Karen Johnson

Prior to joining DH, Karen helped shape and execute strategy at Weyerhaeuser, a global forest products company, and she also led a team in grants management and global development at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Karen has done extensive work with IPREX, an international network of communications agencies, where she is currently treasurer and sits on the global board. She previously served on the board of Leadership Tomorrow, a community leader development program in Seattle.

Karen’s take on:

Giving back to the community.

Karen is always looking for ways to foster a supportive, collaborative work environment, both for our colleagues and our clients, and that requires asking some critical questions about strategy: Where is DH headed as an organization, and how can we support our team and our clients in that process? That line of thinking extends to her passion for philanthropy and addressing systemic inequities regionally and beyond.

“I feel like we have an obligation to give back and help improve other people’s lives, and to help break down barriers and open doors,” Karen says. “It’s important to take care of your community and provide support and opportunities for people who don’t have the same access to resources that you do.”

Karen has also played a role in DH’s developing DEI strategy and action plan and is committed to making our workplace as collaborative and equitable as possible.

Karen says:

The great outdoors.

Karen will take any opportunity she can to get out into the fresh air, which is why she loves living in the Pacific Northwest. If she isn’t in the office, she’s most likely outside, either horseback riding or hiking in the mountains. She’s also an avid traveler: Her personal favorite trip was going with her dad to his birthplace in Latvia, and she hopes to one day visit Africa.