Kari and her husband, Gabe, and their three kids live in Oakland. The Garcia family moved to Oakland in 2020 to plant a new multi ethnic, multigenerational church with the hopes of growing disciples of Jesus and bringing renewal to the city. New City Church is now a year and a half old and meets weekly in Jack London Square. Kari is on staff at NCC as a Ministry Coordinator with a specific focus on local outreach and justice initiatives. She has worked to build a growing partnership with several OUSD schools. Providing backpacks and school supplies, hosting a Holiday Gift Shop, and doing a complete Makeover of a teacher's lounge are a few of the things she has overseen in the local schools. She has also helped build a growing partnership with Love Never Fails by organizing the Freedom Walk and by providing mentorship for an LNF survivor. Kari has a deep heart for seeing renewal in the city of Oakland. As she raises her three kids here, she desires to continue to lean into the beautification of the East Bay and see transformation in the brokenness.

Kari studied and received her degree in Psychology from Trinity Western University and then went on to start (not complete) her Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Having experienced the pains of mental illness in her family, she has a heart for seeing people get the mental, physical, and spiritual care they need to flourish.

Kari enjoys baking and trying new recipes, especially when her daughter Ana joins her in the kitchen. She loves to hike and explore the beauty of the East Bay. If she isn't exercising outdoors, she is an avid fan of the Peloton bike :). The Garcia family lives in Laurel and finds great joy in living life in their neighborhood and building relationships with the diverse community around them.