We are so excited to introduce you to the newest member of the Worksafe crew: our Legal Fellow, Karín Umfrey. Read Karín's full bio here.

Q: What brought you to Worksafe? 

Worksafe's mission advocates for ensuring that workers, particularly vulnerable workers, have a safe and healthy workplace. Due to my background in healthcare, I am inspired to work in the public health and health law sphere. I was introduced to occupational health while assisting Spanish-speakers in the Baltimore area access healthcare resources. My interest grew when I was introduced to a Latino and immigration advocacy-and-assistance organization and learned more about quality of life issues facing workers. Because Worksafe was the only California legal nonprofit specifically focused on ensuring that workers' health and safety rights are protected, it was the perfect match between my interests and goals as an attorney. 

Q: What issue are you particularly interested in?  

There are so many issues that I am interested in, because there is a lot of work to be done in various different areas. If I had to pick just one, it would be workplace violence in healthcare and how intersections of race, gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity impact this serious issue. I am also interested in how to effectively educate stakeholders on recognizing health and safety as a core value instead of seeing it as a burdensome regulation. I'm eager to conduct trainings to assist workers in organizing and advocating for their health and safety. 

Q: What do you do for fun?

I'm new to San Francisco and would love to find a swing dancing group where you can take lessons and attend dances, so I can really improve my swing dancing (I'm quite rusty). In the meantime, I enjoy the challenge of being active after work by lifting or practicing yoga. On the weekends, I try to catch up on zzz's and any shows I missed during the week. I'm also interested in joining a committee in one of the bar organizations once those opportunities become available.