Karen Smith

“Bossy” was a term often used to describe Karen as a child. She was always willing to share her thoughts and opinions boldly and proactively about what others could do differently and better. Though her points were often “spot-on”, as one might imagine, they were not always well-received. Yet, the gifts of maturity, time, and wisdom allowed her to refine and share these unique and powerful insights in ways that others could receive. Because she was relatable and purposeful, she was able to reach depths and levels of clarity that resulted in immediate and dynamic shifts. By the time she was 20, Karen had become sought after for her “coaching” and advice at home, in friend circles, and at work. Her ability to uncover root causes and support change with aligned solutions was powerful, particularly when it came to disempowering mindsets and beliefs. Once she wrapped it in humility and love, she became a force to be reckoned with.

In professional spaces, Karen strategically found ways to leverage her gifts in effectively helping people move beyond the things holding them back to lasting change and impact. These successes were not only rewarding to those she supported, but they resulted in a rapid ascension to a number of high impact, high visibility positions. In her roles as a High School Turnaround Principal, Senior Managing Director (for a large national nonprofit), Chief of Schools, and Associate Partner, she was celebrated for her ability to shift mindsets, empower individuals, remove obstacles, and lead people to achieve greatness.

In her current role as Founder and CEO of Challenged to Change Consulting, LLC, Karen coaches and guides CEOs (and other senior leaders) around leadership development, change management, racial equity, organizational culture, and strategic implementation. In addition to one-on-one support and group facilitation she provides in these areas, Karen is lauded for her authentically crafted experiential learning opportunities. With these and other tailored strategies, Karen supports people in moving beyond the theoretical to the practical where their lives and work can really be changed.

Karen has been featured in The Washington Post, Educational Leadership, and is co-author of Transforming Your Life, Volume IV. She has been a well sought-after speaker for numerous engagements, including the Department of State’s EEOC Division, the Annual People of Color Leadership Conference, and many trainings on diversity, bias, equity, and the like. With master’s degrees from the George Washington University and Trinity University and a bachelor’s degree from Hampton University, Karen leads with humility, grace, and a commitment to true transformation.