Terri Mestas is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience leading large, complex infrastructure programs for space exploration, miliary installations, national and international anti-terrorism physical security, and innovative project delivery for the aviation industry. As the executive in charge of the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) $30 billion Capital Improvement Program, Mestas is helping to transform the future of aviation infrastructure to position LAX as the leading airport in the world.
Mestas continuously explores the convergence of innovation, sustainability, and mobility in aviation. LAWA’s cutting-edge projects will revolutionize passenger experience for more than 75 million travelers annually, support 67 airlines perform 1,412 daily domestic and international flights, enhance cargo logistics for 2.75 million tons of trade, and set global standards for modern international airports while setting the stage to accommodate passengers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games.
Mestas oversees the development of the Terminal 9 project, which will add 1.4M square feet to support national and international travel capacity and become one of the most iconic terminals in the world. The transformation of LAX will elevate Los Angeles’ prominence among world cities through the Landside Access Modernization Program, Terminal Development Improvement Program, Airfield and Terminal Modernization Program, and Cargo Modernization Program, among other projects. She leads a team of over 450 and manages the services of over 1,700 firms providing design, construction, and professional services to execute work at LAX and Van Nuys airports and Palmdale land holdings.
Prior to her executive leadership role at LAWA, Mestas held several positions for AECOM supporting public and private organizations. Mestas led the Capital Improvement Program at NASA Ames, which includes Moffett Federal Airfield, a joint civilian-military airport. She was integral to the lease agreement between NASA and Google and oversaw construction of Google’s 1.1M sq ft tech campus at NASA. She also supported NASA Armstrong at Edwards Airforce Base, the center for conducting and supporting research and development of flight, as well as test activities by America's commercial aerospace industry. She served as Program Director for the Los Angeles Community College District, the nation’s largest community college district with a $6.2 billion College Facilities Bond Program.
Most recently, she held the position of Senior Director for Capital Projects, Modernization, Planning, Design and Construction at The California Institute of Technology, where she oversaw the development of one-of-a-kind research facilities working with esteemed researchers, to include Nobel prize winners, performing landmark research in neuroscience, ecology and biosphere engineering, quantum precision measurement and other areas.
She currently serves as an Advisory Board member for the USC Marshall Kendrick Global Supply Chain Institute. Ms. Mestas has a Bachelor of Architecture from Catholic University, is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), LEED Accredited Professional and Certified Construction Manager (CCM).
