Carla is a proud Hackney resident and has worked in the voluntary and public sector for over 20 years on social justice, equality and human rights issues. She currently works for the Greater London Authority where she heads up the Civil Society and Volunteering team, supporting and strengthening the voluntary and community sector in London. She previously worked at the Equality and Human Rights Commission where she developed and implemented organisational strategy, and led a team monitoring progress on the UK government’s international human rights obligations.

Carla worked for a number of years on children’s human rights issues, including criminal justice, mental health and has extensive experience in supporting young people’s participation in policy development and decision-making. Carla is also a trustee of Gulan, a UK-based charity supporting Kurdish arts and culture. She is particularly interested in the power of food and cooking in bringing people together and creating connections.