Leadership Practitioner · Keynote Speaker · Enterprise Strategist
The Power of
Owning My Story
Bold, authentic leadership begins with the courage to own your story. For me, that meant becoming a first-generation college graduate and NCAA Division I basketball player, then stepping into executive leadership and learning to lead as fully myself. Each chapter shaped the way I lead today. When I embraced and shared my story, fully and unapologetically, it unlocked a powerful authenticity that transformed my leadership.
By walking boldly in my truth, I created space for others to do the same, empowering them to honor their stories and lead with courage. Embracing my story deepens my connections and paves the way for transformation, not just for me, but for those I have the privilege to lead.
“Owning your story is a first step to walking boldly and freely in life and leadership.”
100,000 hours. Three worlds. One practice.
A Leadership Trifecta: Corporate Executive, Entrepreneur, and Nonprofit Leadership
With over 100,000 hours of practice in leadership spanning the corporate world, entrepreneurship, and nonprofit leadership, a rare trifecta of experiences that has shaped my understanding of what it truly means to lead.
Over more than twenty years at McDonald's, I rose from Marketing Manager to Corporate Vice President across a $35 billion enterprise, holding profit and loss accountability for a business generating up to $1 billion in revenue and guiding national strategy across 13,000 U.S. restaurants serving 26 million customers daily.
Yet at the height of my corporate success, I made the life-changing decision to step away and be present for my two teenage children, a deeply personal and pivotal leadership moment. That choice launched a new chapter in entrepreneurship as a franchisee and owner-operator of The Goddard School, igniting my passion for empowering women, children, and families.
It also led me to the C-suite of the nonprofit world. As CEO of Bridge Communities, I helped families build pathways to stability and self-sufficiency. As Chief Strategy and Diversity Officer and then Chief Operations Officer of Make-A-Wish America, I helped lead the organization's transformation.
Awards & recognition
Leadership recognized.
- Rising Star, Fortune Magazine
- Remarkable Person, Chicago Tribune
- Women in Leadership Award, Quad County Urban League
- President's Award, Top 1%, McDonald's Corporation
- Operations Excellence Award, McDonald's Corporation
The next chapter starts here
Leadership leaves a mark.
The question is: what kind?
Bring Lead. Boldly.™ to your stage, and send your leaders back ready to practice it.
Bring Karen to Your Stage