Background

Karla Reyes is the Family Coordinator for the Starr Hill Pathways program at the University of Virginia’s Center for Community Partnerships. Born in Mexico City and raised in Charlottesville, Karla brings a lived understanding of the experiences of immigrant and multilingual families navigating educational systems.

Before joining the Center for Community Partnerships, Karla spent seven years working as a Teaching Assistant with Albemarle County Public Schools. Her professional work is grounded in family advocacy, culturally responsive engagement, and building strong partnerships between schools, community organizations, and families.

Programs & Community Expertise

In her role with Starr Hill Pathways, Karla oversees family engagement strategy, outreach communication, and program support for middle and high school students exploring college and career pathways. She works closely with students, parents, schools, and community partners to ensure families receive clear information, individualized support, and meaningful access to educational resources.

Beyond her formal role, Karla is actively involved in several community leadership and advisory initiatives focused on family engagement, early learning, and neighborhood development. Through these roles, she contributes to community planning, supports multilingual access, coordinates youth participation, and helps ensure that resident voices, particularly those from historically underrepresented communities, are meaningfully included in decision making processes.