Karen E. Gleason – Group Vice President, Senior Strategist
karen.gleason@grizzard.com

Karen E. Gleason is a Group Vice President and Senior Strategist at Grizzard Communications Group. She has over 18 years of nonprofit healthcare and agency experience, and is a dynamic thought leader in the disciplines of CRM and Direct Response marketing.

Karen received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Furman University.

Prior to joining Grizzard, Karen led high performing teams at both the American Cancer Society and the Arthritis Foundation. During her tenure at the American Cancer Society, Karen was critical in developing the Society’s CRM work that discovered the connections and migration of key constituencies across the Society’s offerings. She created the Society’s first email fundraising program to generate over $1M, and was instrumental in shifting the Society’s thinking regarding integrated marketing and new media.

Karen has presented as a frequent industry speaker and is currently serving on the Direct Marketing Association Advisory Council Nonprofit Board. She also served as a Nonprofit Alliance Board member from 2005 to 2010, contributing to lobbying efforts on postal reform – most specifically the impact of rising postal costs on the nonprofit sector.

Karen has led her daughters’ local Girl Scout troop for the past four years. She also enjoys participating in a fitness boot camp program and recently completed her first Iron Girl triathlon.