PLACE Program
Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention
LA County Department of Public Health
695 S. Vermont Avenue, South Tower, 14th Floor,
Los Angeles, CA 90005


PLACE stands for Policies for Livable Active Communities and Environments

"We may not sing like the Beatles, but we believe in crosswalks!"

Jean Armbruster, MA
Director
jarmbruster@ph.lacounty.gov

Jean Armbruster, MA, is the Director of the PLACE Program (Policies from Livable, Active Communities and Environments) at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.  The program’s mission is to foster policy change that supports the development of safe, healthy, active environments for all Los Angeles County residents.  PLACE makes grants and provides technical assistance to cities and communities to promote the development of policies such as bicycle and pedestrian master plans, complete streets, and safe routes to schools plans.  Ms. Armbruster received her undergraduate degree from Colorado College and her Master of Arts from California State University, Long Beach. She loves hiking and walking her dog in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Louisa Franco, MPH
Policy Analyst
lfranco@ph.lacounty.gov

Louisa Franco, MPH, is a policy analyst with the PLACE Program at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. She specializes on the public health impact of bicycle and pedestrian oriented policies and has a growing interest in air quality issues. Louisa often provides public health input on general plans, specific plans and master plans. She received her undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies and Sociology from UCSB and received her Master’s degree in Public Health from UCLA. She enjoys running and bicycling around town.

Gayle Haberman, MPH
Chief of Policy
ghaberman@ph.lacounty.gov

Gayle Haberman, MPH, is the chief of policy with the PLACE Program at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. She received her undergraduate degree from UCLA and her Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Prior to working with the PLACE Program, she developed the five-year plan for Public Health’s Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Program, and worked on policies to decrease childhood obesity. Before coming to the County, Gayle worked in the nonprofit sector for 15 years. Among other endeavors, she co-founded an organization that trained low-income women to establish their own business cooperatives. Gayle is forcing herself to attend a weekly pilates mat class to develop muscles her body has never seen.

Uyen Ngo, MPH, MURP
Policy Analyst
ungo@ph.lacounty.gov

Uyen Ngo is policy analyst with the PLACE Program at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Uyen holds a BA in Psychology from UCSD and earned her Masters' degree in Public Health and Urban Regional Planning from UCLA. Uyen loves volunteering as a camp counselor for the Laurel Foundation, a non-profit organization working with children living with HIV/AIDS. She also enjoys practicing martial arts and uses any excuse to cook or bake.

Alexis Lantz, MA
Policy Analyst
alantz@ph.lacounty.gov

Alexis Lantz, MA, is a policy analyst with the PLACE Program at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Previously, she was the Planning & Policy Director at the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC). During her tenure at LACBC she conducted the first ever citywide bicycle and pedestrian count for the City of Los Angeles and had a hand in shaping policies in the city and county of Los Angeles to increase funding and infrastructure for bicycling as well as the amount and diversity of people bicycling for everyday transportation. She also worked to expand countywide advocacy capacity for bikeways and complete streets through LACBC's Regional Partnership program. Alexis holds an M.A. in Urban Planning from UCLA. While at UCLA, she initiated a student-led course on bicycle and pedestrian planning that continues today and authored the report “Cycling in Los Angeles” as a Los Angeles Sustainability Collaborative fellow.