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Building the Future of LA Transit with Ali Mir, West Regional Planning Lead, Senior Vice President Episode 160

Release Date: 02/03/2026

Transcript - Building the Future of LA Transit with Ali Mir, West Regional Planning Lead, Senior Vice President Episode 160

The Future Of Work

Ali Mir [00:00:00]: Our communities are well versed in what they need. So how do we allow our communities and how do we empower our communities to be front and center in developing the solutions to the problems that they know that they have. And a huge part of that is workforce development and a pipeline of talent from the very communities that are in need of planning solutions, design solutions, engineering solutions. Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:27]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this podcast. And we are...

Building the Future of LA Transit with Ali Mir, West Regional Planning Lead, Senior Vice President Episode 160

The Future Of Work

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...

Transcript - Revolutionizing Higher Education for Working Learners in a Rapidly Evolving World with Eloy Ortiz Oakley, President and CEO of the College Futures Foundation Episode 159

The Future Of Work

Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:00:00]: Far too often, we assume as educators what they need instead of actually asking them, the employers and folks in the community, what they need. So we need to do all of those things, and we need to do it in a way that is as intentional as the way that we have been designing our curriculum for the last five decades. We have to have the same intentionality around designing curriculum in the multiple other ways that we now know work and work well for working learners. Christina Barsi [00:00:34]: The workforce landscape is rapidly changing, and educators and...

Revolutionizing Higher Education for Working Learners in a Rapidly Evolving World with Eloy Ortiz Oakley, President and CEO of the College Futures Foundation Episode 159

The Future Of Work

The demographic of students in California is changing and education must change with it. Dr. Salvatrice Cummo is joined by Eloy Ortiz Oakley, President and CEO of the College Futures Foundation, to unpack the challenges facing a massive and underrepresented sector of today’s learners—students primarily over the age of 25 who are working at the same time as attending school. They cover the impact of outdated educational models, the rapid pace of technological change, and the urgent need for flexibility and employer partnerships. Tune in for a forward-thinking discussion on disrupting...

Transcript -Community Colleges Leading Economic Resilience - Future of Work Conference Panel Discussion Episode 158

The Future Of Work

Tony Cordova [00:00:00]: All roads lead to workforce. Everything that we do really is intended to be able to provide an opportunity for our students, our community members, our adult learners, whatever that is, they're learners, to be able to provide them an opportunity to get into these careers. And I say careers because it's more than just a job. I mean, we can get a job anywhere. We could go to McDonald's and have a job, but it's not that sustainable career that's going to be able to provide benefits, security, food on the table for our family and put us into that. So that's one of the core...

Community Colleges Leading Economic Resilience - Future of Work Conference Panel Discussion Episode 158

The Future Of Work

We dive into a dynamic panel captured at the 7th annual Future of Work Conference 2025, presented by Pasadena City College. Leaders from education, workforce development, and local government shared invaluable insights on building resilience, navigating recovery, and creating pathways to sustainable careers. Moderated by Leslie Thompson, Director of Operations - the panel featured insights from Tony Cordova - Vice Chancellor of Workforce & Equity Development of California, Monica Banken - Policy Deputy at the office of Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Lizzy Okoro Davidson - Director of the...

Transcript- Episode 157: From Crisis Response to Workforce Readiness: Lessons in Regional Renewal from the Future of Work Conference with Mayor Victor Gordo

The Future Of Work

Victor Gordo [00:00:00]: Our ultimate goal is to prepare people for the workforce of the future. And the workforce of the future is mixed. It's not just, you know, formal degrees in education. It's like I said, it's people who can work with their hands, who can be a part of the construction industry, the landscaping, you name it. Christina Barsi [00:00:24]: The workforce landscape is rapidly changing, and educators and their institutions need to keep up. Preparing students before they enter the workforce to make our communities and businesses stronger is at the core of getting an education....

From Crisis Response to Workforce Readiness: Lessons in Regional Renewal from the Future of Work Conference with Mayor Victor Gordo Episode 157

The Future Of Work

After the LA fires, how do we move past emergency response and into building sustainable crisis prepared communities who know how to bounce back? At our 7th annual Future of Work Conference, PCC led the conversation with local community leaders and experts on rebuilding after an unprecedented disaster. In this special excerpt from the conference, Dr. Salavtrice Cummo, discusses firsthand insights about building resilience and fostering renewal with Victor Gordo, Mayor of Pasadena. Tune in for an honest look at how thoughtful collaboration, listening to community needs, and investing in people...

Transcript- Episode 156: Building Resilient Communities: Insights Into The Upcoming Future of Work Conference with Dr. Salvatrice Cummo and Leslie Thompson

The Future Of Work

Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:00]: When we remove these barriers and we have our systems start speaking to each other a little bit better, we naturally build our communities a little stronger. They become more adaptable and in the long run, more equitable access to the resources and the programming that we have across all agencies, across all systems. Christina Barsi [00:00:25]: The workforce landscape is rapidly changing, and educators and their institutions need to keep up. Preparing students before they enter the workforce to make our communities and businesses stronger is at the core of getting...

Building Resilient Communities: Insights Into The Upcoming Future of Work Conference with Dr. Salvatrice Cummo and Leslie Thompson Episode 156

The Future Of Work

With the LA fires so prominent in recent memory, one question looms large: how can communities move beyond immediate recovery to create long-term systems that withstand future shocks? Today Dr. Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at PCC, and Leslie Thompson, Director of Operations, sit down to open a conversation on building a framework of resiliency and collaboration that will sustain the community for years to come. With the seventh annual conference on the horizon, the conversation dives deep into this year’s critical theme: rebuilding and resiliency in...

More Episodes

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.

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