Karina Abou-Chakra

Pronouns: she/her

Bio
Karina Abou-Chakra is determined to advance sustainable business practices and create opportunities for underrepresented minorities to engage in environmental decision-making. Karina earned a Bachelor of Science with honors in Environmental Science, Technology, and Policy from the California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) in 2017. While at CSUMB, she utilized various leadership roles to drive sustainability initiatives and increase environmental literacy both on-campus and in her community. Her professional career has included kickstarting a black bear population study for the state of California and supporting litigation services for a global multi-billion dollar corporation. In a recent role with The Marine Mammal Center, she developed and facilitated online ocean advocacy programs for youth worldwide. While there, Karina and her teammate also spearheaded the organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts and successfully founded the organization’s first DEI Committee. 
 
 Her determination to cultivate environmental and social changes is a culmination of her lived experiences as a first-generation woman of color in the environmental field. At the Bren School, she will be specializing in Corporate Environmental Management with a focus in Environmental Innovation and Entrepreneurship to advance her ability to develop businesses that are sustainable, accessible, and inclusive.