Karen is Founding Principal of local-global strategy advisory Tenso Barterre Group. She brings over 15 years of leadership experience in market, economic, funding and business development strategy and execution across the food & agricultural, health, environmental and education sectors.
Karen has empowered top corporate, non-profit and public policy decision makers in the US and abroad to secure and grow market opportunities and resources, highlighting health and sustainability as key drivers of US and global market demand. A master analyst and communicator, she has directed and delivered strategy solutions to key stakeholders via consultations, presentations, publications, conferences and media interviews. She has been featured by numerous leading national and trade media in the US and globally.
During her tenure at Tenso Barterre Group, Karen served as the senior analyst responsible for strategic market analysis and communications covering the US and North American produce sector for Rabobank Group, the world’s premier financial institution for food, agribusiness and environmental sectors. She also served as a senior executive of The RiceX Company, a medical food and nutrition innovator. Earlier, as a managing commercial diplomat in the US Foreign Agricultural Service, Karen directed multi-million dollar marketing budgets and commercial trade operations, funding and guiding US businesses abroad and at home. As a Mansfield Fellow, she pioneered as the first US official to work within the senior ranks of the Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries, helped organize and execute Japan’s environmental technology exhibition at the UN COP 3 climate change conference in Kyoto, and managed food procurement at the Saison Group retail and hospitality conglomerate.
Karen earned dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Economics and Political Science/International Public Administration and a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from Oklahoma State University.
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