USC LATINO ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 2023 LEGACY AWARD HONOREE

Carmen is an entrepreneur and in the process of launching her new venture: “Vida For Vitality,” a juice enterprise aimed at brain health with a particular interest in underserved communities. Carmen’s prior corporate experience includes finance and operational roles with Fortune 500, international, start-up and Big Four public accounting firms in Energy, Manufacturing, Satellite Communications, and Entertainment.

For nearly 20 years, Carmen worked for the Sempra Energy family of companies, holding various director roles. In 2007, Carmen became the first Latina director at this Fortune 500 company. Areas of responsibilities included Real Estate, Fleet Services, Facility Operations & Capital Programs, Land Management and Supplier Diversity, including sustainable programs implementation.

Carmen started her career with Ernst & Young LLP as an auditor and worked in various industries in financial and accounting roles from financial analyst to controller with organizations such as Paramount Pictures, Univisa, Inc., Hughes Communications and StarGuide Digital Networks before joining Sempra in 2001.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Southern California and a C.P.A. license. Carmen serves on the USC Alumni Association Board of Governors, is the Co-Chair of the 2023 USC Women’s Conference, past chair of the Corporate Advisory Council of the USC Latino Alumni Association and the past president of the board of trustees for Camp Ronald McDonald For Good Times. Carmen has held leadership positions with various non-profit organizations, and she is an alumna of the Southern California Leadership Network, Leadership California, and LEAD San Diego. In her spare time, Carmen enjoys sailing, traveling, cycling, college football and other sports.