Karina Barillas
Executive Director
La Casita Center
Karina Barillas received her Master of Education in Counseling in 2002 and her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies in 1996, both from the University of Louisville, where she also served as president of the International Students Organization. Barillas, a proud Latina-Louisvillian born in Guatemala, is a recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship.
Barillas is co-founder and Executive Director of La Casita Center, a Latinx and feminist-led nonprofit borne from a vision and commitment to accompaniment, empowerment and advocacy. That vision has made La Casita Center a place of safety, cultural celebration, inclusivity and belonging for families facing extreme poverty, food insecurity and lack of resources. The Center is committed to diversity: It is the only organization in Kentucky to host an annual Latinx Pride for the LGBTQ community and supports the Black Lives Movement.
Barillas previously worked for the Center for Women and Families, counseling Latina women victimized by domestic violence, sexual assault, and trafficking. She co-hosted the first Spanish TV show in Kentucky, Amigos en Louisville. Her reputation as an unflinching crusader in the work to create spaces affirming every member of our community as worthy of opportunity, investment and respect has earned numerous awards and recognitions, including the Center for Women and Families Women of Distinction Award, Mexican government’s Ohtli Award, Trinity High School’s Peace Medal, the National Conference for Community and Justice Peace Maker Humanitarian Award, the University of Louisville’s Community Spirit Award, and the Arte Sana National Latina Advocate Award. The Community Foundation of Louisville awarded Barillas the Alden Fellowship to attend the Duke Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership.
Barillas has been featured in Louisville Magazine, Leo Weekly's People, and Today's Woman. During the COVID-19 pandemic, local and national media outlets documented the commitment of Barillas and La Casita to the well-being of the Latinx community.
Karina has two children, Ali and Fatimah. She and her partner, Louis, live in Louisville.