Karla has lived with chronic migraine for over twenty years and chronic back pain for 10 years. With her experience and knowledge of migraine disease and chronic pain, she has become a patient advocate, expert panelist, and public speaker on complex topics such as the Safe Step Act and the biopsychosocial model as it relates to pain.
Karla takes part in both the virtual and in person Headache on the Hill events. She was the Patient Advocate Panelist at the 2024 Capitol Hill Policy Forum as well as the Patient Advocate Panelist for the Safe Step Coalition Briefing. She was also a panel moderator and patient expert at the 2024 American Headache Society Symposium in Scottsdale, Arizona. Karla serves as the chairman of the fundraising committee for The Headache Alliance, as well as volunteers on several other committees with AHDA and THA.
Prior to her advocacy work, Karla graduated from Texas A&M University San Antonio with a degree in psychology. She worked as a government contractor for the Air Force, specializing in a software program for flight scheduling, training, and records. She supported Air Force bases not just in the United States, but around the world.
Karla also previously worked as the International Missions Coordinator for one of the largest churches in the country. She planned the logistics and transportation, managed applications and donations, helped train, and effectively mobilized over 20 teams a year to 15 different countries.
When she has free time, Karla loves to read and listen to audiobooks. She’s also an avid traveler, having visited over twenty countries thus far. However, Karla’s favorite thing to do is to spend time with her daughter, Hannah, husband, Ben, and golden-doodle, Georgia, as well as the rest of their large family that lives close by.
