Kaya Plansker is Senior Director of Training and Programs for Coro’s industry-focused cohorts, Workforce Leadership Network and Housing and Houselessness Leadership Network, as well as a portfolio of Coro X collaborations. Kaya comes to Coro with a blend of communication and community leadership experience.

Before joining Coro Southern California, Kaya was the Executive Director of Leadership Pasadena, a community leadership development organization with a personal impact and community collaboration mission. During her time in that role, Kaya worked to diversify the perspectives brought into the curriculum and broaden the types of leaders represented within the cohorts to include more Millennial and BIPOC participation and increase tuition support overall. Seeing a gap in youth leadership programs and professional development programs, Kaya started Homegrown Leaders, a program aimed at the post-high school graduation phase of life where personal and professional path-setting and networks are most needed.

Kaya has a BS in Communications from Boston University and spent 15 years at Advertising agencies like Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, and 72andSunny working on strategic business problems. She shifted her focus to addressing human problems pursuing a Masters in Human Development at Pacific Oaks College with a concentration in social change and social capital building. Kaya believes that connecting individuals to each other and to their own purpose reinforces the positive impact we can all have on our communities. She continues her own community impact through Board service to civics organization, Civitas, and being on the Advisory Council for Leadership Pasadena and the Junior League of Pasadena.