Global Fund for Women
Karen I. is a seasoned information management professional with extensive experience in the nonprofit sector. Currently serving as the Sr. Information Management Officer at Global Fund for Women since September 2021, Karen previously held the role of Database Manager at LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired from February 2015 to September 2021. Prior to that, Karen worked as an Information Management Officer at Global Fund for Women from February 2007 to August 2014. Karen holds a Master's degree in Public Policy from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs (2003-2005) and a Bachelor's degree in East Asian Studies from the University of California, Berkeley (1992-1996), with additional educational experience at International Christian University in 1995-1996.
Global Fund for Women
We advance the rights of women and girls worldwide by increasing the resources for and investing in women-led organizations and women’s collective leadership for change.We envision a just, equitable and sustainable world in which women and girls have resources, voice, choice and opportunities to realize their human rights.The Global Fundfor Women was founded in Palo Alto California by three bold women: Anne Firth Murray, Founding President, Frances Kissling, and Laura Lederer. The three were convinced that women’s human rights and dignity were essential to the advancement of global agendas for social, economic, and political change. Frustrated by traditional philanthropy’s lack of interest in funding women’s groups and human rights, they forged a new path, founding an organization that would fund women-led organizations directly.Musimbi Kanyoro joined the organization in 2011 – a pivotal time when we embarked on a new strategic direction to support women’s leadership and women-led solutions. In 2012 Global Fund surpassed the $100 million mark in grantmaking. In 2013, our 25th anniversary year, Global Fund refocused its programmatic emphasis by adding a stronger component of learning, monitoring and evaluation.In March 2014, Global Fund for Women and the International Museum of Women – IMOW – merged to create a bold force for women’s human rights. The merger brings together IMOW’s skills in awareness raising, online advocacy and digital story-telling with Global Fund on-the-ground relationships and grant-making activities with women leaders and women’s rights organizations around the world.