Karen is a designer and creative practitioner with a background in architecture and urban design.

Her experience in the built environment spans a variety of roles within urbanism and public sector project delivery; working on affordable housing projects, estate regeneration schemes and in the refugee sector delivering housing and support for the UNHCR’s refugee resettlement scheme.

Karen is interested in working with underrepresented groups to advocate for citizen-led development whilst developing initiatives for supporting local economies. She is also passionate about developing collaborative and youth-led approaches to the design of cities and the role that social entrepreneurship can play in tackling global challenges.

As a fellow of the School for Social Entrepreneurs, Karen has a long term commitment to bring social impact into her work and is the founding Director of Activate The City!; a creative youth consultancy building young people’s design and creative problem solving potential by collaborating with businesses to launch impact driven projects.