During Women's History Month, we want to celebrate a few of our amazing staff members who are actively creating our history every day!

Women’s History Month (WHM) was first celebrated on a national level in 1982 as “Women’s History Week.” In 1987, Congress designated the month of March as Women’s History Month and it has been continued through presidential proclamations ever since. Learn more at womenshistorymonth.gov.

Meet Karla!

Karla Trejo-Bernal joined the agency in November of 2021 as the Human Resources (HR) Generalist before transitioning to the role of Human Resources (HR) Manager in November 2024!

As HR Manager, Karla shapes recruitment processes, supports employee relations, and ensures policies align with the organization's mission while maintaining compliance with regulations. She also leads staff engagement efforts, focusing on boosting morale, recognizing contributions, and fostering meaningful connections within the team.

What first drew you to YWCA Spokane?

What first drew me to YWCA Spokane was a personal experience. A person close to me went through a domestic violence situation and I saw firsthand how the YWCA supported her during that time. It really touched me and highlighted the life-changing work the organization does. When I was looking to shift my career, I felt a strong need to return to mission-driven work, and with previous work experience in the non-profit sector, YWCA Spokane felt like the right place for me.

What do you wish more people knew about YWCA Spokane?

I wish more people knew just how wide-ranging YWCA Spokane’s services are. Many people associate us solely with domestic violence support, which is a vital part of what we do, but we also offer so much more, like housing support, job readiness programs, our onsite clothing boutique, racial and social justice initiatives, just to name a few.

What is your favorite part of your role?

My favorite part of my role as HR Manager is the opportunity to connect with our staff. Everyone at our agency brings unique life experiences to the table, and I believe those should be celebrated. The work our staff does is both hard and incredibly important, so I feel a strong responsibility to help and care for those who are helping and caring for our clients.

How does your work live out our values of equity, empowerment, collaboration, and innovation?

I believe my work is guided by our shared commitment to bring YWCA Spokane’s values to life by working towards a workplace where everyone feels welcome, supported, and valued. My goal is to uplift our team through fair hiring, thoughtful policies, and a genuine effort to listen and learn. I collaborate with leadership to find creative ways to empower staff and build meaningful connections. More than anything, I’m inspired by people’s unique stories and experiences and I strive to help nurture a culture where everyone has the opportunity to belong and grow.

What are 3 words to describe YWCA Spokane?

Supportive, resilient, transformative.

What is something you learned in the last week?

This is very random, but I learned that teriyaki (or at least the version of teriyaki most people are familiar with) was developed in Seattle.

Describe your favorite meal.

My family is Mexican, so I grew up enjoying amazing Mexican food. My favorite meal would be beef birria, refried beans, Mexican rice, and handmade corn tortillas (preferably made by my mom because she’s such an incredible cook). This is a classic Mexican party meal, and you’d find it at baptisms, quinceañeras, weddings, graduations…the list goes on!

If you were a cookie, what type would you be?

My honest answer would be an oatmeal raisin cookie, but I know how controversial that answer is, so I’ll stick with a classic peanut butter cookie!

Name a show or movie you recently watched and loved.

I recently re-watched a movie called Radical, which stars an iconic Mexican actor I grew up watching as a child.

It’s based on a true story about a teacher in a struggling Mexican border town who uses unconventional methods to ignite his students’ curiosity and love for learning. With hardly any resources and a broken school system, he inspires them to dream big and believe in themselves. It’s a powerful reminder of how much a little hope and creativity can change lives.

It’s an inspiring movie, but it doesn’t shy away from the harder moments, so just a heads-up, it can be heavy at times. I definitely shed some tears.

If you magically had tomorrow off, what would you do?

If I magically had tomorrow off, I’d take myself out for some good coffee and try to make a dent in my ‘to be read’ pile. I’ve been working on enjoying slow days and not feeling like I always have to be doing something productive.

About YWCA's Services

YWCA Spokane is here to provide resources, support, skill-building, safety, and encouragement for our clients and their families. 24hr help is always available through our helpline. Advocates from the helpline can assist with safety planning, resources, and referrals. Contact the domestic violence helpline by calling 509-326-2255, emailing help@ywcaspokane.org, or texting 509-220-3725.

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