Carla joined VMA Communications in April 2024 to lead client projects on both the education and community engagement teams.

Carla began her communications career in the nonprofit field where she put her Master’s degree in journalism and bilingual Spanish/English skills to good use: serving the communities of South Los Angeles and Skid Row. It was here that she learned the art of the media pitch while also learning to manage and grow social media presence, create content, and develop communications strategy. She honed her skills in storytelling and public relations while working with women experiencing homelessness to empower them to share their stories with the media, elected officials, and service providers.

After leaving Los Angeles, Carla returned to her alma mater Pomona College where she managed the College’s social media channels, helped with media relations, and wrote a variety of copy—including evergreen website content, news stories, and alumni magazine features—while using Harry Potter puns ad nauseum. During the pandemic, Carla pivoted to freelance work to remain at home with her infant son.   

Carla earned a master’s degree in print journalism from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, and a bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies from Pomona College. Over the years, she and her husband have adopted three senior chihuahuas and fostered a senior beagle, a gremlin chihuahua with a broken rib, two mamas whose puppy duties were over, and a toothless hospice chihuahua.