Karina Funez is the Public Policy Advocate for Blue Zones Project – Bakersfield. Karina is responsible for collaborating with community partners and stakeholders to implement local policies that will improve the health of the Bakersfield community.
She grew up in East Bakersfield where the lack of access to healthier food options and the need of a much-improved built environment sparked her interest for advocating for local policies. She studied Public Health Policy at the University of California Irvine and then pursued her Master’s in Public Health from the University of Southern California. Karina has worked on local policy initiatives such as school wellness policies, Safe Routes to School, and local tobacco control policies during her time at Kern County Public Health Services Department.
Prior to joining Blue Zones Project – Bakersfield, she was the Senior Policy Manager at the American Lung Association, providing policy technical assistance to local cities and counties on their local tobacco control efforts. Karina is excited to be working in the community where she grew up in and is eager to see the changes that the Blue Zones Project will do for Bakersfield.
My Power 9
My favorite Power 9 is Purpose because I love living my life with purpose and knowing that I am contributing to world around me with the skills and values that I hold.
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