Karla Zarco

Karla Zarco is the Center Director for CIEE Mérida, Mexico, a role she has held since joining the organization in 2019 to oversee local operations. She brings over 25 years of experience in international education and diplomacy, with a strong background in intercultural program development and global engagement. Karla has worked with international representations such as the Representative Office of the Republic of China (Taiwan, ROC) in Mexico, and spent more than 15 years with the Netherlands Education Support Office, promoting Dutch higher education and fostering international collaboration.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from Universidad de las Américas in Mexico City, and a master’s in education from Universidad Jose Marti. She is currently completing a postgraduate degree in Intercultural Management at Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán. Her global perspective is shaped by her own study abroad experience in the Netherlands at the Utrecht Universiteit.

At CIEE, Karla has been recognized for her exceptional performance, receiving the Globie Award twice, and played a key role in CIEE Mérida earning the Center of Excellence Award, thanks to consistently high program evaluation scores. She is passionate about advancing inclusive, transformative international experiences for students and educators alike.