Karol Lopez

Experience

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  MedStar Washington Hospital Center

  Aug 2013 - May 2014

  Medical Interpreter

  -Provided interpreting (Spanish-English) services between patients, WHC medical professionals, personnel as well as patient’s family and legal representatives. -Advocated for Spanish-only speaking patients while requesting social and medical benefits within the hospital.-Provided cultural background to health care providers when it was appropriate to ensure provision of health services.

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  La Clinica del Pueblo

  Jun 2014 - Dec 2014

  Interpreter services coordinator

  -Scheduled interpreting services for all non-English speaking patients from the clinic at different medical centers in the metro area.-Advocated for patients’ right to request a medical interpreter when scheduling a medical appointment at a new medical facility.-Ensured all non-English speaker patients had an available interpreter at each medical consultation-Managed phone call interpretation for last-minute requests or emergencies.-Improved the interpreting scheduling system for the clinic reducing the number of no shows or late arrivals and ultimately decreasing costs for the clinic. Show less

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  Peace Corps

  Feb 2015 - May 2018

  Community Health Advisor

  -Created a girls’ group (Tovovavy Mijoro) with 15 members (ages 12-15) and provided guidance related to life goals, menstruation, drug use prevention, nutrition, creativity, cultural awareness, sex education, and empowerment. The group was financed through small local fundraising activities.-Fundraised and managed a $6000 crowdfunded project to build a basketball court and a community library as initiatives for youth development in the region. -Developed and implemented a $2500 USAID WASH grant to provide hand washing stations to 14 schools benefiting over 3000 students that were lacking a sanitation system. -Trained 25 Malagasy community health workers (CHWs) during the USAID-funded Bed Net Surveillance Program initiative to educate about the importance of usage, repair, and maintenance of the nets, as well as debunk the cultural myths regarding their use. -Planned and hosted a malaria regional training for 45 CHWs funded by Institute Pasteur of Madagascar prior the implementation of PECADOM+ (malaria medical care for patients at home). -Acted as liaison between local CHWs and the office for Peace Corps Madagascar during the one-year PECADOM+ trial funded by USAID and President’s Malaria Initiative. -Facilitated multiple sessions during the Madagascar Mini Malaria Boot Camp where 15 volunteers from different sectors gained knowledge on how to implement malaria initiatives at their local communities. -Trained 26 health Peace Corps trainees on the nutritional challenges that affected the country at the national and regional level. The training included strategies implemented by the Malagasy government as well as hands-on activities that could be implemented in local communities by the volunteers. -Created a bilingual (English Malagasy) medical interpreting training based on the experience in 2016 in order to improve the interpreting services for all stakeholders in future missions. Show less

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  Amigos de las Americas (AMIGOS)

  Mar 2019 - Aug 2019

  Project Director

  -Planned, developed and implemented the Discover Panama pilot program led by this youth development non-profit organization. -Facilitated training for the project supervisors who were on the field with the Amigos participants to familiarize the team with Amigos’s culture, ensure the implementation of the program in the rural communities, and provide the supervisors the tools needed to mentor the participants during the summer. -Oversaw the training and experience of 49 young leaders (ages 13-16) throughout the summer in rural communities in Panama. These participants assisted with the implementation of community-based projects, taught English lessons, created cultural exchange activities and lived with hosting Panamanian families. -Coordinated all the logistics involved in the design and implementation of the community-based projects, extracurricular activities as well as transportation, food, and housing for all participants and team members. -Cultivated and fostered important professional relationship with host country officials such as the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and an important new partner agency Fundación Agua y Tierra (environmental conversation non-profit organization). -Enforced Amigos Standards of Conduct and ensured the health and safety of all participants and staff members. -Acted as first line responder for any medical or safety issue that occurred during the participants’ stay in Panama. -Saved approximately 20,000 USD from the 55,000 USD program budget.-Maintained high standards for all evaluations and reports due to Amigos and partner agencies on a weekly basis. -Created a comprehensive logistics report to be used as guide for the Discover 2020 project. -Empowered and managed a team of four people. Show less

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  Self-employed

  Oct 2020 - now

  Founder of LAS FUERTES

  LAS FUERTES is an empowering and leadership project in Isla Fuerte, Colombia. The project's main goal is to provide adequate menstrual education for all the girls and teenagers at this beautiful island located in the Colombian Caribbean coast. However, LAS FUERTES ultimate goal is to become a non-profit organization that would provide different tools for all the youth in the island so they can have a brighter future.