Karen Price-Ward

Karen Price-Ward serves as Senior Director for Corporate Initiatives at Business Roundtable. In this role, she leads the Skilled Trades Initiative to strengthen the pipeline of skilled workers. Her portfolio also includes overseeing the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Partnership to elevate the excellence of Historically Black Colleges and Universities by increasing private-sector partnerships to support HBCUs with infrastructure, institutional planning and professional development opportunities that prepare students to expand economic opportunities. Additionally, she helps to lead the Second Chance Business Coalition to promote the benefits of second chance employment.

Previously, she served as Director of Social Impact for Stanley Black & Decker to advance global corporate citizenship. She also led the company’s Skilled Trades commitment and grant program, DEWALT Grow the Trades.

For 25 years, she worked at Southwest Airlines, serving in various roles for multicultural marketing to lead the HBCU engagement strategy, corporate community affairs, and communications and outreach for strategic relationships. She created Continuing the Legacy in Aviation, the company’s 12- year workforce development and youth mentoring program with the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. She also led the historical Rosa Parks’ Homegoing Tour in partnership with the NAACP.

She currently serves on the Living Classrooms Board, University of Maryland Medical System Board, and Washington Center Alumni Advisory Council. She has been recognized by Baltimore Sun’s 25 Women to Watch and The Daily Record’s Top 100 Women as well as other organizations.

She earned her MBA from Johns Hopkins University and was recognized as the first African American Woman of the Year at Southeast Missouri State University.

Karen believes, “making a purposeful difference is the best strategy to leave a lasting impression for others to continue the cycle and pay it forward.” This is a lifestyle she learned from her parents and shares with her family.