Karen Pittman
Partner, Knowledge to Power Catalysts
Co-founder and former CEO of Forum for Youth Investment
Karen has made a career of starting organizations and initiatives that promote youth development – including the Forum for Youth Investment, which she co-founded with Merita Irby in 1998. After serving as the President & CEO of the Forum for Youth Investment until February 2021, Karen stepped away from organizational management to dedicate her time to galvanizing the growing interest in using science informed strategies to truly change the odds that all children and youth can be successful.
In December 2021, Karen announced her decision to become a Partner in KP Catalysts, LLC, helping friend and colleague Katherine Plog Martinez strengthen and expand her nimble, capacity business. Together, they launched Changing the Odds Remix, a new public platform for sharpening the ideas about how, where, when, why, and with whom learning and development happens (or doesn’t happen).
Karen’s commitment to public thought leadership is grounded in a much deeper commitment to servant leadership. In addition to CTO Remix, each year Karen reaffirms her commitment to use her knowledge and connections to help selected organizations and initiatives whose leaders are on the same journey to change the odds for youth success.