Karina Silva Garcia

Karina Silva Garcia Ph.D. currently serves as the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Program Manager II at the County of San Luis Obispo within the Department of Behavioral Health, beginning in August 2021. Prior to this role, Karina held the position of Program Manager I in Field Nursing at the Department of Public Health and worked as a Research Associate at Washington State University Spokane. Karina's academic journey includes a Ph.D. in Prevention Science and a Master of Science in the same field, both from Washington State University, as well as dual Bachelor's Degrees in Foreign Languages and Literatures and Human Development and Family Studies. Research endeavors include a focus on maternal feeding interactions and childhood obesity prevention. Karina's extensive experience includes roles in family planning coordination, graduate research assistance, and internship positions within various health organizations and educational institutions.