PROFESSIONAL STUDENT/ STUDENT JURY
Jessica Caloza
Commissioner, Board of Public Works
Jessica Caloza is a Commissioner on the Board of Public Works in the City of Los Angeles. She was appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in February and confirmed by City Council in March 2019. She is the first Filipina American to serve on the Board. Previously, Jessica served as Mayor Garcetti’s Director of Scheduling since 2017. Prior to joining the Garcetti Administration, Jessica served in the Obama Administration in the U.S. Department of Education — where she worked on various education policy issues, Congressional and legislative affairs, student data and privacy, immigration policy, and gender equity issues. She has also been a campaign aide to several members of Congress for their reelection campaigns, including former Rep. Xavier Becerra of California; former Rep. Mike Honda of California; and Rep. Albio Sires of New Jersey. In 2012, she was a community organizer for President Obama’s reelection campaign in Virginia and helped lead various field offices. Outside of government, Jessica is active in the Asian American and Filipino American community. Most recently, she served on the Leadership Council for the Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE).
Christos Chrysiliou
Director of Architectural & Engineering Services,
Los Angeles Unified School District
Christos is the LAUSD Director of Architectural and Engineering Services where he has overseen sustainability and energy management projects and operations within LAUSD facilities for the past six years. Altogether, he has over thirty years of experience in directing, managing educational, hospitality, and commercial projects from programming and design through construction and is experienced at managing large capital improvement programs. He is a graduate of Woodbury University where he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, an AIA member, and a LEED Accredited Professional in Building Design and Construction.
Megan Hackney
Assistant Director, Bureau of Street Lighting
Megan Hackney is an Assistant Director of the Bureau of Street Lighting, where she oversees all street lighting field operations, administrative services, information and smart city technologies, and community engagement services for the Bureau. She has 20 years of experience with the City, 17 of which are in the Department of Public Works. Prior to her current assignment, she worked as a Senior Labor Relations Specialist in the Office of the City Administrator, conducting Labor Negotiations. Megan earned her Bachelors of Arts degree at UCLA in Environmental Studies.
Nia Smith
Mayor’s Youth Sustainability Council
Nia Smith is an architecture student who is passionate about sustainable residential design. Through her studies, she focuses on making pieces and homes that are beautiful, environmentally friendly, and affordable. Nia currently serves on the Mayor's Youth Council for Climate Action and for her college's student body at Los Angeles Trade Technical College. She’s very excited to see everyone's designs!
Christopher Kuhl
Lighting Designer
Christopher is a lighting, scenic, installation designer and educator for new performance, theatre, dance, and opera.
Recent work includes: John Cage's Europeras 1&2 (Los Angeles Philharmonic), Home (Broad Stage, BAM, Edinburgh International Festival, Hong Kong Arts Festival), Living Female Respondent or 53 Yakshi (LACMA), Parable of the Sower (UCLA, The Public Theater), Split Step (L.A. Dance Project, Luma Foundation), Halfway to Dawn (REDCAT, BAM, Contemporary Art Center New Orleans), The Hunger (Abbey Theatre, Ireland), The Elephant Room (St. Ann’s Warehouse), Straight White Men (Young Jean Lee’s Theater Company, Kirk Douglas Theater, The Public Theater, Kaaitheater), The Institute of Memory (REDCAT, The Public Theater, TBA Festival), The Source (REDCAT, BAM), Dog Days (LA Opera), Abacus (REDCAT, BAM, Sundance Film Festival, EMPAC).
He received a 2014 and 2015 Bessie Award for Outstanding Visual Design. He has also received two Ovation Awards and a Sherwood, Drammy, and Horton Award.
He is originally from New Mexico, and a graduate of CalArts.