Current Status: Alumni
Graduation Year: 2015
When Austin Sanford (BA ’15) was a Business Management student at HIU, he had plans to work in marketing for a sports franchise. Upon graduation, he was serving as an Interim General Manager at a large franchise. Just a few months later, he transitioned into church ministry and served in a few local churches over the next four years. While his leadership roles in the church gave him a sense of fulfillment and purpose, there was still a tug on his heart that led him to his current role. Austin is now serving as the Deputy Inclusivity Manager for the LAX Integrated Express Solutions also known as LINXS.
It is readily apparent that leadership comes naturally to Austin. “I genuinely feel that my role as high school group director at the Mariners Church helped prepare me for LINXS. Community development is huge in pastoral care and with LINXS. I may not know how to build buildings, but I know how to build up people.” Austin also says that the skill of exegesis, as practiced in many of HIU’s Bible courses, helps his corporate role as he thoroughly reads through compliance contracts.
When a friend approached him with the role at LINXS, he saw it as a time to shift his attention from those already in the Church to those in need of a connection to Jesus. “Working on a project as highly visible as LAX, it is so important to share my experience and represent Christ well.” Austin shares that he has hosted Bible studies with co-workers and talks to them about his relationship with Jesus Christ.
The LINXS project is preparing to build LAX’s Automated People Mover. The historic project is due to be completed in 2023, and will provide a 2.25-mile, elevated guideway train system to deliver passengers between LAX and new offsite parking, car rental and transit facilities. Austin’s role in this project is to ensure the hire of Los Angeles residents, as well as to open doors to contracting opportunities, meaningful work, and future careers in the industry. He manages a team of 15 employees that help train, encourage, and equip those who are involved in the construction of LINXS.
“We offer workshops in personal development, financial literacy, and home-buying to our Los Angeles communities. We want to make sure that this new project truly helps local residents be more successful within their roles in the LA community,” Austin shares. “Many of the construction workers are first-time home buyers and are so grateful for these classes.”
