Karen brings more than 20 years of communications experience to every project, providing executive counsel and strategic advice for a wide range of organizations as they navigate complex and challenging files. Karen specializes in strategic communication planning; emergency and crisis communication; issues and reputation management; and stakeholder, government and media relations.

Working collaboratively with organizations and stakeholders, Karen led communications and provided advice and counsel for effectively engaging with key audiences to advance complex and high profile regulatory, policy and public affairs files. As a trusted partner, she works closely with organizations to effectively manage a range of issues like cyber security, sexual assault, harassment, product recalls, human rights, leadership transitions and organizational change. She is a sought after speaker and trainer, who prides herself on working collaboratively to build effective reputation and brand strategies.

Karen is both public engagement and crisis management certified, leveraging her International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) and Incident Command System (ICS) certifications to provide crisis communications counsel to organizations. Some recent examples include communications counsel and advice in the utility Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) following Hurricane Dorian, Public Information Officer (PIO) following a ransomware attack in the health care sector, during a sour gas pipeline incident in Saskatchewan, the Fort McMurray wildfire response and as a section chief for a major oil spill response on the North Saskatchewan River, which included a focus on Aboriginal engagement.

Karen is a positive, intelligent, and enthusiastic practitioner driven to deliver results. Outside the office, she is Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Maritimes Energy Association and a Board Director of the Offshore Energy Research Association. She has volunteered with Junior Achievement Canada to foster an entrepreneurial spirit among young, bright minds. She holds a Bachelor of Public Relations from Mount Saint Vincent University and a Master of Business Administration from Saint Mary’s University.