Meet Karla Perez

Tell me a bit about yourself.

I have been at SG for nearly three years now. Currently, I am a structured products attorney, and in this capacity, I support SG's structured notes issuance program in the U.S. I am also on the board of VAMOS and a member of the Black Leadership Network and ReGeneration.

I am a native New Yorker, although I lived in the Dominican Republic for several years as a child. I received a B.A. in International Relations from Boston University and a J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law, where I also met my husband. 

What does bringing your whole self to work mean to you?

I am still figuring this one out for myself! Ideally, bringing your whole self to work would mean showing up in a way that is authentic to you. This can be challenging, particularly if there are aspects of your whole self that do not necessarily fit the mainstream mold.

Over the course of the past few years, what changes have you seen?

I have seen a proactive effort for people to get more involved and understand things from a different perspective. I have also seen people begin to apply what they have learned through our various trainings and programs to help effect change internally. Slowly, people are having more uncomfortable conversations and learning more from each other.

Do you have an example of when an ally stepped in?

Throughout my life, I have been very fortunate to have had allies show up in many different ways - as advocates, mentors, sponsors and confidants, among others. I am sure that there are also many examples of individuals stepping in on my behalf that I was not aware of. When I think back, the most notable examples of allyship that come to mind include (1) professors who provided valuable feedback and encouragement and who advocated for me and shared opportunities that changed the direction of my career and (2) formal and informal mentors who believed in me more than I believed in myself.