Hi, I’m Karen. Welcome to my website. My last name is pronounced "Cook-ta."

You might be wondering why there's a carnival picture on my homepage. That image holds special meaning because of my very first job at an amusement park when I was just 15. I loved every moment of it! I worked in the entertainment department, where I dressed up as costume characters and performed on the main stage. I also served as a puppeteer and worked at the marionette booth alongside celebrities like Dolly Parton, Madonna, and Willy, among others. My job was to make sure the puppets and marionettes operated smoothly and on time. This was crucial to the park's success because we needed to ensure all guests had fun and left happy.

Reflecting on my career spanning over 20 years, I now realize that the foundational experiences from my time at the amusement park have contributed significantly to my professional growth. I prioritize delivering projects on time, within budget, and at the highest quality possible, providing value to the customer.

In times of chaos and confusion, I see myself as a leader who maintains clarity and focus on solving problems efficiently. I approach each situation with critical thinking, utilizing my skills to move forward quickly, much like a roller coaster moving at high speeds, but always staying on track. Check out my agile track record here →I’m also very loyal and believe in the power of building psychological safety within working teams. When trust exists within teams, creativity thrives, and innovation happens.

Feedback is a gift. These are some of my favorites.

"Karen is a light in any room or Zoom she enters. She's a meticulous and passionate change-maker who doesn't like to sit still or rest on her laurels as a creative. At Constant Contact, she consistently pushed our site visuals in a more modern, warm, and inventive direction that drove business results and brought the site into the 21st century. As a collaborator, Karen comes ready with a dozen fresh ideas and mocks that have cut through even my stubbornest writer's block at times. As a mentor, she's taught me so much about the value of a 15-minute brainstorm and how to advocate for my ideas up the ladder. As a teammate, she's an optimist even when the going's tough. I feel safe with Karen, and when psychological safety is met, true creativity can flourish. Her energy is contagious, and Karen excels at dreaming big and taking swings. I'm honestly jealous of the team that scoops Karen up."

LinkedIn Testimonial, Caitland Conley

"I have had the pleasure of working with Karen for over 7 years as a partner on site photography. She strikes the perfect balance of being approachable and open, while also being direct and stopping unnecessary swirl. I have always been impressed with the scope of work and team size that Karen oversees, and how she is highly skilled in creative, process, and people, which is hard to come by. Karen is the type of leader that everyone needs!"

LinkedIn Testimonial, Sarah O’Brien

"Karen is the kind of creative leader that you dream to work with. She is a perfect balance of right and left brain. She can cut thought complicated creative strategies to pinpoint how to reach customers in the most effective way. Over the course of our time working together she has helped grow Vista and build strong teams. She is smart, collaborative and a talented creative. I consider Karen one of the most intuitive leaders I’ve had the pleasure to work."

LinkedIn Testimonial, Megan Morahan

“I have been extremely fortunate to report directly to Karen for the past two years at Vista, and I cannot say enough kind things about our time together. She has been an outstanding manager and team leader, always bringing positivity and encouragement and keeping open lines of communication and connection across our global team. From the day I was hired, she always invested in me and empowered me to reach my personal and professional goals, and I have truly never felt so supported in a role as I did under Karen's leadership. Her commitment to our team as a whole and to me personally has been truly remarkable.”

LinkedIn Testimonial, Carrie Lepore

View more testimonials on my LinkedIn profile.

Professional Skills

Leadership & Collaboration
People Management · Coaching · Cross-Functional Leadership · Multi-Cultural Team Leadership · Remote Team Enablement · Conflict Resolution · Strategic Facilitation · Psychological Safety · Outcome-Oriented Collaboration

Design Strategy & Execution
Creative Strategy · Design Systems · Human-Centered Design · Usability · Customer Experience · UX/UI Design · Product Design · Design Operations & Rituals · Discovery-to-Delivery Workflows · Agile Mindset · Process Improvement · Applied AI for Creative Acceleration

Marketing & Business Impact

Digital Marketing · Campaigns · Merchandising · Brand Development · eCommerce Strategy · Marketing Communications · Conversion Optimization · Email & CRM Strategy

Tools & Platforms

Figma · Adobe Creative Suite · JIRA · Confluence · ClickUp · Slack · AMS

Core Strengths

Strategic Thinking · Continuous Improvement · Presentation Skills · Attention to Detail

Resume

Available upon request.