ABOUT KAREN

Growing up in Calgary Karen daydreamed of faraway places. So, after completing her honors degree in cultural anthropology, she immediately hopped on a plane to teach English in China for only one year - captivated by the country, people, art, culture and lifestyle - that one year morphed into 15: she made China her home, worked in immigration at two embassies, founded businesses, purchased her first piece of real estate, learned the language and culture, married a local artist, and started a family, deciding to live in China indefinitely. However, as life does not always work out the way we envision, she and her daughter moved back to Calgary, Canada in 2011.
 
Karen's personal and business experiences abroad give her unique expertise in evaluating risk and unlocking the value of intercultural relationships to ensure success for her clients as they navigate cross-culturally. Although Karen specializes in companies and individuals doing business with China, her ability to facilitate the merging of cultures has been tapped into by companies from all over the globe who endeavor to start something new in Canada or a foreign land. As an experienced and knowledgeable intercultural and international communications specialist, Karen easily slips into the role of mediator and expertly opens doors and conversations that might have otherwise stayed closed.

As a genuine people person who loves to help folks - local and from around the world - reach their relocation and housing goals, Karen has worn several wears ‘hats’ during her career - she is a fully licensed real estate agent and has worked in Canada and China as a destination service consultant. In the spring of 2023, Karen graduated from the University of Calgary with her bachelor’s degree in education. Karen is presently working towards her teaching certification at an international school in Mexico where she teaches grades junior high school Humanities – social studies and English Language Arts.

 

When she is not working, she enjoys urban walking, cycling along the Malecon, studying Spanish, taking photos with her black & white film cameras, attending and participating in photography exhibitions, viewing contemporary art, traveling, reading, watching theatre and opera performances, and cooking tasty food from scratch in her kitchen.

 

She and her Chihuahua, Lucy Puppet, live in Mazatlán, Mexico. Karen speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese and is working on her Spanish.