ABOUT KAREN

Growing up in Calgary she 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 a unique expertise at 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 in 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.