Karen Cator

About Karen Cator

Karen Cator is a leading voice for transforming education through technology, innovation and research and currently serves as strategic consultant, advisor and board member. She is the former president and chief executive officer of Digital Promise, an organization with the mission to advance learning opportunity by spurring innovation, technology and research. From 20••••13, Karen was Director of the Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education, where she led the development of the 2010 National Education Technology Plan and focused the Office’s efforts on teacher and leader support and the intersection of education policy, research, and emerging technologies. Additionally, Karen spent fifteen years at Apple Inc, directing leadership and advocacy and most recently leading Worldwide Education. She began her career in Alaska as a teacher, ultimately leading technology planning and implementation for Juneau Public Schools as well as serving as Special Assistant for Telecommunications for the Governor of Alaska. Karen holds a master’s in school administration from the University of Oregon and received the 2014 College of Education Distinguished Alumni award. The American Association of Publishers awarded Karen with the 2014 Visionary Award. She received her bachelor’s in early childhood education from Springfield College and was awarded the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award. Cator is a member of the Aspen Pahara Fellows. She is a past chair for the Partnership for 21st Century Skills and has served on boards including the Software Information Industry Association-Education, ACT, and Digital Promise Global.

Experience

1. Education Advisor

   SPARK NS

   Sep 2024 — Present · Menlo Park, CA, US

   I am pleased to be supporting the important work of Spark NS as an education advisor! Founded in 2023, SPARK NS is an independent non-profit translational research organization dedicated to efficiently advancing promising neuroscience discoveries from the lab to the clinic. Through disease-specific 2-year programs, SPARK NS provides academic researchers with funding, education, mentorship, and networking opportunities to close gaps in knowledge and know-how and eliminate barriers that slow or prevent promising discoveries from directly benefiting patients.

Education

• Springfield College

  Bachelor of Science (BS)

  1976 — 1980

• University of Oregon

  MA

  1986 — 1992

Skills

• Project Management
• Instructional Technology
• Distance Learning
• Technology Integration
• Research
• Teacher Training
• Staff Development
• Policy
• Educational Leadership
• Program Evaluation
• E-Learning
• Leadership
• Grant Writing
• Social Networking
• Team Leadership
• Strategic Planning
• Higher Education
• Teaching
• Workshop Facilitation
• Entrepreneurship
• Instructional Design
• Organizational Development
• Volunteer Management
• Coaching
• Strategic Partnerships
• Strategic Communications
• Program Management
• Strategy
• Adult Education
• Qualitative Research
• Curriculum Design
• Non-Profits
• Public Policy
• Social Media
• Public Speaking
• Business Strategy
• Fundraising
• K-12
• Educational Technology
• Change Management