Karen Parker Thompson

Karen is a seasoned leader with 25 years of experience in global education reform, focusing on leadership, culture change, and equity. As a Founder and Co-Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Educator Diversity Consortium (PEDC), she spearheads efforts to diversify Pennsylvania's educator workforce, bringing together over 600 members from more than 300 organizations. She oversees collaborative efforts in PEDC’s Southwest Regional Hub with a community of 160 individuals representing 78 organizations, all working towards a more diverse and equitable educator workforce. Her work at PEDC is guided by the collective impact framework, which she uses to drive the recruitment, support, and retention of educators of color. Karen has co-created and developed culturally relevant and sustaining education competencies, advocating with the PEDC community for their integration into policy at the Pennsylvania Department of Education. She is skilled at navigating complex organizational dynamics and leverages her master’s in organizational development to facilitate transformative change. Her leadership extends to relationship building and securing funding to support PEDC's initiatives. Previously, Karen led the Office of Family Engagement and Community Resources for Alexandria City Public Schools, fostering strong partnerships between families, communities, and schools. Her dedication to equity ensures that students, educators, and families, especially those who have been historically marginalized, have the resources and opportunities they need to thrive. Karen is also keen on connecting the PEDC community in the Southwest Regional Hub with Remake Learning to foster collaboration, innovation, and equity in education across the region. Outside of her professional life, Karen cherishes time spent with her friends and family, especially her grandchildren, and enjoys reading, watching movies, and traveling.