On June 30, 2026, Crystal Lee, PE, MSCE, ENV-SP, SHRM was appointed City Engineer, becoming the first female City Engineer in the history of Los Angeles. Overseeing the Bureau of Engineering, Lee leads more than 800 engineers, architects, technical and administrative staff, in the planning, design and construction of the City of Los Angeles’ public infrastructure, managing over 500 projects each year with a $5 billion budget.
Lee most recently held the position of Deputy Executive Director of the Los Angeles World Airport (LAWA) for the Airport Development Group for Sustainability, Energy, Environmental and Development Services.
Prior to joining LAWA, she was the first female District Engineer at the Bureau of Engineering, overseeing the Harbor District Office, followed by being appointed Deputy City Engineer, over the Development Services and Permits Program. Lee was the youngest female Deputy Engineer to hold the position.
During her City of Los Angeles tenure, Lee also worked for the Harbor Department, as a project manager overseeing multi-million-dollar programs. In this role, she mentored student engineers and young associates.
Lee attended the University of California, Irvine, California State University, Long Beach, and Loyola Marymount University, to obtain her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Civil Engineering. In addition to her professional engineering license and master’s degree, she is SHRM certified, ENV-SP certified, and PMP trained. She participates in multiple community groups, professional societies and technical programs to develop and share professional development.