Program Director, Public Achievement
CU Engage | School of Education
University of Colorado Boulder
471 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309
Charla is the Director for Public Achievement at CU Boulder. Public Achievement is an internationally recognized model for youth civic engagement. At CU Charla teaches undergraduates from all majors who join with k-12 youth to engage in a year-long process of understanding our identities and self-interests, developing a critical lens on community engagement and working for change in our schools and communities. Charla was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, is a Denver Public Schools graduate, and earned a BA in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Denver. Charla worked as a middle school Language Arts teacher and Restorative Justice Coordinator in Denver Public Schools from 2009-2015 until joining the CU Engage staff in fall of 2015. Charla has a Masters in Education in Curriculum and Instruction from UCDenver, with a focus in Critical Civic Inquiry and Urban Pedagogy. Charla is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Education at the University of Colorado Denver through the Leadership in Educational Equity program with a concentration in Urban and Diverse Communities. Charla is passionate about intersectional social change but makes sure to take time to care for and develop herself through time with her partner, family and friends, travel whenever possible, good movies, lots of music, dance, writing, constant learning, and time in nature.