For almost three decades, Karen Buck has served as a senior level development professional at several colleges and universities including: New York and Columbia Universities; The New School; the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center; the CUNY School of Law; and the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, CT. She has also been employed at and consulted to several arts and social service nonprofits as well. In all of these positions, Karen was responsible for major individual and institutional gifts and grants mainly focusing on under resourced students of color, special events and publications. She is also a seasoned strategic planner and has created and implemented several capital campaigns. Although she is a generalist, Karen considers her main achievements to be in the area of foundation philanthropy.
Born and raised in New York City, Karen remains a resident of Brooklyn today. She has also consulted to numerous nonprofit educational, cultural and social service groups including Community Help in Park Slope (CHiPS), a food pantry, Brooklyn Ballet, Brooklyn Public Library and Brooklyn Tavern Theater. She continues to serve as a private tutor and mentor, serving in the afterschool program at the Church of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew in Clinton Hill. Karen also works with charter and independent lower and middle schools in Brooklyn.
What has remained most important to Karen throughout her career has been having the opportunity to combine her personal and professional commitments, especially with regard to helping individuals in the worlds of art, education, and social service achieve their goals and aspirations.