“Creative adaptability is the key to successful conservation.”

HOUSE OF MARLEY – EARTH-FRIENDLY AUDIO PRODUCTS

The House of Marley mission is to create a better world and spread Bob Marley’s vision through earth-friendly audio products. The company is built on the principles of superior quality, sustainability and a commitment to charitable causes. Driven to enhance lives through great product experiences as well as using proceeds from product sales to support global reforestation through Project Marley.

As the first hire and proud founding member of the House of Marley leadership team, Karen strategically launched the brand in about 20 countries in a span of 3 years. Initially, she helped build the team and drive all aspects of the business from identifying strategic factories in China to vetting and hiring brand, product design, communications and event marketing agencies in order to support the rapid launch and global growth. 

Karen’s C-Suite position as Chief Marketing Officer fulfilled her passion for developing the brand and creating and executing marketing plans, overseeing external agency relationships, managing over 10 yearly events and a marketing team of three. As a result, Karen aligned the marketing budget of about US$3 million with the product and sales teams to ensure maximum product launch and retail support successfully meeting the initial first year launch of audio product sales of over US$15 million in the U.S.  The initial PR results included over 2 billion impressions, over 550+ publications. Successful campaigns increasing brand awareness included Pandora holiday radio station, Spotify and a “Double the Love Campaign” for Apple.com boosting sales. 

Karen was also a founding member of the 1Love.org charity alongside Marley Coffee and the Marley Mellow Mood beverage companies. Karen supported 1Love.org’s collaboration with Little Kids Rock, which resulted in raising over US$800,000 to provide music education to disadvantaged students in the U.S. with the celebrity support of Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt, Jake Clemons, Ziggy Marley and other artists.

THE AKON LIGHTING AFRICA INITIATIVE & SOLEKTRA INTERNATIONAL

“Karen is a force of nature. When she is on a project, just move out of the way because with thoughtfulness, creativity and resourcefulness, Karen finds a way to deliver and gets things done.” 

—Akon, Senegalese-American singer, Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum selling artist, record producer, entrepreneur and actor

In Africa today, over 600 million people do not have access to electricity, particularly in rural areas.  To meet these challenges, Solektra’s Akon Lighting Africa initiative was created to bring clean, renewable and affordable energy solutions primarily to rural and off-grid areas in Africa. Launched in February 2014 by international music star, Akon and entrepreneur Mr. Samba Bathily, the initiative successfully impacted communities in about 15 countries bringing solar energy solutions, primarily streetlights, but also pilot programs with home-kits, solar powered water pumps, solar powered medical shipping container units and mini-grids. Overall, these projects have collectively impacted over 1 million rural households. To support the expansion, a solar academy was founded in Mali to train youth and foster job creation.

“Access to energy supported the creation of jobs in small businesses, cafes, agriculture, allowed for evening classes for education, night transportation and safety. Everything is possible with electricity and people’s lives and communities will be forever changed!” —Akon

As Chief of Strategic Planning and Marketing for the Akon Lighting Africa initiative, Karen managed the event calendar and organized the teams’ participation at key events. This included developing marketing materials, writing press releases, arranging government and business meetings, negotiating sponsorship packages, media interviews, and speaker and panel participation for the founders. Events included: The United Nations Sustainable Energy for All Forum NY, African Leaders Energy Group in Ivory Coast, COP21 Paris, COP22 Marrakesh, World Energy Innovation Forum at Tesla factory California, Power Africa DC, World Future Energy Summit Abu Dhabi, World Economic Forum WEF Rwanda and Davos, and Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation Gala St Tropez, amongst others. The result of these events was increased awareness, building relationships with governments and private sector and the identification of strategic partners. Karen also hired and managed a Europe based PR agency resulting in success highlights for 2015 including over 585 articles, 200 articles published in Africa and worldwide coverage in 50 countries.  

