Kentucky Youth Advocates is excited to welcome Karina Barillas, Angie Hatton, and Shane Noem to our Board of Directors. This new class of board members bring expertise and passion to the table as we work collectively to make Kentucky the best place in America to be young. 

We asked them a couple of questions to introduce them to the KYA network. Get to know our new board members below!

Karina Barillas is a native from Guatemala. Through a Fulbright scholarship in 1996, Karina earned her BA, with a minor in English, Psychology, and Education, at the University of Louisville. She received her Masters in Education with a concentration in Counseling Psychology from the University of Louisville in 2002. 

She started working with women’s issues as President of the International Students Organization at the University of Louisville in 2000. Karina worked for eight years advocating, accompanying, and supporting Latina victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault at the Center for Women and Families. For three years, she was the co-host of the first Spanish TV Show in Kentucky, Amigos en Louisville, a social, informational and educational program. She was awarded the National Conference for Community and Justice’s Peace Maker Humanitarian Award in 2004. She was named as “One of the 25 most influential Hispanics in Louisville,” by the Spanish newspaper “Hoy en Las Américas.”

She is one of the co-founders and currently works as the Executive Director for La Casita Center, a Community of Latinx Hospitality, unique in the state of Kentucky that enhances the well-being of Louisville’s Latinx community through education, empowerment, advocacy, and wellness. La Casita works intentionally to build a thriving community based on mutual support and respect. 

In 2015, Karina was awarded the “Alden Fellowship” by the Community Foundation of Louisville to attend the Duke Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership. In February 2020, she received the Business Women’s First Enterprising Women Award for her leadership as the Executive Director of La Casita Center. In November 2020, the Mexican Government presented Karina with the Ohtli Award, an honor that recognizes invaluable work and assistance to the Mexican Community living in the US. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Karina’s commitment to the well-being of the Latinx community has been documented in local media outlets, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. On June 17, at the inaugural Juneteenth Jubilee Celebration Gala, former Mayor Greg Fischer announced Karina as one of the three recipients for the 2022 “Keepers of the Dream Freedom Award”, being the first Latina to receive such an honor and recognition. Congressman Morgan McGarvey awarded Karina with the Congressional Leadership Award at his 2023 Celebration of International Women’s Day.

Karina is the proud mother of Ali and Fatimah, and loves to dance salsa, sing, garden, and cook with her loving husband Louis.

When I was a kid, I wanted my father not to be abusive to my mother and my family. I dreamed of becoming a doctor and wanted to become free, free of all the pain around me.

What draws you to KYA’s mission?
KYA is UNIQUE. Its amazing staff work tirelessly to dismantle abuse, discrimination, and oppression. Having been a partner in different projects, the word inclusivity is not only a check box, it is a statement, it is a reality, it is a fact. I have belonged to this organization not only in my heart but in the creative and cultural specific efforts that we have created together, as a collective.

What are you most excited about as a new board member?
I am so excited to be part of the board because this is a great opportunity to grow, learn, and contribute professionally, and to work more closely with KYA professionals that I admire and look up to.

While there are many issues impacting Kentucky kids and families, what is the issue you’re most passionate about?
I am passionate about inclusivity and belonging. Culturally relevant practices and meaningful access to services are at the core of my heart. I am in systemic change and in demystifying the way that services, interventions, and programs are created in order for us to really and truly reach out to the families that historically have been marginalized and invisible.

Angie Hatton serves as Vice Chair of the Kentucky Public Service Commission. Previously, she served three terms in the Kentucky General Assembly as 94th District State Representative.

She was elected House Minority Whip in 2019, was appointed to the Child Welfare Oversight and Advisory Committee and served as Co-Chair of the Nonprofit Caucus. Angie graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 1994 with a journalism degree, worked as a newspaper reporter, and then earned a juris doctorate degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1999. During her 24-year law practice, she spent nine years covering dependency, neglect and abuse cases in juvenile court as Assistant Letcher County Attorney along with her private practice focusing mainly in Family Law. 

She was named among the 50 Most Influential Women in Kentucky by the Kentucky Gazette in 2019. Other honors include the VFW Humanitarian Award, Red Cross Exceptional Volunteer Service Award, KVEC Henry Clay Award, Legislative Champion Award at the Senior Hunger Summit, and Warrior for Working Families Award. She served four terms as parent representative on Site-Based Decision-Making Counsels and served on non-profit boards including Red Cross of Eastern Kentucky, Community Farm Alliance, Letcher County Community Foundation and EKY Heritage Foundation. 

She is Mom to Sam, a senior at Morehead State University, and Ellie, a sophomore at University of Louisville. She lives in Whitesburg with her husband, David, and goldendoodle, Hamilton.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a writer.

What draws you to KYA’s mission?
I am drawn to KYA’s mission because it is not narrowly focused on only one aspect of the needs of Kentucky’s kids, but rather is broad enough to encompass any need identified from nutrition to access to care to juvenile justice.

What are you most excited about as a new board member?
I am most excited to learn from the diverse experiences of my fellow board members. 

While there are many issues impacting Kentucky kids and families, what is the issue you’re most passionate about?
The issue I’m most passionate about is finding ways to alleviate the many devastating effects of the opioid epidemic on Kentucky’s children.

Shane Noem leads Roebling Solutions, a high-quality, full-service government relations firm that partners with public, private, and nonprofit clients to attain their policy goals through bridge building with officials at local, state, and federal levels. Known throughout the Commonwealth for his integrity and professional approach to politics and government, Shane works closely with clients to understand their short- and long-term objectives, then leverages his experience and connections to attain these targets through creative solutions and strategic partnerships. His knowledge of and relationships with legislators throughout Kentucky are vital resources for any business seeking legislative or regulatory reform.

He has more than a decade of experience working with and for state, local, and federal government offices, campaigns, and nonprofit organizations. Most recently, Shane served in senior roles in the re-election campaign for Senator Mitch McConnell. He regularly supervised and was involved with projects including coalition building, legal affairs, testimonials, commercial production, and events. He was also the point person for endorsements and relationships with the Kentucky General Assembly and state and local elected officials.

Shane is on the Kenton County Republican Party Executive Committee and serves as the secretary of the 4th District Republican Party. In 2013, he was also one of the co-founders of the Northern Kentucky Young Republicans, which was presented the Best Small Club Award in the nation by the National Young Republicans. Shane is a very active volunteer with the Dan Beard Council, Boy Scouts of America and he serves as an appointed member of the Board of Ethics for the City of Ft. Mitchell, where he lives with his wife, Tara, and their three children.

He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Photojournalism from Western Kentucky University in 2010.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an archaeologist.

What draws you to KYA’s mission?
Advocating for a brighter future for our next generation is the most important thing we can do for KY and our country. 

What are you most excited about as a new board member?
Looking forward to working with the very talented board and staff. 

While there are many issues impacting Kentucky kids and families, what is the issue you’re most passionate about?
Advocating for early childhood education can move the needle in a greater way than anything else we do, but it’s also not easy to do.