Karina Ayala-Bermejo

Karina Ayala-Bermejo has served as President and CEO of Instituto del Progresso Latino (Instituto), a leading community-based organization that provides education and social and legal services for nearly 8 years. She has 35 years of combined professional experience in multiple areas of leadership, non-profit management, HR and law. This includes leadership positions with the Chicago Board of Education, City of Chicago, the Chicago Bar Association, and Metropolitan Family Services. At Metropolitan Family Services Karina served as General Counsel and Executive Vice President. She also served as the Executive Director of the Legal Aid Society of MFS and previously served as Vice President of Human Resources for MFS. She is also a former president of the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, and Regional President, General Council, and VP for the Hispanic National Bar Association. She created the HLAI JD mentoring program now in its 22nd year paring Latine college students, with Latine law students and Latine lawyers in a trio mentoring program. Under Karina’s leadership Instituto has evolved into a leading community-based educational organization, providing high-quality innovative programs in Workforce Development, Adult and Secondary Education, English as a Second Language (ESL), Immigration and Citizenship Preparation, and Legal Aid. Instituto also encompasses two charter high schools: Instituto Justice Leadership Academy (IJLA) and Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy (IHSCA). Under Karina’s leadership, the Instituto College of Nursing was launched and recently graduated its first five cohorts of bilingual bicultural nurses. Also occurring under Karina’s leadership, Instituto is providing legal services and for the first time in Instituto’s history has several attorneys on staff in addition to its robust pro bono program. With her own lived experience as an immigrant added to her substantial professional experience, Karina is a leading voice for Chicago’s status as a welcoming city. She is Chair of the City of Chicago’s New Americans Advisory Council, and a Commissioner for the Chicago Commission on Human Relations. She has received numerous awards including the Mayor’s Medal of Honor and Chicago Latino Network Latina Leader of the Year Award. She was listed as a Crain’s 40 under 40 Attorneys to Watch, Crain’s Latino Notable Latino Leaders and featured on the cover of Chicago Latina Magazine. She holds a Bachelor in Science from Loyola University Chicago, and a Juris Doctorate from DePaul College of Law. She and her husband are raising three young adults in the Hegewisch neighborhood.