About Carley

Carley’s consulting practice is rooted in deep knowledge of the health and human services policy space, with specific expertise in developmental disability and behavioral health issue areas. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the Goldman School at the University of California Berkeley. Before launching her independent consulting practice, Carley spent years gaining skills and expertise working for a distinguished firm as a consultant to state government and foundation clients.

Carley is particularly passionate about working towards a California where all people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) are able to access high quality services that they need and choose from a system that respects their autonomy and dignity. As the family member of several loved ones with I/DD, Carley has been compelled by the desire to advocate in support of people with I/DD from a very young age. She is specifically driven to make sure that people with I/DD have the opportunities that they need to thrive in their communities and to live the lives that they choose for themselves.

Carley’s expertise in the I/DD space originates in her work as a special education teacher for students with moderate to severe developmental disabilities at a nonpublic school in Richmond. There she served a diverse community of students and families, including families who spoke a language other than English, who had recently immigrated, and who were experiencing homelessness. During her graduate course of study to obtain her moderate/severe disabilities educational specialist credential, she gained a deep understanding of how to facilitate communication, access, and engagement for learners with I/DD. Carley then went on to serve a diverse caseload of approximately 90 individuals with I/DD as a service coordinator in the regional center system. People on Carley’s caseload included those who spoke a language other than English, those who were experiencing co-occurring mental health or substance use conditions, and those who were experiencing housing instability. In the course of this work, she furthered her understanding of California’s developmental disabilities service system and the operations of the regional center system specifically. She also gained unique insights into the lived experience of individuals with I/DD served by these systems. 

Carley is a lifelong resident of the San Francisco Bay Area. She is deeply committed to service of her local and statewide communities. She is a proud citizen of Oakland, where her family has roots of over a century. In her free time she enjoys spending time in nature, hiking, kayaking, and volunteering as a certified California Naturalist on habitat restoration and species census projects.