Karen Gifford is Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at KOI Education, connecting school districts and other organizations with the right professional development services and supports. Karen passionately believes that education is foundational, and a great equalizer for children, families, and communities. She has previously supported product launches of educational software, managed federal projects, and served as a classroom teacher for students with emotional and behavioral disorders and a faculty associate at Arizona State University. 

Awards and special recognition include the Silver Bullet Award from Pearson Digital Learning for the launch of a successful educational software product.  However, Karen considers her highest honor to be  a trophy from her sixth grade class recognizing her as an A+ teacher. Karen holds an M.Ed in Special Education from Arizona State University.