Karissa is the Associate Director of Design at The Lab @ DC. She is passionate about making government services accessible for all DC residents. Much of this work has focused on improving customer service through accessible form design, conducting conversational interviews with residents, user testing, and leading co-design sessions. Her work has centered heavily on alleviating income inequality and supporting families experiencing the effects of poverty.
She is a founding member of The Lab. Prior to joining the team in 2016, she worked for DC Greens, a local nonprofit that supports food education, food access, and food policy where she served as the Director of Operations. Karissa earned a B.A. in sociology and political science from Muhlenberg College and a Masters of Public Administration from The George Washington University. In her free time, she enjoys knitting, yoga, and frequenting her Ward 2 parks with her husband and son.