Karen Jolicoeur

Karen was appointed Executive Director of CAW in January 2023, after having joined the organization as Director of Development in late 2012 and being promoted to Deputy Director in 2017. In that time, she has been an instrumental partner in CAW’s growth, working with Brian, the Board, and growing staff to enhance capacity; develop systems, programs, and infrastructure; refine financial reporting and impact metrics; diversify funding; and extend the reach of the organization.

Karen has wide-ranging experience in nonprofit fundraising, business, and the arts. Prior to joining CAW, she was the development consultant for the Bronx Arts Ensemble, a multidisciplinary performing and arts education organization. During her time with BAE, she helped the organization diversify its funding base, increase support from foundations, corporate and government sources, and she oversaw a dramatic increase in individual giving.

Karen transitioned to nonprofit development and arts administration from a career in business, where she was previously the General Manager and Director of Shareholder Relations for Starlite Media. Starlite, which Karen helped to build from the ground up, is an outdoor advertising company specializing in place-based, point-of-sale media in major markets nationwide. Additional previous corporate experience includes positions at Citibank’s Corporate Realty Services and at MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings in the corporate finance department.

Karen’s move to the arts nonprofit sphere merges her corporate experience with her passion for the arts and arts education. A classical singer, she has performed in concert, recital, and opera around the US and abroad, and at several notable venues in NYC, including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. As a frequent performer of new works, she has appeared in more than a dozen premieres, including with the Center for Contemporary Opera and as a founding member of the interdisciplinary Experience Vocal Dance Company. She holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory and a Bachelor of Music in Opera from the Hartt School.

Karen spent more than a decade serving in volunteer parent leadership roles in NYC public schools, most recently as a member of the Executive Board of the Beacon Parent-Teacher Association.