Laura Kallus

Laura Kallus is the CEO of Caridad Center, a position they have held since January 2000. Prior to their current role, Laura served as an ethnographer at George Washington University from January 1998 to January 2000. There, they designed and implemented original fieldwork entitled "The Dynamics of Latino Street Gang Culture and its Role in the Lives of First and Second Generation Salvadoran Youth in Washington DC." Laura was also awarded the Cotlow Field Research Fund to continue and develop their research. Over the course of two years, Laura conducted fieldwork with gang members in Washington DC and published the first documentation of Laura'spanic gangs in the Washington DC area.

From September 2007 to November 2012, Laura served as the Executive Director of PanZOu Project, Inc., where they were responsible for providing gang prevention and intervention services to gang involved and/or high risk youths and their families. In this role, Laura was also responsible for the overall leadership of staff, financial management of the corporation, and negotiations with funders. Additionally, Laura was responsible for the development, implementation, and accomplishment of the annual strategic plan of the agency as approved by the Board of Directors.

Laura has dedicated their career to advocating for high risk youth and gang prevention and intervention services at local, state, regional, and national levels. Laura is a passionate leader with a proven track record in administration and program management. Under their leadership, Caridad Center has flourished into one of the leading gang prevention and intervention organizations in the country.

Laura Kallus has a Master of Arts in Anthropology from The George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Appalachian State University.

Some direct reports include Johanna Cuellar - P.E.T. Program Manager & Social Services Manager, Jessica Gregoire Lavin - Director, Development & Communications, and Rosa Lores - Director, Volunteer & Eligibility Services.