Jessica Lall serves as the President and CEO of Central City Association (CCA), a premier advocacy organization focused on enhancing the vibrancy of Downtown Los Angeles and increasing opportunity in the region. CCA represents the interests of over 300 businesses, trade associations and nonprofit organizations in L.A. County.
Since becoming CCA’s President and CEO in January 2017, Jessica has restructured the organization, broadened its membership and expanded its governance. She has strengthened its policy advocacy and civic engagement efforts, built diverse coalitions and further developed its thought leadership to produce meaningful results.
Prior to joining CCA, she served as Executive Director of the South Park Business Improvement District in Downtown L.A., where she envisioned and implemented a nationally lauded public art initiative, launched innovative pilot programs and elevated the neighborhood with a strategic branding and economic development plan. Jessica previously held the roles of Senior Policy Director in the Department of Economic and Business Policy for former L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa, Communications Director for the Austin Beutner for L.A. Mayor campaign and Chief Advancement Officer at Coro Southern California.
Jessica serves on the boards of the University of Southern California (USC) Board of Governors, Goodwill Southern California, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board and Coro Southern California. She co-chairs the Communications Committee for the USC Board of Governors. In 2021, she ran for Mayor of Los Angeles, focusing her campaign on proactive solutions to homelessness.
Jessica earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Social Sciences from USC and is a graduate of the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs. She lives in L.A. with her husband and their two-year-old daughter.
Study Group Offered: Local Leadership & Community Systems Change
“Local Leadership & Community Systems Change” explored what it means to be a leader in Los Angeles’ dynamic context. Through inquiry-based learning, students unpacked different leadership styles, ultimately forming their own conclusions about which approaches are most conducive to tangible, lasting progress. Study groups also considered how change happens in L.A. across and within sectors, including business, nonprofit, and government with applicable examples from Jessica Lall’s civic career.