Karen Newman

Consultant, United Nations, Public and Private Sectors, Varied

Bio Current as of September 19, 2018

KAREN NEWMAN has served as a Consultant for the United Nations in various capacities for more than 10 years, working on building partnerships and visibility for the Sustainable Development Goals, most recently as part of UN DOCO to launch the new Joint SDG Fund for the 2030 Agenda and prior to this within UNDP for the SDG Fund and UNCDF devising communication and outreach services to new partners and specialized industry sectors.

She has also worked at ECOSOC exclusively on the Partnership Forum and related programs linked to the Post 2015 Agenda. Prior to this she was the Senior Communications Consultant for UNDP’s Business Call to Action.

Karen spent two years with the US Mission to the UN within the U.S. State Department where she was a Fellow working in both the Foreign Press Center and the Public Affairs section. In addition, Karen has extensive experience working within the UN system, including various roles at UNDP, the ILO and the Foundation for the Global Compact. During her career in the public, private and international sectors she has developed expertise with building strategic partnerships, resource mobilization, corporate responsibility and economic development.

Her partnership work also includes outreach to the diplomatic community and consulting for varied companies including Microsoft Africa and Philips Healthcare, as well as promoting large UN initiatives related to the Millennium Development Goals and SDGs. She managed the World Business Development Awards in conjunction with the International Business Leaders Forum, the International Chamber of Commerce and UNDP, and promoted the launch of the Business Call to Action in New York and South Africa. She also served as the first Secretary and Treasurer for the Foundation for the Global Compact.

Karen’s experience with government includes varied economic development posts for the City of New York and Chicago city governments. In Chicago, she worked at The Michael Jordan Foundation and United Way in community affairs and grantmaking. Karen also hosted and curated the inaugural TEDx UN Plaza and is active in sustainability issues for Fair Fashion and in Crowdfunding for social good. Karen has an MBA and MSW from the University of Chicago.