Karen Alston

Art Collector and Chief Marketing Officer, Eagle Academy

Washington, D.C.

Affectionately known as The Advertising Diva, Karen Alston is a dynamic entrepreneur especially skilled at managing the complexity and opportunity that comes with new businesses, new ideas and hyper growth. Karen has an illustrious career working on impactful branding campaigns and projects that touch the lives of millions of consumers. An executive, entrepreneur, strategist, storyteller, authentic leader, innovator, women’s leadership advocate and thought leader, Karen Maria Alston is a nationally recognized award winning proven expert. She is known for her hashtag #beingkarenalston.

Currently, Karen is the Chief Marketing Officer for Eagle Academy, a network of charter schools in Washington, DC, Columbus, Ohio and opening in 2022, Las Vegas, NV. Karen is responsible for all communications, marketing and outreach throughout the organization. Karen has had repeated success that is demonstrated by customer acquisition, increased customer retention and overall brand awareness. Prior to her current role, Karen operated a boutique branding and marketing agency founded in 2002. (www.alstonmarketing.com) In 2015, Karen added to her entrepreneurial journey and founded the innovative women’s professional development storytelling platform, The Spectrum Circle (www.thespectrumcircle.com), a community of more than 2,500 women and strong corporate partnerships.