Karen Burke

YWCA USA
Chief Operating Officer

Karen Burke is the Chief Operating Officer of YWCA USA. With over 20 years of executive leadership experience and a lifelong dedication to gender and racial equity, she is passionate about advancing the YWCA's mission and vision. Karen is recognized for achieving programmatic and operational excellence in organizations.

Previously, Karen served as the CEO of YWCA Bellingham, where she contributed significantly to the organization's sustainability. She also worked as the Executive Director of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services of Whatcom County, where she expanded the mission's impact by merging organizations, developing new housing facilities, and expanding services.

In addition to her work in non-profit organizations, Karen also served as the Director of the Lummi Nation Tribal Court. In this role, she played a vital role in creating and managing programs such as the Lummi Drug Court and the Lummi Juvenile Justice Project. Additionally, Karen was the founding Director of the Lummi Nation Child Support Program, one of the first Tribal programs of its kind in the United States.

Karen is also a civic leader in her community, serving on several local boards and commissions on homelessness, gender-based violence, child safety, mental health, missing and murdered indigenous women, and criminal justice reform.

Originally from Pueblo, Colorado, Karen now lives on a farm in Whatcom County, Washington, with her wife, children, and many animal friends. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors enjoying the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.