LEADERSHIP
In addition to her singing career, Karen is honored to serve as Portland Opera's Artistic Advisor. In this newly created position, Karen participates in season planning, casting, community engagement, and anti-racism work helping to further Portland Opera's mission to make their stages more fully represent Portland's diverse community. Karen was critical in selecting Portland Opera's 2020-21 season Studio Artists, alongside fellow Artistic Advisor Damien Geter, in establishing the nation's first all BIPOC class of singers. She works directly with the artists through coaching, mentoring, diction and language training to ensure the next generation of world class talented singers have the skills needed to be successful.
In 2020, Karen was named the Co-Director of the Banff Centre for the Performing Arts in Alberta, Canada. Her position at Banff is designed to collaborate with Artistic Director Joel Ivany to create a re-imagined program called “Opera in the 21st Century.” The program recognizes and develops a diverse and inclusive group of singers through masterclasses, repertoire coaching, sessions on race and gender, and the effects of non-diverse spaces in the arts. As Co-Director she also creates workshops with the students that guide them in the creative process and help them curate and shape their personal artistic projects.
As a tireless advocate of the Arts, Karen brings almost three decades of international singing experience to her role as the Co-Chair of OPERA America's Women’s Opera Network. In that space, she represents singers and BIPOC artists looking to transition into arts administration. Karen works alongside the industry's most successful and innovative females who are leading the charge for more women to gain a seat at the table in spaces designed for artistic creation and advocacy.
