With over two decades of leadership experience in the nonprofit sector, Karen Gardner specializes in building the organizational foundations that allow mission-driven teams to thrive. As NCSEA’s HR and Operations Consultant, Karen’s work focuses on the intersection of human resources and business operations. She manages a variety of projects that help to ensure internal systems and processes are efficient and strategically aligned with NCSEA’s organizational goals.
Prior to her consulting role, Karen held leadership positions at NCSEA, Advanced Energy Corporation, and Novozymes North America. She also served as an Advisor with the Executive Service Corps of the Triangle. Karen holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine and a Leader in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion certificate from the University of Utah. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, hiking, and kayaking, and is an avid Carolina Hurricane’s fan.