Katerinne Zheng Chiang was born in Lima, Peru. She immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 4, residing in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County, California. Her early life experiences exposed her to the struggles and inequalities undocumented immigrants face, from limited access to legal representation to inadequate healthcare services. As a child, she would accompany her mother to work at a sweatshop located in the Los Angeles Fashion District. She observed firsthand the exploitative work conditions experienced by a workforce of undocumented immigrants.

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Katerinne is currently an undergraduate majoring in Political Economy at the University of California, Berkeley, College of Letters and Science. As a scholar, her research fields of interest and experience are urban development, international relations, foreign policies, economic development, and contemporary analyses of city planning. She is a Social Science Research Scholar with the Institute of Labor and Employment at UC Berkeley. Contributing as a research assistant regarding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Global South, developing insights into the effectiveness of political strategies in managing future pandemics. Katerinne intends to attend law school and become a federal policy director dedicated to curating and implementing policies and regulations that have lasting positive effects—addressing issues of significant societal needs, with policies that are capable of withstanding the shifts in administration or public opinion. Additionally, she aspires to become a law professor, guiding the next generation of attorneys and lawmakers. 

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Before transferring to UC Berkeley, Katerinne worked in human resources for a Fortune 500 company, where she developed an expertise in conflict resolution, negotiation, administration, labor law, and regulatory compliance. Her role ensured all departments operated at optimized efficiency to meet the corporation quotas while following both federal and state regulatory compliance. Katerinne also interned with San Francisco’s Department of Police Accountability, working under the Policy Director on projects establishing standards for police vehicle pursuits. She applied theoretical knowledge to practical situations, assessing future pursuit procedures and policy renewal timelines.

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As a DreamSF fellow, Katerinne is placed with San Francisco Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs, as part of the San Francisco Pathways to Citizenship Initiative (SFPCI) project. Here, she will gain first-hand experience regarding immigration law and policy, overseeing and maintaining workshop processes and internal organizational systems, working directly with community members through SFPCI Spanish and English hotlines, and providing overall departmental support.

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In her downtime, she enjoys painting, writing poetry, listening to Taylor Swift, and watching murder mysteries and docuseries while eating takeout. Her favorite outdoor activity is going to the beach to collect sand dollars and seashells with her family. She also loves finding a good bargain at the department store.