Karen’s ability to create strategic partnerships has directly led to building the first African-made solar street light assembly plant in Mali with Sunna Design. She was also the project manager lead in the co-creation and execution of Light to Learn, a campaign around education and energy in Liberia with Akon, Bridge International Academies and Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first elected female head of state in Africa and Nobel Peace Prize recipient for woman rights. Another example of a successful strategic partnership Karen supported was the first human and solar powered football pitch with Shell #MakeTheFuture in Nigeria.

The last partnership Karen promoted, led to expanding the Akon Lighting Africa initiative outside of Africa for the first time. Karen fostered relationships with Bertrand Piccard from the first round-the-world solar powered flight with Solar Impulse and with United Arab Emirates Beacon of Hope Founder Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan Bin Nayhan. As a result, Karen convinced the founders of Akon Lighting Africa and the CEO of Sunna Design to donate solar street lights to the Red Crescent and United Arab Emirates Royal family initiative to support Syrian refugees in the Mrajeeb Al Fhood Camp in Jordan. Together partners brought solar lights, books and a playground providing hope and inspiration to the refugee children. As a result of this initiative, Sunna Design was then able to expand solar street light distribution in the United Arab Emirates and later won the Zayed Sustainability Prize.

In 2018, Karen was invited to the 2018 Blockchain Summit hosted at Sr. Richard Branson’s Kasbah Tamador in Morocco and spoke on behalf of Akon. She continues to build the relationship with the organizers ACTAI, Bitfury and the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC).

SEED PROJECT & NBA AFRICA

COLLABORATIONS WITH AKON & NAOMI CAMPBELL

“Karen is a team player and is good at getting people to work together. She collaborated closely with the SEED and NBA Africa teams and as a result, was part of the successful execution of events in Senegal and South Africa. Karen is available 24/7 and ready to find strategic solutions. She was instrumental in bringing Akon and Naomi Campbell to SEED.”

— Amado Gallo Fall, NBA VP & Director for Africa, President of the Basketball Africa League, CEO & Founder of SEED

SEED is an international NGO that uses education and sport to empower the next generation of African leaders. SEED has impacted thousands of youths by ensuring they have access to quality education, high performance sports training, and the leadership tools to make big dreams come true. Every year the academy trains up to 40 high potential student-athletes, boys and girls, who train and work towards achieving their goal of attending a university.

Karen cultivated the relationship between musician Akon, Akon Lighting Africa and SEED/NBA Africa and as a result the organizations collaborated and built several basketball courts with solar street lights at schools in West Africa for increased safety and longer play times. Later, Karen had the idea to introduce SEED to supermodel Naomi Campbell. Naomi visited SEED in May 2019 to build on her passion for equality, education and the importance of strong sport values for girls and children in Africa.

“I was happy to visit SEED Academy in Thiès Senegal. The #SEEDProject is an international non-governmental organisation that uses education and sport to empower the next generation of African leaders. Look forward to sharing the many positive & inspirational stories about the African continent, thank you for arranging this wonderful visit! #NAOMIAFRICA” — Naomi Campbell

Let's ride this momentum, share the positive vibes, and continue to empower the youth of Africa! Stay tuned for additional partnerships to support youth through sports. 

#TOGETHERBAND CAMPAIGN & THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs)

“Karen has an incredible ability to engage anyone in conversation and inspire them with the vision she is promoting. Karen genuinely cares about people and is highly effective in building support.”

—Cameron Saul, CEO and founder of BottleTop and the #Togetherband Campaign

The #TOGETHERBAND campaign is a buy-one and gift-one wristband to raise awareness on the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all by 2030. Proceeds from each band sold are used to fund life-changing projects. The Togetherbands are crafted using innovative and sustainable materials. The bands are handmade in Nepal from upcycled ocean plastic. Each band is made with 1 Kg of plastic, which is removed from marine environments. And, the clasp is made from decommissioned illegal firearms from El Salvador. 

