Planning and Transportation Commissioner Chair Bryna Chang with Palo Alto dignitaries at the 2026 May Fete Parade.
Meet Bryna
Bryna Chang is the current Chair of the Palo Alto Planning and Transportation Commission. She is a lifelong Palo Alto resident, public servant, and community volunteer who brings deep local roots and thoughtful leadership to the issues facing the city today. Bryna attended Palo Alto public schools from kindergarten through high school — Nixon Elementary, JLS Middle School, and Gunn High School — and has spent decades actively engaged in the community. Today, she lives in South Palo Alto’s Midtown neighborhood with her husband and two sons, where she remains involved in neighborhood and civic life.
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Since 2021, Bryna has served on Palo Alto’s Planning and Transportation Commission, including terms as both Chair and Vice Chair. She has become known for her collaborative leadership style and data-driven approach to housing, transportation, and development issues — balancing the need for thoughtful growth with preserving the quality of life that makes Palo Alto special. Her experience on the commission has given her firsthand insight into the city’s challenges and opportunities, and reinforced her belief that effective local government requires transparency, long-term thinking, and meaningful community engagement.
Bryna has devoted years of service to Palo Alto schools, community organizations, and regional civic efforts. She has served on the Gunn, JLS, and Hoover site councils and PTA leadership, coached Little League, and spent six years on the board of Silicon Valley Boychoir, serving as President, Treasurer, and Secretary. She also served on the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District’s Hawthorns Area Public Access Working Group, helping shape recommendations for the preserve’s future public access and stewardship. She has conducted professional and/or pro-bono projects with several government and nonprofit organizations, including the Tanzania National Parks, Conservation Strategy Fund, Sustainable Conservation, Urban Ecology, Golden Gate National Recreational Area, and Monterey Bay Aquarium. Her work reflects a longstanding commitment to strengthening community institutions and contributing thoughtfully to the future of the region.
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Professionally, Bryna combines experience in education, management, and technology with a practical, analytical approach to problem-solving. She formerly lectured at Stanford Graduate School of Business and previously led strategy and operations for Stanford’s MBA Program Office, helping manage one of the nation’s top graduate business programs. She also directed the Stanford Public Management Program and worked in internet product management and management consulting. Bryna holds a BS in Biology an MBA with a Certificate in Public Management, both from Stanford University.