverse and essential ridership is—to incorporating solution-based innovation related to equity, accessibility, and community-driven design, Ali Mir brings a personal and expert perspective to the future of mobility. Together, they explore how major projects like the LAX Airport Metro Connector are redefining connectivity for a global city, why goods movement through Southern California's ports is a national concern, and what it will take for students and emerging talent to see themselves in careers shaping our infrastructure. Whether you're a student, policymaker, or transit enthusiast, this episode invites you to imagine—and help build—a more inclusive, resilient future of work and mobility. You'll learn: Why LA's transit system is more vibrant and essential than many realize, serving a diverse cross-section of Angelenos How community insight and engagement are central to designing effective and equitable transportation solutions What the Airport Metro Connector means for LA's role as a global city and the future of "multi-pronged" mobility projects How workforce development and talent pipelines from local communities drive transit and infrastructure sustainability Why strategic partnerships between community colleges, private employers, and public agencies are vital to bridging the gap between education and careers in infrastructure How one-to-one mentorship and industry outreach can transform student confidence and build the next generation of transportation leaders About the Guest: Ali Mir is a Senior Vice President with WSP in the U.S. WSP is one of the world's leading professional services firms, uniting its engineering, advisory and science-based expertise to help shape communities. WSP operates in more than 50 countries and employs approximately 73,000 professionals. WSP in the U.S.'s team of 19,000 professionals pioneer solutions and deliver innovative projects across the transportation, infrastructure, environment, building, energy, water, mining and metals sectors. Ali leads the West Regional Planning Practice for WSP, which includes over 120 land use, transit/transportation and environmental planners across eight states and the Pacific Territories. He has more than 20 years of professional experience managing and directing transit, transportation, land use and real estate development projects from feasibility to final design. He has overseen projects for a variety of transit and transportation clients throughout California and the Pacific Northwest. Ali serves as a Board Member for Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, an Advisory Board Member for Mobility 21, a Southern California Transportation Advocacy organization, and as an Advisory Board Member of the METRANS Transportation Consortium. Engage with us: LinkedIn, Instagram & Facebook: @PasadenaCityCollegeEWD Join our newsletter for more on this topic: ewdpulse.com Visit: PCC EWD website More from Ali Mir & WSP USA: Visit: https://www.wsp.com/en-us LinkedIn: @alimirenvsp & @WSPUSA Facebook: @WSPUSA Instagram: @WSPUSA X: @WSPUSA Partner with us! Contact our host, Salvatrice Cummo, directly: scummo@pasadena.edu Want to be a guest on the show? Click HERE to inquire about booking Find the transcript of this episode here Please rate us and leave us your thoughts and comments on Apple Podcasts; we'd love to hear from you!
