Background
With 20 years of experience in creative direction, brand strategy and digital and traditional marketing Karen is passionate about building brands and fostering customer loyalty through inventive advertising. Her portfolio features a diverse range of design, content and experiential marketing across fashion, beauty and lifestyle - each telling a story that brings brands' unique perspectives to life.
Karen is an avid follower and patron of art and design across fashion, interiors and film. Residing in Los Angeles with her family, she believes in leading a sustainable lifestyle and loves the outdoors; her favorite memories stem from adventures with her family going skiing, hiking and surfing. During the pandemic, Karen and her family escaped Los Angeles and moved to Park City to ski while working and learning remotely, and they also enjoyed a once-in-a lifetime hiking adventure through Yosemite National Park.
Work Experience
8/21 - present
Evite, Inc.
Chief Marketing Officer
VP Marketing & Creative
Evite is the original paid digital invitation and greeting card website where users can send invitations and collect RSVPs. There are a host of additional features like adding registries and guest messaging as well as design upgrades like animation, envelopes, liners and stickers. Evite was taken private after being extracted from a public company at the height of the pandemic in 2020. Evite runs like a start-up as the company has undergone a re-brand and re-platform in 2021.
9/20 - 8/21
Saks Fifth Avenue
Independent Consultant
During this pandemic timeframe, I was able to consult with Saks implementing a the processes that I had previously put in place while at Nordstrom; streamlining creative and marketing production across merchandising, e-commerce and marketing to support the full-price to off-price flow. Also consulted on implementation of buy now, pay later and a Saks loyalty program.
7/19 - 5/20
Nordstrom
VP Marketing, Off-Price
Led all of marketing and creative for Nordstrom Rack stores, online business and the flash site, HauteLook. This was a combined 5.5B business with a 118M marketing budget. Had large gains in growth marketing and CRM through newly implemented strategies and execution of new branding and ads.
9/18 - 7/19
BH Cosmetics
SVP, Ecommerce & Marketing
Accountability for the direct-to-consumer business and marketing efforts for this color makeup brand geared toward young customers. Accountable for marketing, creative, site merchandising and customer service. Grew business 10% YoY through brand relaunch and site replatform.
10/17 - 9/18
Nordstrom
VP Marketing, Nordstromrack.com & HauteLook
Head of marketing for the online, off-price division of Nordstrom. Led acquisition, analytics and data science, CRM, brand, creative and operations with 43 full-time employees.Leader
7/14 - 9/17
Nordstrom
VP Brand Marketing, Nordstromrack.com & HauteLook
Launched NordstromRack.com in 2014, growing the business +25% YoY from 2014 to 2015 and continuing to achieve double-digit growth through 2017. Had oversight of brand marketing, creative and editorial, marketing communications, influencer, events, social and PR for growing division of Nordstrom, Inc.
5/11 - 6/14
Nordstrom
VP Creative, Nordstromrack.com & HauteLook
Led creative direction to launch and operate NordstromRack.com as well as update HauteLook look and feel to operate as a "sister" site to the online, off-price division of Nordstrom. Established process to support merchandising strategy with the addition of Nordstrom Rack inventory and business model.
3/09 - 5/11
HauteLook
Art Director
Part of core marketing leadership team of lean startup. Played a key role in site launch and brand strategy through Nordstrom acquisition in 3/11, with focus on brand marketing, content and creative.
5/06 - 3/09
Commune
Senior Designer
Designed for award-winning and readily published fashion and lifestyle creative agency. Book of work included branding, websites, email and editorial design, store build outs, textiles, packaging, product design and brand guidelines. Clients: Oliver Peoples, Stila Cosmetics, ACE Hotel, Juicy Couture, HBO Films, Yaya Aflalo
7/05 - 5/06
Gensler
Designer
Designed for the brand team of globally recognized architecture, design and consultancy.. Clients included international, multi-billion-dollar developments in the retail, hospitality and entertainment.
9/03 - 7/06
Mullin Consulting
Designer
Developed and designed marketing materials for consulting firm. Gained experience developing pitches, creating the brand look/feel and launching Mullin’s website.
9/02 - 9/03
McKenna Design Group
Designer
Designed for an agency specializing in the CPG, hospitality and retail industries.