Before joining Bearing Tree, Karen was an entrepreneur, owning a fine jewelry store, a restaurant and a car dealership. She strongly believes in the value small businesses bring to our economy, and the importance of protecting free enterprise. Karen also worked as a film editor in Chicago for clients that include Anheuser-Busch, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Proctor and Gamble.
At Bearing Tree, she works with nonprofit leaders to grow their funding opportunities from a variety of sources. She coaches leadership and development teams on the best practices in research, AI, marketing, cultivation and stewardship strategies to build a solid infrastructure that ensures sustainable future revenue growth.
Karen earned a master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from Northwestern University after graduating from the University of Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in English. She serves on the board of San Pasqual Academy, a best-in-class residential high school for foster teens in Escondido, CA.