Expertise
Assessment & Planning Expertise
Karen has participated in and led numerous strategic planning efforts. As CEO, she led racial equity efforts for a large nonprofit organization including staff and volunteer education, communications, affinity group creation/management, data collection, community partner engagement and practice change. She has also led extensive change management efforts including downsizing as well as major growth efforts and community partnerships. Additionally, she has significant experience writing and implementing successful succession plans.
Leadership Training and Retreats
Throughout her nonprofit career Karen has provided technical assistance and training to over 250 nonprofits. In her leadership training she draws on her 30 plus years of extensive staff (120+) and volunteer management experience including direct service, administrative, development and communications teams. Karen has worked closely with and trained boards of directors for over 30 years. She has conducted over 300 national, state and local presentations including conference keynotes, university lectures and community speaking engagements and enjoys designing trainings, retreats and conferences and accompanying curricula to meet the unique needs of nonprofits.
Interim Executive Expertise
After having served in nonprofits for over 30 years in Chief Executive, Advancement, Strategy and Program roles, Karen went on to become certified by Armstrong McGuire as an Interim Executive. This specialized training focuses on the unique role of an interim leader as a transition specialist to help organizations smoothly navigate a leadership change without losing pace or momentum with annual plans. Certified executives are trained to assess issues affecting the organization and make recommendations for short and longer term planning. Interim Executives utilize this training in combination with extensive executive experience to strengthen the organization and support senior team and board leaders, preparing them for a successful future leader.
Project Support Expertise
Karen has managed projects of all sizes at the program, agency and community as well as statewide levels. She has extensive experience leading community partnerships to create, expand and merge programs. She authored a nonprofit best practices guide that she often utilizes in her consulting. She has been published in a number of professional resources and has experience serving as reviewer for national and state publications. Karen is also a very experienced media communicator with over 165+ newspaper, radio and television interviews completed. Additionally Karen has significant experience creating and updating nonprofit policies and procedures and researching and writing local, state and federal grant applications with her largest grant received totaling $2M.
When serving as Chief Advancement Officer, Karen led all areas of fundraising and communications. She oversaw events with revenue of $1,000,000+ annually. She also managed donor and major gift relationships including creation of a giving society. Additionally she led key components of several capital campaigns up to $35 million.
Current & Previous
Volunteer Leadership Roles
Race Matters for Juvenile Justice Board of Directors, Co-Chair
UUCC Memorial Endowment Trust Board of Directors, Secretary
CharMeck Family Justice Center Steering Committee, Chair
The Fletcher School Board of Directors
Nonprofit Mecklenburg Executive Collaborative
Women Executives
North Carolina Public Health Alliance to End Partner Violence
Charlotte Domestic Violence Advocacy Council, Co-Chair
Women’s Summit Steering Committee, Violence against Women Committee Chair
Texas Victim Assistance Academy, Faculty
National Agenda on Domestic Violence Committee
Open Door School, Treasurer
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Forensic Medicine Program Board
UNCC Criminal Justice and Criminology Advisory Board