Carla leads the agency in client services, operations, client needs, opportunities, and event production. She focuses the agency’s services on its clients’ visions and effectively applies the agency’s skills for strategic and optimal impact. The Gentles Agency created and produced the Phoenix Famtastical Festival in downtown Phoenix and was nominated for the 2017 Arizona Zonie Award. It drew over 22,000 attendees during its second year, thanks to collaborative partnerships with sponsors, corporate and community stakeholders, and the City of Phoenix. Some of her notable event productions include the University of Phoenix, the Coalition of Blacks Against Breast Cancer-Mayo Clinic initiative, Back-to-School Clothing Drive, and capital campaign initiatives for the historic George Washington Carver Museum.

Professional and civic involvement stems from intellectual curiosity and the continuous pursuit and creation of knowledge. She studied fashion, which sparked a passion for learning, ultimately resulting in a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s degree in business. Her doctoral studies in Organizational Leadership at Grand Canyon University focused on cultivating philanthropic knowledge. Research supports the case for philanthropic academic programming that enhances career readiness and fosters transformative, sustainable societal outcomes.

A strong passion for service, representation, and community building fuels her 29-year military career. Gentles retired as a Master Sergeant and Course Manager, earning the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and a Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year award nomination. She is an adjunct faculty member at Grand Canyon University in the Colangelo College of Business, where she teaches entrepreneurship. She is a co-chair of the Black Philanthropic Initiative at the Arizona Community Foundation and a board member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Past affiliations include an executive leadership role and sustaining membership with the Junior League of Phoenix, the Arizona Costume Institute, Top Ladies of Distinction, and the Metropolitan Arts Council of South Carolina.