Dina Aryan-Zahlan: Harboring Excellence at Port of Los Angeles

Throughout the years, many qualities have defined the WTS-LA Woman of the Year, all deserved superlatives. This year’s winner, Port of Los Angeles Chief Harbor Engineer Dina Aryan-Zahlan, PE, is no exception. For her, though, one of those qualities stands out. Only the second female Port of Los Angeles Chief Harbor Engineer, Aryan-Zahlan is transformational on a scale that many only dream of. Through her work she transforms the Port, the transportation industry, global commerce, and women’s roles in all of the above. And that’s just one of the reasons why WTS-LA named her the 2022 WTS-LA Woman of the Year.

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She’s just always been that way. Dynamic, brilliant, and self-guided from the start, Aryan-Zahlan graduated high school early. She also finished her BSCE at USC in only three years. As a result, she interviewed for her first job at the City of Los Angeles as a civil engineering assistant at only 19 years of age. And for the next 30-plus years, Aryan-Zahlan has dedicated her life to transformational excellence as a public servant. And it is at the Port where she has made her mark.

Joining the nation’s largest port as a construction manager, Aryan-Zahlan rose through the ranks. Earlier this year, Port of Los Angeles Deputy Executive Director of Development Antonio Gioiello named Aryan-Zahlan to her current role, where she oversees the Engineering Division, including the budgeting and implementation of the Port’s $1.8 billion Capital Improvement Program. Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka proclaimed, “Dina is a shining example for all employees.” And he did so for good reason.

Aryan-Zahlan’s work at the Port is astonishing. Overseeing the design of hundreds of millions of dollars of port improvements, she led the team that planned and designed the TraPac container terminal automation, the first of its kind in the nation. She served as program manager for the $1 billion public access transformation of the Los Angeles Waterfront. She also led the development of the Port-wide Transportation Master Plan, resulting in $160 million in transportation improvements. In addition, she’s currently leading the redevelopment of Pier 300 to increase cargo-by-rail throughput. In short, the Port leads the nation for many reasons, but Aryan-Zahlan is certainly one of the pivotal forces shaping that success. She also deploys her smarts, dedication, and genius to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion.

A longstanding, active, contributing member of WTS-LA, she’s served as a Director at Large since 2006. She’s also been instrumental in continuing the Port’s backing of WTS-LA and its mission, regularly hosting boat tours, scholarship fundraisers, and serving often as a speaker. She also encourages everyone at the Port—both women and men—to join WTS and to seek out both advancement and life balance in their work, something she believes in strongly. Also, her workplace reflects her beliefs. Of the Engineering Division’s 85 employees, 80% are minorities and women, as are five of the seven members of the division’s management team. Through her mentoring and promoting women at work, she has helped create a “deep bench of capable women engineers and leaders” at the Port. But her transformational efforts don’t end there.

Knowing the life-changing power of education, Aryan-Zahlan promotes continued education and professional growth wherever possible. She also walks the walk. After 20 years in the workforce, Aryan-Zahlan returned to USC and obtained a master’s degree, as well as several professional certifications, all while continuing her career at the Port and raising three children.

Many qualities define the WTS-LA Woman of the Year. They are all well-deserved superlatives. But one quality in particular stands out for this year’s winner. By all accounts, she is a transformational leader who is literally changing the world. For these reasons and many more, WTS-LA proudly named Port of Los Angeles Chief Harbor Engineer Dina Aryan-Zahlan as the 2022 WTS-LA Woman of the Year.