Ms. Karen Knudsen
Director office of external affairs east-west center (ret.)
Karen Knudsen has spent four decades professionally involved with the Asia-Pacific region, including 30 years at the East-West Center. As director of the Office of External Affairs, she directed EWC’s public engagement and public affairs activities, working with government leaders, policymakers, diplomats, the media, alumni, and the Hawaii community. She also oversaw the EWC’s Arts Program, served as vice president of the East-West Center Foundation, and was the Center’s military liaison and specialist on Burma/Myanmar.
Concurrent with her EWC position, Ms. Knudsen served 20 years setting statewide K-12 education policy as an elected member of the Hawaii State Board of Education, serving twice as chair of the board.
Currently, she is a member of Chaminade University’s Board of Regents, the American Red Cross - Pacific Region Board of Directors (covering Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Marianas), PBS Hawaii’s Community Advisory Board, Japan-America Society of Hawaii’s Board of Directors, and the Washington, DC-based Public Diplomacy Council.
From 2013-16, she was a founding member and corporate secretary for the Suu Foundation, a non-profit established on behalf of Aung San Suu Kyi that provides education and training support in Myanmar/Burma.
Previously, she was public affairs specialist with the Hawaii State Judiciary, public relations executive with Milici Valenti DDB Needham Advertising, consultant to the Pacific Forum, outreach coordinator for the University of Hawaii’s Center for Pacific Islands Studies, and Pacific-area specialist with the Pacific and Asian Affairs Council. She and her husband Greg are former Peace Corps Volunteers in Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia.
Ms. Knudsen holds a University of Hawaii master’s degree in Pacific Islands Studies and a University of Nebraska at Omaha bachelor’s degree in Communications.