Jessica Ku Kim

Jessica Ku Kim, Chief Deputy, LA County’s Department of Economic Opportunity

Jessica has worked in economic and workforce development within LA County since 2005 and brings local community knowledge and trust, field experience, subject matter expertise, organizational and sector leadership, and demonstrated outcomes for economic and workforce development programs and services, public-private partnerships, and collaborative systems change. As Chief Deputy of LA County’s Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), Jessica oversees the operations of DEO to ensure enhanced economic and workforce development policy, programs and services, commissions, administration, public affairs and communications, and information technology and data management and analytics that serve to create quality jobs, help small businesses and high-road employers start and grow, and build vibrant local communities and spaces.  

Previously, Jessica had served the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) as Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development where she had oversight of worker and small business-focused programs and services, strategic engagement with the public, private, social, and philanthropic sectors, and increasing regional resources, opportunities, and alignment. She sat on both the City and County Workforce Development Boards with direct policy and budgetary responsibility for the two largest public workforce systems in the state. Prior to LAEDC, she has held key roles with the South Bay Workforce Investment Board, ACCORD Community First, The BRIDGE, and Korean Churches for Community Development. She holds a BA and MPA degrees from the California State University and University of California systems as well as numerous advisory roles in the education, economic and workforce development, and AAPI advocacy spaces.