Lys Mendez is a graduate of the UCLA Luskin Urban Planning program where she focused on transportation policy. She is interested in transportation policy, economic development and environmental policy to transform the relentless traffic and sprawling neighborhoods of Los Angeles.
Lys has worked as a newspaper reporter, grant writer, and local government spokesperson. During her time as a general assignment reporter at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, she covered Latino affairs, community issues and municipal government.
Lys also worked as a grant writer for a community development program in South Los Angeles. Later, she returned to her hometown to work as a spokesperson for the County of Riverside, where she launched the first Spanish-language media outreach program.
During her time at the county, she worked on strategic communications during the budget crisis, H1N1 flu outbreak and the 2010 U.S. Census. She continues to work for the Office of the Mayor of Los Angeles.