Karen’s ability to create partnerships led her to make strategic introductions and bring together the founder of BottleTop and the #Togetherband campaign, Cameron Saul, with the World Identity Network (WIN), ACTAI Global, the Global Citizen Forum and the Krim Group led by Todd Krim who strategically made introductions to connect the team to an NGO supported by actress and humanitarian Amber Heard. As a result, a press conference was held at the September 2019 United Nations General Assembly in New York to bring these leaders together and announce Amber Heard and CEO and Founder of WIN, Marianna Dahan, as official #Togetherband campaign Ambassadors for Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

Karen participated in the initial launch of the #Togetherband campaign in London. She also supported activities around supermodel Naomi Campbell as the #Togetherband Ambassador for SDG 1: No Poverty.

Karen connected the #Togetherband team to both the Female Quotient and the Global Citizen Forum teams.  As a result, at the 2020 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland the #Togetherband team organized an event at the Female Quotient and the Global Citizen Forum lounge/space to promote the campaign and highlight SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth with Ambassador American-Kenyan Fashion model Halima Aden. 

With the relationships Karen has nurtured over time, she is proud to have gifted #Togetherband SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions to actor Forest Whitaker to honor him and his Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative.  And, Karen gifted #Togetherband SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy to singer, songwriter and entrepreneur Akon to honor him and his solar energy initiatives in Africa. This is to name a few amongst many others Karen has engaged in joining the #Togetherband campaign.

GEORGE FOREMAN, SUNBEAM AND OSTER BRANDS / KITCHEN APPLIANCES

Karen made the most of her 9-year corporate career and worked her way through several positions within Jarden Consumer Solutions and Applica, representing and building brands such as Oster, Sunbeam, Black & Decker and George Foreman.  Karen spent significant time in the role of product development and visited 30+ factories in China and Mexico. Karen built business plans, managed 3-year product life-cycle strategies and managed external agencies specializing in consumer research and industrial design. She also drove the strategic supplier selection process for new products including FOB negotiations and industrial design finalization, project schedule reviews and product cost analysis and savings recommendations. She is a U.S. Design Patent Recipient for 2 products: a Oster toaster design patent number D502,629 and a patent on the design of the Sunbeam Rocket Grill disposable bags. 

Karen’s leadership and business skills led to the growth of the US$43 million Heating Product category (which includes Toasters and Toaster Ovens).  In this role, Karen managed an annual marketing budget of US$450,000, developed business plans, presented new products to key accounts such as Target, Wal-Mart and Costco, managed the 3-year product life cycle strategies and launched an exclusive line of 16 products under the Oster brand with Target. As a result of her efforts, Karen exceeded the company U.S. sales goals for toasters and toaster ovens. Toaster sales grew 58% from 2003 to 2005 and market share went from 1.8% to 13%. Toaster oven sales grew 24% and market share went from 1% to 14% placing the Oster brand as the #1 U.S. brand.  Her success led her to a promotion, managing the largest category in Jarden, a US$100 million blender category in a strategic new product planning and development role.  

Karen’s desire to continue to learn led her to create and carve out a side role within the company in 2004; the Trend Tracker expert. In this strategic role, Karen attended top industry conferences to track trends and identify unmet consumer needs. Conferences included Chicago Houseware Show, Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, Gourmet Show, GreenLiving, Color Marketing Group, PDMA Front End of Innovation, MVI, Future Trends, Hong Kong Electronic Show and the China Canton Fair. This was the beginning of Karen’s corporate sustainable and eco-conscious journey. Karen aligned with her passion for innovation, sustainable materials and eco-friendly designs. As a result, Karen led a design effort with the George Foreman engineering team to design a more sustainable packaging solution leading to cost savings. She also participated in an indoor grill product refurbishing program reducing the amount of products ending up in landfills. Karen was also amongst the first employees at Jarden to receive the internationally recognized Six Sigma Black Belt certification. Her Six Sigma project successfully led to a more sustainable and cost effective solution to product instruction manuals resulting in over US$500,000 cost savings to the company.

LA SENDA VERDE BOLIVIA AND GREENFIELD RESERVE U.S.A.

La Senda Verde (”green path”) Wildlife Rescue Center and eco-lodge is a non-profit organization established in 2003 in the subtropical region on the east side of the Bolivian Andes. Their current efforts are focused on the frontlines of the Amazon Rainforest and the Chiquitania Forest due to the aftermath of the Amazon fires. In an effort to support the situation, Karen helped assemble a team to provide solutions, raise funds, increase awareness and bring strategic partners to support post fire activities. 

