B.A. in Human Development from Washington State University, 2015 

M.A in Nonprofit Leadership from Seattle University, 2019 

Carissa has over seven years of experience in youth development, specializing in community engagement and operational management in the nonprofit sector. After receiving her B.A. from WSU, she worked as a Family Services advocate with Early Head Start in the Lewiston ID and Clarkston Washington Valley. In this role, she helped families navigate how to receive state-funded services, provided home visits to offer comfort and a sense of community, and worked to build trust within local Indigenous communities. 

She then moved into a position as a Program Director with the Boys & Girls Club of King County, where she oversaw five clubs and served hundreds of youth. Her focus was on building programs in social-emotional learning, youth leadership, and community engagement. 

As a Program Officer for the Mansfield Center, Carissa is looking forward to developing programs that will provide civic engagement and political activism.