CHRIS BROWN

Chief Harbor Engineer of Engineering

Chris Brown is Chief Harbor Engineer at the Port of Los Angeles, the lead position overseeing the Port’s Engineering Division. Appointed in 2023, Brown leads the planning, development and design of infrastructure and facilities that support the diverse operations of the nation’s busiest seaport, including wharves, terminals, rail, roadways and public space.

Brown most recently served as the Assistant Chief Harbor Engineer responsible for division sections handling structural, specifications, architectural and electrical elements of Port infrastructure projects. Prior to that, he served as the Harbor Engineer in charge of division sections on structural, specifications, right of way, technology and CADD. From 2000-2015, he held various roles—including section head, program manager and designer—on a number of projects, most notably as project manager for the Wilmington Waterfront Park, which won Engineering News Record’s “Best of the Best Award” in 2012.

Brown started his career as a student engineer at the Port of Los Angeles in 1993. Following a four-year stint at Holmes & Narver (now AECOM), he returned to the Port and progressively built his career. He received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Southern California, and his master’s degree in structural engineering from the University of Maryland.

In addition to being a registered civil engineer in California, Brown is a certified construction documents technologist as designated by the Construction Specification Institute, where he serves as a board member. Brown is also a senior certified professional with the Society for Human Resource Management.