Coaching · Consulting · Collaborating

Through coaching, consulting, and collaborating, Karie works to enhance the effectiveness of nonprofit and philanthropic leaders and to strengthen the impact of the organizations they lead – all in service of social justice and social change.  

About me

Karie Brown

Principal

As the principal of KLB & Co., Karie brings an alchemy of skills based on her many roles in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors as an executive director, senior program leader, board member, volunteer, coach and consultant.

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A note about the swimming turtle ~ I have always loved turtles. I am also known for my rigorous (sometimes translated as rigid) approach to work and life – so, of late, I have been embracing the flow of water.  

Recently, while picnicking in Golden Gate Park, my daughter (who designed and developed this website) asked me about the colors and themes I wanted to use; but, I had no answer for her. Just as my daughter asked the question, her partner handed me a can of beer sporting two bands of blue – one the color of the sea and one the color of the sky – with a happy orange turtle as the logo.  And, thus, with a smile and a toast, the colors and themes of my website were born.

Karie Brown helped the leadership team of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) identify its individual and collective strengths to shepherd a growing and complex organization facing monumental challenges into its most powerful self.  She has coached and consulted with rigor, love and an abundance of belief in the power of the collective.  

~ Angelica Salas, ED of CHIRLA

Karie is an insightful coach,  powerful ally, inspiring mentor, and valuable thought partner. She has helped me propel my career to the next level and, on the path, find balance and walk in my truth.

~ Lorelei Williams, Executive Director, WMG/Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund

As a mentor and coach, Karie brings a rare combination of deep listening, empathy, and discernment; she then cuts to the chase to help you navigate through thorny situations with wisdom, wicked smarts, and practical experience.  Karie is incapable of doing something half-heartedly: every engagement she takes on, every project she leads, every coaching call has her full and fresh attention.  And, I can say from personal experience that when the challenge is toughest, that is when you want Karie to help you stay grounded and chart a way forward.

~ Paula Morris, Co-Founder and Principal, Bandwidth Consulting

Karie Brown has been a uniquely special mentor and coach in my life. She wields her wisdom and experience from her life and impressive career with an empathetic approach, all the while challenging me to reframe and reimagine what is possible for my life and career. I have always felt seen, held and gently pushed by Karie and I am forever grateful for her. 

~ Madison McCormick, Grants Programs & Communications Manager, Comic Relief US

Karie brings a unique array of strengths to her coaching:  she holds her clients to a standard of excellence, while offering deep insight and empathy.  She has a wealth of experience in organizational leadership, which adds to her understanding of organizational dynamics and structures.  All of this combines with cultural competency and a deep racial justice analysis and commitment.

 ~ Maria Ramos-Chertok, coaching partner for co-directors of Mujeres Unidas y Activas

In her work with others, Karie embodies what I've come to think of as "fierce kindness." She can see the best version of a person, a buried potential, a latent goodness inside a tricky situation. And she advocates for that potential in a way that's both rigorous and loving. Her courage in the face of hard truths inspires the same in me. Karie is someone to have in your corner.

~ Jenny George, Program Officer, Hidden Leaf Foundation