Carissa Coons
Regional Advisor – US, Funder Safeguarding Collaborative
Carissa Coons is Funder Safeguarding Collaborative’s Regional Advisor for the US, working to develop FSC support and services for US members. Carissa began her career as a teacher in the US and in France, and after several years of teaching, she accepted a position at Rotary International where she oversaw international youth protection efforts in over 150 countries. Carissa also recently worked for the U.S. Center for SafeSport, where she managed the implementation of the 2022 Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies, which aim to protect US minor athletes from physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Currently, Carissa serves as the Director of Youth Protection at the University of Southern California, where she oversees compliance with safeguarding requirements that help to promote the safety and wellbeing of tens of thousands of young people entrusted to the university’s care each year. In her free time, Carissa also serves as a volunteer advocate for a local rape crisis center, where she provides crisis intervention counseling and advocacy to individuals who have experienced sexual violence. Carissa is fluent in English and French.