EAST LOS ANGELES-MONTEBELLO

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN

SELECTS KATHERINE “KATHY” BERTHA LOPEZ AS ITS “YOUNG CAREERIST FOR 2017”

East Los Angeles-Montebello Business and Professional Women (BPW) selected Katherine “Kathy” Bertha Lopez, who is a Counselor for McKinley Children’s Center Canyon View School as its “Young Careerist for 2017.” Canyon View School is an accredited private school providing education to children with special needs. Students range in age from five to 22. Lopez will be accepting the award at the Wednesday, January 25th dinner meeting of the East Los Angeles-Montebello BPW at the MERCI Board Room, 525 N. Chandler Avenue, Monterey Park. Networking starts at 4:30 P.M. Dinner which will cost about $10 and start at 5:00 P.M. The meeting is open to the public, but reservations are required. Reservations can be made by calling          (626) 307-5650 or E-mailing lindalwilson@juno.com.

Lopez was born and raised in Huntington Park, CA. She comes from a family of four – mother, father and younger sister. She is godmother to her sister’s almost 1½ year old son Max. Lopez is married to her high school sweetheart.

Lopez attended Whittier College and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Social Work. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, she enrolled in AmeriCorps Public Allies program. She was placed with a non-profit that focused in teaching Spanish speaking adults to read and write. This experience led her to go back to school and acquire her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Southern California (USC) in 2011. She concentrated on COPA (community organization planning administration) at USC. There she discovered that she wanted to work with children. After graduating, she accepted a job working with runaway/homeless youth to provide them with emergency shelter. She then accepted a job as a Foster Care Worker with McKinley Children’s Center. Last year she became a counselor with their Canyon View School. She plans to continue to work hard every day to make an impact in the lives of the children that she works with. She lives by the motto “each one, teach one.”

The Young Careerist/Young Professional Program of BPW recognizes women and men between the ages of 21 and 35 who have been in their profession or business for at least a year.

For more information about BPW or the Young Careerist Program, call Linda Wilson at (626) 307-5650.