During her 16-year tenure as the Agape Foundation–Fund for Nonviolent Social Change’s executive director, Karen witnessed the communication needs facing grassroots organizations. While working as a Greenpeace nuclear disarmament campaigner, she participated in well-designed and executed strategic communication plans. When she consulted at Abernathy Anderson, a public relations firm, Karen learned the art of story pitching and clear messaging. Karen’s op-ed and professional articles have appeared in The Oakland Tribune, The San Francisco Chronicle, and The Noe Valley Voice, and in books and blogs published by the Foundation Center. Her personal blogs appear regularly on her blog site, Tour de Farce.

For more than 20 years, Karen has moderated and spoken on panels with social justice grant makers, fundraisers, artists, nonprofit executive directors and environmental leaders. She honed her leadership skills while serving on planning committees and co-chairing fundraising, philanthropy and social justice conferences. In her spare time, she serves on the screening committee for the San Francisco Green Film Festival.