As a Senior Associate on the Program Team, Karla supports different projects, research, and member relationships to continue building products and services that promote financially healthy lives. As an immigrant, Karla has experienced first hand the challenges to achieving a financially healthy life in the U.S. and believes that in order to create an equitable society, we need to continue pushing for changes in how disadvantaged communities are served and be intentional on how we do this. Karla holds a Master of Public Administration from The School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and Bachelor of Arts in Latina/o Studies from San Francisco State University. She previously worked at Mission Asset Fund providing direct services to Lending Circle Participants. While in graduate school, Karla interned at NYC’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development supporting The Where We Live Planning Process to study and address patterns of residential segregation. She was also an ANHD Morgan Stanley Community Development Graduate fellow working with a local organization supporting small business owners in Brooklyn by facilitating the formation of a merchant association. Karla lives in Brooklyn, NY and enjoys reading books written by women of color authors, supporting immigrant owned small businesses, and collecting art from printmakers.