The teams’ primary focus at La Senda Verde (LSV) is to save and provide shelter to rescued wild animals and inspire people to appreciate and protect nature. The secondary focus is to support the reforestation after the wildfires claimed over 5.3 million hectares of Bolivian lands (which is larger than the country of Switzerland). The fires have threatened some of the most important places for biodiversity in the world. They have threatened the ability to protect wildlife, to store carbon and provide clean drinking water, and preserve the culture of the indigenous people.

Karen quickly realized that during the devastating Amazon fires, most people were talking about Brazil and not Bolivia where the fires originated. With Karen’s passion for Bolivia and nature, she could not sit back and do nothing. Her efforts along side the team led to supporting Vicky Ossio, the Founder of LSV and Nina Py Brozovich, the founder of activist Greta Thunberg’s Future Friday’s organization in Bolivia at the September 2019 United Nations General Assembly in New York. Karen quickly secured participation passes for Nina Py Brozovich and Vicky Ossio to attend the Social Good Summit, Concordia Conference and the Freud Communications Goals House events in addition to the United Nations Youth Climate Summit. Also, at the end of the Climate Strike march in New York, Karen supported getting Nina over 15 interviews from MTV, UNDP, Climate Uprising, the Climate Action Network, CBS and Telemundo.

Recently, Karen connected La Senda Verde with Greenfield Reserve to amplify fundraising and solutions around the rescue and support of wild animals. 

Join me in supporting their fight for a better, more breathable world.

KORPONAI KIDS FOUNDATION | TONY ROBBIN’S GLOBAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP SUMMIT (GYLS)

“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” Franklin D. Roosevelt

Empowering youth through leadership activities! Inspired by the passing of Karen’s twin brother in 2014, the Korponai KIDS Foundation was created to support and empower young people. The mission of the Korponai KIDS Foundation lies in education, cultural exchange, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, sports and giving back to their countries and communities. We believe in globalization, world peace and supporting youth leaders who will motivate and inspire others. 

In 2015, the Korponai KIDS Foundation raised funds and supported sending 30 teens from 14 countries (11 in Africa) to the Global Youth Leadership Summit (GYLS) through the Anthony Robbins Foundation. Sponsors included Akon Lighting Africa, Solektra, Voyaj, and Royal Air Morocco, amongst others. To date, Korponai KIDS Foundation, has sent over 100 teenagers to GYLS. The most recent partnership was with the Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM) charter school in Miami supported by American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer Pitbull, where the Korponai KIDS Foundation supported fund-raising and logistics to send 10 teens from SLAM to GYLS.

Stay tuned for more KorponaiKIDS Foundation activities around the world.

LUMERIA MAUI ECO-RESORT — HAWAII

Lumeria Maui is a luxury boutique hotel and resort in Makawao, Maui, which creates a safe space for retreats in the health and well-being space including yoga, meditation, arts and several healing modalities.

As Chief Marketing Officer, Karen coordinated with a graphic designer brand guidelines to build consistency in brand and message across all marketing touch points from website, brochures, banners to in-room informational kits for guests. She implemented a digital marketing strategy and integrated a new website which improved the SEO (search engine optimization) and doubled the social media likes. Karen created partnerships and contests with Jade Yoga and Yoga Journal. She developed co-marketing strategies with videos, social media and news blasts with the various retreat leaders hosting events at Lumeria Maui. These included world known yoga instructors John Friend, Ana Forrest, Tommy Rosen and strategist and coach Mastin Kipp from the DailyLove. 

Karen believes in the art of contribution and the importance of engaging and giving back to the local community. Karen took the initiative in 2013 to coordinate a therapeutic event for 30 children with disabilities for Best Buddies Maui, which was featured on the front page of the Maui News. She also coordinated a charity concert event at Lumeria Maui featuring reggae star Mishka. All proceeds from the concert benefited the Paia Youth and Culture Center on Maui.