Carmen is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts in both Theater & Performance and English Literature. She is an alumnus of programs at the American Conservatory Theater, the Upright Citizens Brigade, and received classical training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London UK. A member of SAG-AFTRA and the Actors' Equity Association, her long list of stage performances includes working in Europe and the USA. Her favorite work in Los Angeles includes participating in the CBS Latino Showcase, cast and produced by CBS casting SVP Fern Orenstein & EVP Peter Golden, Sissy at the Center Theater Group's New Theater for Now at the Kirk Douglas Theater, and Charles Marowitz & Martin Sheen's Hey Chavez. Her television credits include 24 (FOX), Without a Trace (CBS), I'm Sorry (truTV), I Think You Should Leave (Netflix), America’s Most Wanted (FOX).

When Carmen is not being creative, her heart lies with advocating, caring for, and rehabilitating homeless and special needs animals, and giving back to the community through her charitable giving program, the Love At First Sit® Initiative. Her initiative includes volunteering at the Santa Monica Animal Shelter — where she has completed over 5,000+ volunteer hours and counting — partnering and fundraising for nonprofit organizations, all to advocate for animals and the people who love them.

A pet expert, her column “Pet of the Week” in the Santa Monica Daily Press, features adoptable pets from the Santa Monica Animal Shelter, and pet tips. She is a frequent contributor in the area of pet expertise for the Santa Monica Daily Press, Santa Monica Mirror (also featured in YO! Venice, Brentwood News, Century City/Westwood News, Westside Today, and Palisades News). She was most recently a guest dog behaviorist and trainer on KCRW’s Press Play with Madeleine Brand, and profiled as an Everyday Hero on Spectrum News 1 Socal.

Carmen is also an authorized mentor dog trainer for Animal Behavior College, an evaluator and trainer for the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen program, and is former Chairman of the Board of the Santa Monica Animal Shelter Foundation.

Carmen Resides in Santa Monica, California where she is Founder and CEO of, Love at First Sit®, a pet care and dog behavior & training company specializing shelter, rescue pets.