Karina Ayala-Bermejo

Bio

Karina Ayala-Bermejo currently serves as President and CEO of Instituto del Progresso Latino, a leading community-based organization that provides education and social and legal services. She has 30 years of combined professional experience in multiple areas of leadership, non-profit management, HR and law. This includes leadership positions with the Chicago Board of Education, City of Chicago, the Chicago Bar Association, and Metropolitan Family Services.     

At Metropolitan Family Services Karina served as General Counsel and Executive Vice President. She also served as the Executive Director of the Legal Aid Society of MFS and previously served as Vice President of Human Resources for MFS. She is also a former president of the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois (HLAI), and Regional President, General Council, and VP for the Hispanic National Bar Association. She created the HLAI JD mentoring program now in its 23rd year paring Latinx college students, with Latinx law students and Latinx lawyers in a trio mentoring program.  

Under Karina’s leadership Instituto has evolved into a leading community-based educational organization, providing high-quality innovative programs in Workforce Development, Adult and Secondary Education, English as a Second Language (ESL), Immigration and Citizenship Preparation, and Legal Aid. Instituto also encompasses two charter high schools: Instituto Justice Leadership Academy (IJLA) and Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy (IHSCA). Under Karina’s leadership, the Instituto College of Nursing was launched and graduated its first five cohorts of RNs, in addition to graduating nearly 500 CNAs over the last 8 years. Also occurring under Karina’s leadership, Instituto is providing legal services and for the first time in Instituto’s history has several attorneys on staff in addition to its robust pro bono program.   

With her own lived experience as an immigrant added to her substantial professional experience, Karina is a leading voice for Chicago’s status as a welcoming city.  She is Chair of the Chicago Commission on Human Relations New Americans Advisory Council, and a Commissioner for the Chicago Commission on Human Relations. She is a breast cancer survivor and vocal advocate for early detection and health equity and a 2025 Portrait of Hope Making Strides Against Breast Cancer for the American Cancer Association. 

She has received numerous awards including: 2025 Aguila Award, HLAI’s highest honor; 2024 MALDEF Award; 2022 Mayor’s Medal of Honor; 2021 CBA Justice John Paul Stevens Award; 2019 The Catholic Lawyers Guild of Chicago; 2018 CBA Vanguard Award; 2017 Thurgood Marshall Award from the Association of Corporate Counsel; 2016 Alumni Award, 2015 Women’s Bar Association of Illinois Top Women Lawyers in Leadership Award; 2014 Chicago Latino Network’s Latina Professional of the Year Award; 2009 CBA Alliance for Women’s Alta May Hewlett Award; and 2004 Cook County State’s Attorney Richard A. Devine, El Humanitario Award.  She was listed as a Crain’s 40 under 40 Attorneys to Watch, Crain’s Latino Notable Latino Leaders and featured on the cover of the 2024 Chicago Latina Magazine.  

She holds a Bachelor in Science from Loyola University Chicago, and a Juris Doctorate from DePaul College of Law. She and her husband are raising three young adults in the Hegewisch neighborhood.  She is a former EMT.