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Carissa Ábrego

Sr. Community Outreach Manager

Carissa Abrego joined Rifeline in April 2024 as a Senior Community Outreach Manager, bringing a rich blend of experience in strategic communication, stakeholder engagement, and data-driven storytelling. A bilingual Southern California native, she holds a B.A. in Communication Studies from Biola University and an M.A. in Linguistics from the University of Chicago. 

At Rifeline, Carissa leads outreach strategies that build meaningful connections between organizations and the communities they serve. Her recent work includes supporting the Texas Department of Transportation's Statewide Multimodal Transit Plan, stakeholder engagement for VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio, and strategic initiatives with Central Health in Travis County. She is trained in Courageous Conversations and draws on a strong foundation in people management and inclusive dialogue to navigate complex public landscapes. 

Before joining Rifeline, Carissa held a variety of roles across higher education and the nonprofit sector, working as an academic researcher, editor and writing consultant, college instructor, and most recently as leader of a large team at the University of Texas at Austin, where she helped thousands of students succeed academically. She has also served on nonprofit executive boards and helped organize professional conferences. Outside of work, Carissa enjoys reading and writing poetry, volunteering in her local community of Round Rock, attending concerts, watching basketball, and traveling with her daughters.