Louie Leiva
Assistant Director of Community Design Research
Louie Leiva (he/him) is an educator and urban planner with an affinity for art in public space. As the proud son to immigrant parents from El Salvador and a lifelong Angeleno, Louie is committed to advocating for and creating opportunities for Los Angeles’s next generation of young creatives. He studied at UC Berkeley and the University of Washington in Seattle and has past work experience in local government, higher-education, and the nonprofit sector. Directly engaging with community members like students, parents, and small business owners is often the highlight of his day to day work. Through his new role as Assistant Director of Community Design Research, one of Louie's many responsibilities includes building upon community engagement efforts within the Westlake/MacArthur Park neighborhood. This is a place he knows well from previous professional affiliations and even more intimately through his childhood.