Karen joined St. Francis House in 2024 as the Director of Major Gifts, bringing with her 20 years of experience in fundraising and a deep commitment to helping the most vulnerable in our community. At. St. Francis House, Karen leads the development and execution of major gift strategies, building meaningful connections between donors and the vital work of the organization.
Most recently, Karen served as a major gift officer at Simmons University, collaborating with the president, provost, deans and executive leadership to support the School of Nursing and the School of Science and Health Professions. Prior to Simmons, Karen spent 10 years as the Director of Philanthropy at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, helping to raise critical funds to serve those in need of food assistance all across the state. She has also held various fundraising roles at the Rhode Island Zoological Society, the Wheeler School in Providence, RI, Northfield Mount Hermon School in Northfield, MA and Harvard University. Karen is a graduate of Smith College and lives with her husband and two children in Seekonk.