Sarah Pugeda (she/her/hers) joins EdTrust-West as an Executive Assistant to the Executive Director. She has many years of experience in administration and operations, supporting executives in […]
Rachel Ruffalo (she/her) serves as the Senior Director of Strategic Advocacy at EdTrust-West. Rachel’s career in education spans more than twenty-five years of serving as a […]
Dr. Christopher J. Nellum is the Executive Director of EdTrust-West, an evidence-driven advocacy organization committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded […]
Carol (she/her/hers) started her career in academia in the late 1990s, teaching various core college courses in departments of Psychology and Education on the East Coast. […]
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.