Karen Zapata Russell

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT KAREN ZAPATA RUSSELL

Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” I first heard that quote from Peter Drucker in a corporate strategy class. It stuck with me - even if I didn’t fully understand it at the time. Years later, working in adoption marketing, I began to see its truth play out. Even the strongest strategies faltered when the culture wasn’t ready. Campaigns lost momentum, adoption lagged, and engagement quietly dipped.As a storyteller, I became more interested in the systems behind the message. What if I could help culture be a measurable, operational lever for business impact?That question shaped the path I’ve taken since. Today, I’m a strategist, generalist, and operator working at the intersection of people, culture, and business. In recent years, I’ve led SAP Global D&I Office\'s program office and served as Chief of Staff to our CDIO, driving cross-functional initiatives, building scalable models, and embedding inclusive practices across the company.I’ve learned how to move through complexity. How to rally stakeholders. How to design for scale without losing nuance. And most importantly, how to create space where people feel seen, valued, and empowered to thrive.I bring a marketer’s mind, a systems thinker’s lens, and a firm belief that culture and inclusion is everyone’s business.Oh — and my favorite breakfast? Café con leche, eggs, and toast. Simple, purposeful, and built to fuel what matters.