Karla Cruz Godoy: 5 Things About The ‘Survivor’ Player Fighting To Win Season 43

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Image Credit: CBS

Karla Cruuz Godoy is a contestant on season 43 of ‘Survivor’ and is one of five finalists on the Dec. 14 finale.
She survived the top 6 vote after playing her hidden immunity idol amidst a blindside against Cody Assembacher.
Karla has an educational connection to Bill and Melinda Gates.

Karla Cruz Godoy was off to a good start on season 43 of Survivor from the beginning. Aside from being a member of the dominant Coco tribe when the game started, Karla also found a hidden immunity idol during episode three. She risked potentially losing her vote to earn the idol, which she then used to save herself amidst fear of being voted out in the top 6.

Plus, Karla has also performed well in challenges, winning immunities and shocking even herself with her performance. However, with all of these notches on her resume, Karla has also become a big threat as the show winds down. We’ve got everything you need to know about the standout Survivor 43 contestant right here!

Karla Cruz Godoy is a member of the Coco tribe on ‘Survivor 43’ (Photo: CBS)

1. Karla is an educational project manager.

Karla works as an educational project manager at Big Picture Learning, a learner-centered education organization, according to her LinkedIn. She “provides strategic and programmatic support for a variety of projects” at the job. Karla is also the co-founder and co-chair of Big Picture Learning Alumni Association.

2. Karla lives in Delaware.

Karla is from San Diego, California, according to her Survivor bio, but now she lives in Newark, Delaware. In her pre-game interview with Parade, Karla revealed that her parents immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico. “Struggling while growing up was tough,” she explained. “It kind of built this resiliency in me that I carry everywhere I go. And my parents worked a lot, so my grandparents raised me. It felt like the cards were stacked against me. But I wasn’t gonna give up that easily.”

3. Karla received a scholarship from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Karla is the recipient of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation‘s Millennium Scholarship, which allowed her to attend UC Berkeley where she got her undergraduate Bachelor’s degree, followed by her Master’s degree at Johns Hopkins University. Karla told Parade that she’s the first person in her family to graduate from high school and college.

Karla Cruz Godoy is still in the running to win $1 million on ‘Survivor 43’ (Photo: CBS)

4. Karla Is married.

Karla is openly queer and is married to Alyssa Martins Cruz. Karla posts cute photos of the happy couple on her Instagram. One of the special moments she shared was when they bought their first house in February, which Karla called a “dream come true.”

5. Karla’s favorite ‘Survivor’ player is Cirie Fields.

“I love her. I feel like she’s a favorite for a lot of people,” Karla told Parade about four-time Survivor player Cirie Fields. Karla also said she relates to Cirie being a “plus-sized woman” and that they have similar stories. Another Survivor player that Karla loves is two-time winner Tony Vlachos.

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SURVIVOR announced today the 18 new castaways who will compete against each other on SURVIVOR when the Emmy Award-winning series returns for its 42nd season with a two-hour premiere, Wednesday, March 9 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. The series is also available to stream live and on demand on the CBS app and Paramount+*. Pictured Top Left to Right: Lydia Meredith, Rocksroy Bailey, Marya Sherron, Jonathan Young, Mike Turner, Drea Wheeler, Romeo Escobar, Lindsay Dolashewich, Hai Giang, and Chanelle Howell. Pictured Bottom Left to Right: Zach Wurtenberger, Tori Meehan, Daniel Strunk, Maryanne Oketch, Jackson Fox, Jenny Kim, Omar Zaheer, and Swati Goel. Photo: Robert Voets/CBS Entertainment 2021 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.