Jacob Haik was appointed Van Nuys Airport Manager in September 2024, overseeing one of the busiest general aviation airports in the nation and an important economic hub of the City of Los Angeles. Prior to this role, he served as LAWA’s Director of Sustainability and Compliance, managing a 35-member team charged with implementing the department’s vision, goals and strategies pertaining to sustainability, environmental programs, and compliance.
Before joining LAWA, Haik served in the administration of three councilmembers for Council District 15 for two decades in roles that supported sustainable environmental development in public works projects, education and community outreach. In his most recent role of Deputy Chief of Staff, he managed large scale projects that included major investments in the LA Waterfront, the construction of new parks, and the $130 million restoration of Lake Machado in Harbor City while managing field operations while overseeing public works investment across the district’s 275,000 residents.
He also served the as Chief of Staff for Board District 7 (BD7) of the Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD) Board of Education, where he oversaw $1 billion in bond funds to build 11 new schools and modernization projects in BD7 while improving staff engagement with South Los Angeles communities and navigating significant budgetary difficulties.
A native of the Wilmington neighborhood, Haik currently lives with his family, including four children, in San Pedro. He earned an associate degree from Los Angeles Harbor College, a Construction Project Management Certification from the University of California Dominguez Hills and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Bio-Chemistry from the University of California Santa Barbara. He is a member of the American Association of Airport Executives, the American Chemical Society, the Southern California Paleontological Society, the Design-Build Institute of America, the U.S. Green Building Council, the Los Angeles Harbor College Foundation Board, and the Los Angeles Harbor College STEM Council. He is also a Los Angeles County Commissioner, serving on the Citizens Economy and Efficiency Commission.