Karen Fournier

Karen Fournier has extensive experience in program and project management, working for various companies in the government and technology sectors. Karen is currently serving as a Senior Federal Program Manager at Paragon Micro, where they manage hardware and software procurement contracts for Air Force and Marine Corps customers. Their responsibilities include negotiating with stakeholders and ensuring on-time delivery and customer satisfaction. Additionally, they lead an internal project team to implement security controls for cybersecurity certification.

Prior to their current role, Karen was a Program Manager at Chenega Technical Innovations, LLC, where they managed a $35.3 million contract providing support services for the Network Enterprise Center, U.S. Karen also worked as a Program Manager at Best Value Technology Incorporated, where they managed multiple-award contracts for the Department of Veterans Affairs, overseeing program/project management, business process improvement, and human resources support.

Karen has held leadership positions at gTANGIBLE Corporation and VMSI, where they provided expertise in RFP analysis, market research, and teaming strategies. Karen also served as Vice President and Director of Program Management at VMSI, managing a large team dispersed across multiple states.

Earlier in their career, Karen worked at IBM Global Business Services as a Senior Managing Consultant & Service Area Leader, responsible for account management and team leadership. Karen also held the role of Vice President of Homeland Security at National Interest Security Company, overseeing critical infrastructure protection and incident management support for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Before transitioning to the technology and government sectors, Karen provided consulting services at Technology & Management Services, Inc. and worked as a Research Analyst at Exeter Associates, conducting economic analyses for government clients.

Overall, Karen Fournier has a diverse background in program and project management, with a focus on government contracts and customer satisfaction in the technology sector.

Karen Fournier received their B.A. in Government and International Studies from the University of Notre Dame in 1991. Karen went on to pursue a M.A. degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, which they obtained in 1996. In addition to their formal education, they have obtained several certifications, including a Change Management Specialist certification and a Six Sigma Lean Professional certification from the Management and Strategy Institute in 2015. In 2013, they received the ITIL Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management from EXIN, and in 2009, they earned the Project Management Professional certification from the Project Management Institute.