Karla Avila joined Room to Grow in 2019. With a passion for helping under-served communities and diminishing poverty and inequality, she brings a broad-based experience in program management and evaluation, research and data analysis, policy and advocacy, event planning, and communications experience. Karla previously served as Program Director at Episcopal Relief and Development, where she led the strategic vision for all income-generating program activities funded in Latin America. She also served as Program Director at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and led a multi-ethnic media and grassroots campaign to help legal permanent residents become US citizens. Karla is a graduate of the University of Chicago with a Master’s in Public Policy.