Karen Andrea Estrada Díaz
KAREN ANDREA ESTRADA DÍAZ (Andrea; she/her/ella) is a first-year dual-degree Master of Social Welfare and Master of Public Policy candidate at UCLA. Andrea’s passion lies at the intersection of micro-level clinical practice and macro-level systemic change. Through her studies in Child and Family Well-Being and Education Policy and her pursuit of the Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPSC) in School Social Work, Andrea seeks to bridge community-level insights with policy change, innovation, and implementation to advance trauma-informed, culturally responsive educational environments where immigrant and historically marginalized youth and families can thrive.
Born and raised in Tijuana, México, Andrea began crossing the U.S.–México border in seventh grade. Her experience as a transborder student shaped her commitment to addressing inequities in educational access, continuity, and attainment.
Andrea earned her B.A. in Psychology from San Diego State University, graduating summa cum laude from the Weber Honors College. Prior to graduate school, she served as a Case Manager at Nueva Vista Family Services, supporting Medi-Cal-funded children and families through care coordination, psychoeducation, and advocacy. As a 2026 LPPI Fellow with California State Assemblymember David Alvarez, she will research California’s bilingual education programs, identify policy gaps, and develop recommendations advancing educational equity for Latino communities.
