Karen has led the work of PPLI since April 2009. She has overseen the development of a range of innovative projects through key collaborations with relevant stakeholders and was an important contributor to the consultation, development, and publication of Languages Connect: Ireland’s Foreign Languages in Education Strategy. Karen’s knowledge and passion for language learning has recently been put to further use driving the implementation of a number of key actions in the strategy – a venture that has broadened the remit of PPLI. Karen has been gradually developing the organisation and growing the team around her to facilitate the successful delivery of the Languages Connect strategy.

Karen began her career as a second level teacher in the sciences, before completing postgraduate studies in Applied Linguistics, EFL and Japanese language pedagogy. She has experience teaching at second and third level across three continents, curriculum development, and teacher education and providing consultancy and training in the private sector. Her career is defined by leadership across and among diverse cultures and she is passionate about leading diversity, equity and inclusion and managing change