Karen L. López Villanueva

Karen López Villanueva

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Karen Lucía López Villanueva is a Master of Business Administration candidate at Southern Oregon University, pursuing dual concentrations in business analytics and accounting. López Villanueva earned a bachelor’s degree from SOU’s sister institution, Universidad de Guanajuato, in public accounting.

Her international undergraduate tenure was further distinguished by a business program exchange at SOU, completed while attending SOU on multiple prestigious cross-border scholarships including participation in the “100,000 Strong in the America” program. She also serves as the graduate assistant to the dean of SOU’s College of Natural and Social Sciences, where she directly supports university administration and leads critical research on sustainable investment strategies to inform institutional endowment practices.

López Villanueva gained corporate financial experience through multiple internships with Fortune 500 retailer Lithia & Driveway, where she helped manage intercompany auditing and fiscal compliance. Her background also includes work as a general accountant managing accounts for six enterprises in Guanajuato, Mexico, where she specialized in transfer pricing and import-export compliance for U.S. corporate partners. 

López Villanueva is an active member of her communities in both Ashland and Guanajuato, Mexico. She previously served as secretary of the board for the Fiscal-Law Commission for SECOP Central Region, directing administrative logistics and developing professional workshops across nine states. She currently serves as a board member of the Ashland Amigo Club, supporting initiatives that strengthen sister-city cultural connections and community engagement between Guanajuato and Ashland.

López Villanueva is also an accomplished violinist who earned a second-place medal at the 16th Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival, performing with Siskiyou Violins at Vienna’s renowned Musikverein concert hall.