The Public Works Podcast: Hye Jin Lee Episode

Episode Title: Reimagining Public Works for a Growing City: Insights from Hye Jin LeeEpisode Summary: Join host Shane Silsby for an inspiring conversation with Hye Jin Lee, Director of Public Works for the City of Chino, California. Hye Jin shares her journey from consulting engineer to municipal leader, and how she's building a culture of excellence in public service. In this episode, we explore what it takes to lead a full-service public works department in a rapidly growing city, the importance of team culture, and how innovation and collaboration are shaping the future of infrastructure in Southern California.Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction & Welcome1:32 - Meet Hye Jin Lee, Director of Public Works2:31 - Hye Jin's Journey: From Veterinarian Dreams to Civil Engineering3:50 - Why Municipal Engineering? Making a Local Impact4:54 - Building Parks & Seeing Community Impact6:00 - First Priorities as Director: Building Team Culture7:17 - Leading 127 Employees & $120M Capital Budget8:33 - Chino's Strategic Location & "Open for Business" Philosophy10:22 - Breaking Down Silos: Creating a Unified Team Culture12:58 - Visiting the Field & Learning from Crews13:43 - Innovation in Public Works: AI for Infrastructure Assessment16:03 - Curb Appeal: Streets as Business Invitations18:19 - The Pine Avenue Project: 20 Years in the Making20:59 - Building Partnerships Across Jurisdictions22:47 - Challenges Ahead: Growth, Workforce & Level of Service25:27 - Advice for Aspiring Public Works Leaders27:41 - Improving Communication Skills in Engineering29:03 - Closing Thoughts & Thank YouABOUT HYE JIN LEE: Hye Jin Lee is a licensed professional engineer with a career rooted in public service and infrastructure leadership. She leads the City of Chino's full-service Public Works department, overseeing water, sewer, streets, parks, fleet maintenance, and capital improvements.CONNECT WITH US: Please subscribe to this channel on YouTube: ‪@ThePublicWorksPodcast‬ 🔗 LinkedIn: ‪@ThePublicWorksPodcast‬ 📧 Contact: [email protected] 🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations with public works leaders. #PublicWorks #CivilEngineering #Leadership #Infrastructure #MunicipalEngineering #Chino #California #PublicService #TeamCulture #Innovation #LocalGovernments #TPWP