Karen Valencia Program Officer Contact Karen Karen Valencia joined the Irvine Foundation in July 2018 and was named Program Officer in April 2022. Prior to joining the Foundation, Karen worked at First 5 LA as part of the Executive Department. In this role, she supported the Executive Director and assisted in supporting the organization’s leadership team and the Board of Commissioners. Earlier in her career, Karen had the pleasure of interning with the Office of Congressmember Karen Bass, where she later worked as a Field Representative and District Scheduler. In addition to providing scheduling support, she assisted with outreach and organizing strategies for town halls and community meetings on key issues including student loan forgiveness, immigration reform, and healthcare reform. Karen earned her bachelor’s degree from Mount Saint Mary’s University. She is also a Los Angeles native and is based in Irvine’s Los Angeles office.