Connie Chung

Connie Chung is a second-generation Korean American urban planner and a managing partner at the consulting firm HR&A Advisors. Born in Los Angeles and raised in the Pacific Palisades during the 1980s, Connie’s upbringing was defined by a strong sense of community; she tells us that though the Palisades weren’t as popular with Korean folks back in the day, her family found a welcoming and sweet neighborhood where everyone knew one another.

Her professional journey has been shaped by experiences working across urban development, community resilience, and public policy, ranging from post-Hurricane Sandy economic recovery to the revitalization of Boston’s Lawn on D. Connie’s expertise in climate resilience planning took on a personal dimension when the Pacific Palisades Fire impacted her parents’ home. The experience gave her a profound, up-close understanding of the systemic challenges—from insurance negotiations to the psychological burden of disaster survival—that residents increasingly face in an era of accelerating climate change.

Today, as managing partner of her firm’s L.A. office, Connie focuses on mission-driven consultancy, addressing critical urban issues like housing, homelessness, and the creation of open spaces. She is a staunch advocate for environmental justice, particularly regarding the dangers of extreme heat, which she views as a pervasive and less invisible consequence of climate change. Whether she is advocating for urban greening or addressing critical housing needs, Connie remains committed to the principle that professional success is rooted in the deeply personal ability to connect “one-on-one with people and understand them in their wholeness.”