Karla Diaz Sayles is vice president of Local Public Affairs, responsible for community and government relations at Southern California Edison, one of the nation’s largest electric utilities. Sayles leads the company’s strategic engagement efforts with local governments, community leaders and regional stakeholders across Southern California. Her portfolio includes licensing for infrastructure development and grid modernization projects, wildfire recovery and rebuild, and emergency preparedness, while cultivating meaningful partnerships with communities to advance SCE’s key initiatives and priorities.
Most recently, Sayles worked in the governor’s office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) as deputy director of the California Film Commission overseeing film permitting, tax incentives, location resources and on-location production support. Previously, she served as director of public affairs at Warner Bros. Discovery, managing public affairs strategies and stakeholder engagement. Before that, she was the health deputy for Los Angeles County’s second supervisorial district and held positions at various public affairs firms.
Sayles maintains her commitment to building strong communities through service on several nonprofit boards, including LA Mayor Karen Bass’ Entertainment Industry Council and the advisory board for Zócalo Public Square. She is a member of the Junior League of Los Angeles (president 2018-2019) and is an alumna of HOPE Leadership Institute.
Sayles holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and international studies from Northwestern University.
