In July of 1987, Kari began working with PPEP, Inc. Kari has been with the organization going on 33 years. She holds the position of Deputy CEO and oversees eight of the program divisions and staff for the corporation. She Kari holds a BSB in Business Management, graduated with honors Lamda Sigma Delta Mu Delta Honors Society for International Business and held the position of Chapter Vice President for 2 years.
Kari is involved in two regional associations to include the Rocky Mountain HI Association and the Western Alliance of Farmworker Advocates, is on the Executive committee of the National Association of Farmworker Opportunities Program and sits on the National Board for YouthBuild USA. In Arizona, she sits on the WIOA workforce board in Pima County and is involved as a partner with Yuma, La Paz, Cochise, Maricopa, Pinal, Graham/Greenlee, and Santa Cruz workforce boards. Kari has participated and been involved with the Marana Prevention Alliance to educate on topics to decrease underage drinking and drug use, and a part of other community coalitions and programs supporting youth and adult initiatives in Arizona. She has worked to develop sustainable partnerships in the creation of innovative training programs, to include an Aircraft Structures program in partnership with Bombardier and Pima County Workforce, providing career pathways in demand occupations and a pipeline of trained individuals for industry.
Kari is a lifelong learner, an avid reader, an advocate to those who are less fortunate and advocates for staff development in areas of understanding trauma based behaviors, motivational interviewing and pathways to progress. Her motto: “Dream Fearlessly, for your desire to succeed to should be greater than your fear of Failure”. Her mission: “We Change Lives” and incorporates that in all that she does and in the programs she operates. Her goal is to become an independent consultant, develop programs that promote opportunity, deal with at risk populations, and provide an avenue encompassing economic development and self-sustainability.