Carla, an environmental and human rights lawyer from Mexico, currently serves as Deputy Director at the Bank Information Center. She brings over twenty-five years of experience collaborating with environmental and human rights defenders, which informs her knowledge and perspective. Carla has pioneered legal and environmental movements and led the creation of organizations and coalitions both in Mexico and internationally.
Prior to joining BIC, she served as Director for People, Land and Resources at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). Carla created and led legal strategies, advocacy initiatives, and campaigns to strengthen law and policy at multilateral development banks and international treaty bodies. She aided project-affected communities from around the world in their complaints at independent accountability mechanisms, domestic litigation, and at international arbitration tribunals in defense of human rights and the environment.
Carla spearheaded CIEL’s efforts, improving environmental and social governance and accountability. And she effectively incorporated human rights standards, including vital protections for environmental defenders, into safeguard policies and operations at the World Bank Group, the Inter-American Development Bank, and other institutions. Her leadership role in an enduring international campaign achieved the adoption of policies, ensuring communities harmed by bank-funded development projects now have access to remedy.
Carla received her Juris Doctor from the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California and earned a Masters in Law from the Washington College of Law at American University as a Fulbright Scholar.