Karen Lightman

Karen Lightman is an internationally recognized leader in emerging technologies, currently serving as the Executive Director for Metro21 and Safety21 at Carnegie Mellon University since October 2017. In this role, Karen oversees strategy, outreach, and programming, enhancing CMU technology deployment in collaboration with municipal and equity partners. Previously, Karen was Vice President of the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG) and played a crucial role in negotiating and managing SEMI's partnership process. With extensive experience at MEMS Industry Group from its inception in 2001, Karen has established a presence as a keynote speaker at global MEMS conferences. Early career roles included serving as Senior Policy Analyst at Carnegie Mellon and contributing to public-private partnerships with Cleveland Tomorrow and The Ford Foundation. Karen holds a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Vermont.