Viviana (she/her) is a Higher Education Senior Policy Analyst at EdTrust-West. Viviana, a proud Latina and first-generation college student, has dedicated her career to dismantling systemic […]
Sesen (he/him) joins the team as a Higher Education Policy Analyst. Sesen is, first and foremost, a student advocate. His non-traditional educational journey both informs and […]
Maya Valree is a Senior Policy Analyst (Parenting Students) at EdTrust-West, where she leads initiatives to support the academic success and well-being of over 400,000 student […]
Denise Luna (she/her/hers) is the Director of Higher Education Policy at EdTrust-West. As a daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico and the first in her family […]
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.