Karla Nagy
ABOUT ME
My careers in social work, landscape architecture and urban forestry have been marked by a commitment to building relationships, improving lives and creating innovative solutions in challenging situations.
I've lived in San Francisco for more than half my life and have spent most of that time planting, growing and striving to improve the city around me. Cultivating an urban forest in a land of sand dunes and fog has defined who I am: resilient, altruistic and steadfast.
I've been told that I am “occupationally agile” - I’ve had a wide range of jobs that have built upon each other. The foundation of my skills have been built by experience, challenges and the support of others. More than once I’ve started a new career at an entry-level position and over time identified opportunities to growing into greater responsibilities. I see opportunities in crisis, which I use as an opportunity to review, reconsider and restructure.
I come from a long line of gardeners, builders and fixers. Many of them left their home and rebuilt their lives across oceans - making do with minimal resources they were successful in creating a home in new lands. I am constantly inspired by their creativity, resourcefulness and flexibility. I also saw in them the pain of being a foreign outsider and the importance of community support to survive.
I grew up with some family members that spoke minimal English - or with their own version of English grammar. I learned to bridge languages and find creative ways to communicate. Language is fluid for me and communication is more than the words we say.
I deeply believe that anything that I do well I do better when collaborating with others. Finding solutions together may be more time consuming and has its own difficulties, but to me the outcome is always better when found together. I enjoy the process of discussing and problem solving together and strive to provide a platform to fairly include all voices. I try to communicate frankly, simply and clearly - and most importantly, to listen. I seek out the advice of professional and personal mentors for advice and to lend an ear so that I don’t bring my personal feelings to work.
I’m happiest wandering near and far with a backpack and map. I've crossed San Francisco on bike and foot, cultivating trees and gardens in my wake. I can’t get through the day without reading a good book, swimming laps (or biking if COVID has closed the pools) and listening to community-supported radio.
Sidewalk Stencil,
San Francisco, CA
Artist unknown.