Growing up in rural Arkansas and Ohio, Calla gained a deep appreciation for not only nature, but the agency and access needed to enjoy and protect it. She continued to deepen her understanding of the diverse human and natural experiences while living in Argentina as an exchange student for one year, studying International Relations and Spanish at The Ohio State University and then teaching English through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program in Brazil for two years. Calla then moved to Washington, DC, and focused her career pursuits on managing federally funded international exchange programs for high school students with World Learning. It was during this time that her passion for nature and education merged, when she founded a virtual exchange program for 100 youth from 23 countries, focused on climate justice and conservation. Calla then pivoted fully into conservation work, most recently working as the Programs Director at Defensores de la Cuenca, a watershed conservation non-profit where she managed programming for the Latinx community in the DC area. 

Calla holds a Master's degree in Intercultural Service, Leadership & Management from the School for International Training, is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, and is beginning Quechua/Kichwa. Calla now lives in Los Angeles, CA, and loves to camp, surf, read, and play soccer.

With her passion for creating transformational experiences for changemakers, Calla manages  the grant mechanisms that span Re:Wild's Guardians programs of work, with a special focus on strengthening and leveraging our Conservation Pathways for Youth and Associate Fellowship programs, including a new Re:Wild Graduate Fellowship Fund in the US. Calla is also focused on  leveling up our Guardians communications, international stakeholder management and outreach to donors.