Karen is the Managing Director, Strategic Partnerships at Lever for Change, a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation affiliate that creates customized open call challenges designed to help donors find and fund solutions to the world’s biggest problems. In her role, Karen develops and executes the strategic plan to engage key networks and partners within the philanthropic, public, and private sectors to advance Lever for Change’s mission. She also provides expert advice and services to donors, whatever their interests, philanthropic experience, or staff level, to connect them to high-impact philanthropic investment opportunities.
Karen brings over a decade of experience in the philanthropic sector. Prior to Lever for Change, Karen served as the Home Region Program Director and as a Senior Evaluation and Learning Officer at the Walton Family Foundation where she launched the Northwest Arkansas Design Excellence Program and managed a portfolio of over $300 million in grants to support the foundation’s place-based work. Prior to joining the Walton Family Foundation, she worked in local government, with key leadership roles in urban planning and strategy.
Karen has served as the founding board chair for Thaden School, as a board director for the Walton Charitable Support Foundation, and on the Community Development Advisory Council for the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank. Karen received an undergraduate degree in communications and economics from Northwestern University and a Master of Public Policy from the University of California at Berkeley.