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Daisy Ruiz-Purcell

Director of Communications

Daisy Ruiz-Purcell (she/her/hers) joins EdTrust-West as a fierce advocate for education equity. As a first-generation college graduate who is also the child of immigrant parents from El Salvador, she understands the life-changing effects a quality education can have on a person and their family. Her work as Director of Communications focuses on advancing the organization’s agenda to expose and eradicate injustices and inequities in California schools, colleges, and education systems.

Daisy’s passion for education has guided her career. Before joining EdTrust-West, Daisy worked in public charter school networks, Alliance College-Ready Public Schools and Camino Nuevo Charter Academy, in Los Angeles, where she experienced first-hand the systemic inequities in our current education system. This experience made her even more committed to creating equitable educational opportunities for all of California’s students.

She began her career in television news and production, winning a Los Angeles area Emmy award for her work on PBS’s first Spanish-language television show, Los Niños en Su Casa. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Southern California and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco.

 

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  • Los Angeles, CA
Public Relations
Digital Communications

At EdTrust-West, we believe a different California is possible:

a California that ensures that Black, Latinx, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native American students’ futures are as bright as their dreams are big. We believe that our state’s schools, colleges, and universities can form the bedrock of a more just California.

Committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in California’s education system.

California Offices: Oakland, Los Angeles, Sacramento

National Office: EdTrust

State Offices: EdTrust-New York, EdTrust-Tennessee, EdTrust-Midwest

Tel: 510.465.6444

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Karla Fernandez

Communications Manager

Karla Fernandez (she/her/hers) joins Ed Trust–West as a Communications Manager with over 11 years of experience advancing social impact initiatives.

Karla started her career as a teacher at Chicago Public Schools and UIC College Prep. After teaching, Karla joined United Friends of the Children to support LA County’s youth in foster care as a college counselor. Through Leadership for Educational Equity, Karla also served as a Policy Advisor Fellow for the office of a Los Angeles Unified School Board Member. She solidified her interests in policy analysis and quantitative research during her time with the Price Center for Social Innovation, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, and the USC Presidential Working Group on Sustainability. Before joining The Education Trust–West, Karla was the Associate Director for the Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) Collaborative, a network of nonprofits advocating for communities in SELA.

Karla holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology from the University of Chicago, a Master of Public Policy from the USC Price School of Public Policy, and a Graduate Certificate in Policy Advocacy from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Karla is based out of southern California and is passionate about using data analysis, communications, and digital strategies for policy advocacy and social justice efforts.