Karla ‘Oz’ Caceres-Perez
Los Angeles, CA • (323) 496-5652 • karlacac@usc.edu
Master student at USC Price School of Public Policy studying Urban Planning with a Concentration in Design of the Built Environment. The capstone project (Spring 2025) will focus primarily on sustainable design and community-based planning. Interested in using art and media as a tool for empowering marginalized communities. Open to internship opportunities in planning, design, and sustainability consulting.
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
USC Sol Price School of Public Policy | USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences
Dual Degree: Master of Urban Planning | B.A Environmental Studies May 2025
Relevent Coursework: Water and Soil Sustainability; Energy and Air Sustainability, Earth’s Climate: Past, Present, and Future, Urban and International Development, Shaping the Built Environment, Environmental Economics, Planning Theory and History for a Just Society, Community-Based Design, Conservation and Planning, Design Skills for Planners, Physical Planning: Urban and Community Design, Planning Law & Legal Frameworks
Work Experience
Project Management Intern May 2022 - July 2022
Ozair Construction and Design, Inc., Los Angeles, CA Dec 2022 - Jan 2023
• Assisted lead contractor with documenting progress for residential and commercial construction projects.
• Performed budget management tasks such as organizing payroll, material orders, and equipment rentals.
• Researched and made recommendations for sustainable building practices.
Student Professional Worker (Part-Time)
City of Los Angeles Department of Planning - Westside Division
June 2023 - Nov 2023
• Supported planners with updating community plans for the Westside planning areas to be consistent with the Los Angeles General Plan.
• Organized spreadsheets to consolidate public comments and track progress of ongoing project.
• Researched and summarized historical development patterns in the Westside.
• Translated public documents from English to Spanish.
Programming and Development Intern (Part-Time) Sep 2022 - Dec 2023
Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation, Los Angeles, CA
• Responsible for planning and facilitating youth recreational programming.
• Re-designed soccer program based on age group to support the athletic development.
• Served as lead soccer coach for Normandie Recreation Center.
Marketing Intern (Part-Time)
USC First Generation+ Success Center, Los Angeles, CA
Jan 2022 - May 2022
• Developed programs aimed at fostering a culture of holistic wellbeing for first generation students.
• Coordinated with partner Student Equity and Inclusion Programs to provide supportive services for students.
• Oversaw all center marketing and public relations strategies.
Tree Ambassador (Part-Time)
Climate Resolve, Los Angeles, CA
• Promoted sustainable communities through urban forestry community outreach.
• Responsible for organizing tree planting and adoption events.
July 2021 - April 2022
• Established partnerships with residents, business owners, and NGO’s to promote City Plants’ tree adoption program.
Independent Projects
Corazón y Alma - Magazine (Writer/Curator)
Jan 2024 - Present
• Published media aimed at exposing young people to topics in gender and sexuality, arts and entertainment, environmentalism and general social justice issues.
Vicious Inc. - Independent Record Label (Artist)
• Developed digital marketing strategies for marginalized musicians.
O&A, Media Co. (Co-Founder, Co-Chief Executive Officer)
June 2023 - Present
June 2023 - Present
• Organized network of planners, creatives, and entrepreneurs with a common goal of creating spaces for underrepresented artists.
FIRST Robotics Team 597 (Mentor)
• Facilitated conversations between students and mentors to improve student engagement.
• Advised students in mechanical and electrical design and visual and verbal presentation.
Skills & Certifications
• Proficient in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, AutoCAD. SketchUp, Excel, ArcGIS Pro
• Professional experience in audio engineering systems
• Fluent in English and Spanish
Awards & Affiliation
June 2019 - Present
• USC Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initative Scholar
• USC Sol Price Dean Merit Scholar
• Los Angeles Board of Public Works Certificate of Recognition, April 2022
KARLA “OZ” CACERES-PEREZ WORK SAMPLES
University of Southern California, Sol Price School of Public Policy | Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, & Sciences
Master of Urban Planning | B.A Environmental Studies
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BEIJING/NEW DELHI CASE STUDY
PPD 410: Comparative Urban Development
SEWARD ALASKA COMMUNITY PLAN 2022
PPD 522: Planning Theory and History for a Just Society
SEOUL PARK REMODEL
PPD 528: Physical and Community Planning
KITSUGI VERDE: LITTLE TOKYO PROJECT
PPD 627: Design Skills for Planners
BEIJING/NEW DELHI CASE STUDY
PPD 410: Comparative Urban Development
Project Team: Christian Burks, Oz Caceres-Perez, Alyssa Ng
Role: Environmental Research, Graphics
Professor: Rym Kaki, Vice Chair of Price Department of Governance
Description: Case-study analysis of air pollution in Beijing and New Delhi. Using research and analysis, we proposed a number of policy recommendations that each city might be able to implement to improve air quality.
SEWARD ALASKA COMMUNITY PLAN 2022
PPD 410: Comparative Urban Development
Project Team: Oz Caceres-Perez, Yixiao Liu, Abigail Lopez, Sam Malnati, Chase Wilson, Megan Wong
Role: Environmental Research, Transportation Research, Graphics
Professor: David Sloane, Chair, Department of Urban Planning and Spatial Anaysis
Description: Semester long project aimed at improving the community plan for the City of Seward. Tasked with documenting the city’s history and identifying ways to improve the local economy.
SEOUL PARK REMODEL
PPD 528: Physical and Community Planning
Role: Background Research, Transportation Analysis, Graphics
Professor: Elizabeth Falleta
Description: Semester long project aimed at improving the community plan for the City of Seward. Tasked with documenting the city’s history and identifying ways to improve the local economy.
KINTSUDI VERDE
PPD 627: Design Skills for Plamers
Project Team: Oz Caceres-Perez, Revati Dass
Role: Research, Design
Professor: Kevin Wronske
Description: Mid-term assignmment. Focus of the course was to learn design principles and apply them in semester long design project. Software used: Sketch-up, Photoshop, Illustrator, ArcGIS
