Karen Avery

Voting Member


Karen is a Partner at Isaacson, Miller. She has made her mark as a senior leader in fundraising, securing extraordinary gifts and grants at the national level for some of the most prominent organizations in the country. She served as Senior Director at the PBS Foundation, and Director of Foundation Relations of the Smithsonian Institution. Prior to that, she served as an Assistant Dean, Senior Admissions Officer and Assistant Dean of Freshmen at Harvard College.

Long active in the not-for-profit organization community, Karen has served on numerous boards including ACT for Alexandria–A Community Foundation Board of Directors (current Vice Chairperson), Wolf Trap Associates Board of Directors, Harvard Club of Washington, DC, and the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center Board of Directors (former Chairperson). Her many professional affiliations include the Council on Foundations, Grantmakers for Education Arts Impact Group, and the Smithsonian Leadership Development Program. She was also a contributing author for Real Women, Real Leaders

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