Karen Dresden is an education and non-profit leader with a 25+ year track record of achieving results while centering equity and mission-centered leadership practices.

Karen is the co-founder of Capital City Public Charter School, a PK-12 school in Washington, DC. She served as the Head of School at Capital City until June 2023 and as a senior advisor through January 2024. Karen was involved in all aspects of the school’s start-up, facilitated growth and expansion, led the design of a high school program, and managed the renovation of a state-of-the art facility.

Under Karen’s leadership, Capital City became an award-winning model for school reform boasting over 600 graduates, a 100% college acceptance rate, and a college graduation rate for first generation students that significantly exceeded the national average. The school served as a mentor school for EL Education and was featured in several national case studies. Honored by two separate visits during the Obama administration. President Obama described Capital City as “an example of how all schools should be.”

Karen now coaches education and nonprofit leaders and consults with organizations and governing boards. Her passion is working with leaders to hone their vision and build inclusive and collaborative organizations. She is a Certified Professional Diversity Coach through Coach Diversity Institute and a Board Source certified non-profit board consultant.

Karen has her M.Ed in Educational Leadership from Harvard University, her M.S. Ed. in Elementary Education from the University of Pennsylvania, and her B.A. in Public Policy Studies from Duke University. She was a member of the Leadership Greater Washington Class of 2015, in a 2022 Pahara Education Fellow, and a 2023 Equity Lab Seeding Disruption Fellow.