Karina Ortiz, a dynamic and accomplished actress of Dominican American descent, was born and raised in the culturally rich city of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. As the only female sibling among two brothers, she was deeply affected by the life-changing diagnosis of her younger brother with cerebral palsy at a very young age. This significant event had a profound impact on her family, leading them to make the courageous decision to relocate to the vibrant city of New York when Karina was just five years old.
Karina's profound aptitude for music and acting became apparent from the very outset of her existence, as she was utterly consumed by an insatiable passion to form a profound connection with the world at large through the time-honored and universally understood medium of performance. Despite her fervent and unyielding desire to cultivate and nurture this remarkable talent, her parents, beset by the constraints of a limited financial situation, were regrettably unable to provide the necessary training, thereby leaving Karina's lofty aspirations and ambitions unrealized, her dreams and desires hanging precariously in the balance.
As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, Karina's ardor for acting continued to intensify, refusing to wane in the slightest. It wasn't until she had the opportunity to enroll in college that she was finally able to consecrate herself entirely to her artistic aspirations, allowing her to immerse herself fully in the world of acting.
Karina's post-graduation journey embarked upon a remarkable path, transporting her to the esteemed Off-Broadway stages in the vibrant city of New York, and extending far beyond, where she landed the coveted and highly sought-after leading role of Angelita in the widely acclaimed and critically praised production of "Platanos and Collard Greens". Her outstanding and impressive performance soon garnered widespread attention and recognition from influential and respected casting directors, thereby paving the way for her to secure her first co-starring role as Mercedes, the sister of Dr. Ruben Marcado, played by the renowned and highly acclaimed Lin-Manuel Miranda, in the popular and highly successful NBC drama "Do No Harm".
Karina's extraordinary career path has been characterized by a sequence of outstanding performances, with her recurring role as Margarita on the highly acclaimed Netflix series "Orange Is The New Black" being a particularly notable highlight.
