Carla Dirlikov Canales

Carla Dirlikov Canales is an internationally acclaimed opera singer, cultural diplomat, and senior government official. Praised by Opera Magazine for a voice that “grabs the heartstrings with its dramatic force and musicality,” she has performed leading roles worldwide, including over 80 performances as Carmen in 12 countries. She has appeared as a soloist at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center and collaborated extensively with major symphony orchestras in China. In 2023, Carla joined the Biden Administration as Senior Advisor and Envoy for Cultural Exchange at the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH), where she launched Artists for Understanding to promote the arts as a tool for global dialogue. She has served as an Arts Envoy for the U.S. State Department for two decades, leading international cultural diplomacy projects, including a 2024 initiative with the U.S. Embassy in China. Carla teaches at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and has held faculty roles at The Fletcher School and the University of Denver. She founded The Canales Project, which created Hear Her Song, a musical tribute to female leaders, honoring figures like Hillary Clinton and Malala Yousafzai. A multilingual advocate, she has received numerous awards, including Foreign Policy’s 100 Leading Global Thinkers.