Karen Seeh

Current

• VP of Development at ecoAmerica

Past

• Principal at jihi Consulting (Sole Proprietorship)
• Principal at jihi Consulting (Sole Proprietorship)
• Economic Development Advisor at MBA Enterprise Corps

• Program Analyst (MBA Intern) at Kenan Institute Asia
• Account Manager at Ariel Research Corporation
• Business Analyst - Global Services at Commerce One
• Marketing and Communications Manager - Design for the Environment Program at US Environmental Protection Agency

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Education

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Kenan-Flagler Business School
• USDA Graduate School
• Indiana University Bloomington

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Recommended

6 people have recommended Karen

Connections

500+ connections

Industry

Renewables & Environment

Karen Seeh’s Summary

Multi-sectoral professional and integrative strategist with 10+ years sustainability-related experience.

Core passions: launching social enterprise and corporate sustainability initiatives, forging multi-stakeholder partnerships, and spurring sustainable development via technology and innovative business models.

Fundamentally, what I enjoy doing is launching ventures/programs, connecting people, integrating ideas/data, and communicating. And I most enjoy it when I can draw upon my experience in information technology/technology transfer, the environment, and small business/entrepreneurial development.

Karen Seeh’s Specialties:

Clean Technology, Clean Production, Information Technology, Technology Commercialization, Social Venture, Social Marketing, Partner Marketing, Technology Marketing, B2B Sales, Service Sales, Fundraising, Project Management, Program Management, Metrics & Evaluation, Research, Analysis, Project Proposals, Grant Proposals, Business Planning, Training Presentations, Stakeholder Engagement, Public-Private Partnerships, Client Relationships, Vendor Relationships, Cross-Functional Teams

Karen Seeh’s Experience

• VP of Development

  ecoAmerica

  (Non-Profit; 1-10 employees; Non-Profit Organization Management industry)

  June 2008 — Present (2 months)

• Principal

  jihi Consulting (Sole Proprietorship)

  (Sole Proprietorship; Myself Only; Management Consulting industry)

  June 2006 — December 2007 (1 year 7 months)

  Sole proprietorship offering marketing and development services to CSR programs/ventures and social enterprises.
  
  Clients/Contract Employment:
  
  Developed fundraising strategy and grant application materials for Envirofit International - a growth-stage, clean-technology social enterprise in need of expanded funder base for $1.7 million self-financing venture in Southeast Asia:
  • Built relationships w/ funding prospects – identified 200 government agencies, international development organizations and banks, social venture capital firms and foundations.
  • Wrote 20 page grant proposal from concept to final as well as case statement, letter proposal, and letter of intent.
  • Identified and pursued synergistic opp's such as competitions, strategic partnerships, and low-cost publicity.
  
  RESULT: Helped raise $400K in grant funding within 9 months plus secure in-kind support.

• Principal

  jihi Consulting (Sole Proprietorship)

  (Sole Proprietorship; Myself Only; Renewables & Environment industry)

  June 2006 — December 2007 (1 year 7 months)

  Sole proprietorship offering marketing and development services to CSR programs/ventures and social enterprises.
  
  Clients/Contract Employment:
  
  Managed business development and client relationships for InterfaceRAISE, a start-up corporate sustainability consulting firm:
   Streamlined sales pipeline management via Salesforce and guided weekly sales meeting. Designed winning sales presentation which framed service offering. Wrote consulting project proposals in $100-250K range.
   Drove writing process from concept to final draft on 12 page white paper highlighting how Interface generates business growth through sustainability.
   Planned 2 day off-site seminar for SVPs of a leading consumer-products corporation. Outlined service delivery process to control project costs and ensure outstanding service.
  
  RESULT: Contributed to close of 2 Fortune 500 client sales within 2 months on job.

• Economic Development Advisor

  MBA Enterprise Corps

  (Non-Profit; 11-50 employees; International Trade and Development industry)

  July 2004 — October 2005 (1 year 4 months)

  A 17-year-old program which has assigned 1000 MBAs to 15-month assignments in developing countries.
  
  Consulted to biz's and trade assoc's in support of USAID Bulgaria Business Trade & Development Program:
   Advised prominent BG CEO to help refine her vision for social enterprise enabling civil society and community dev
   Validated concept via primary and secondary research.
   Generated 50 page strat. plan w/in 3 months – incl analyses of target markets, competition, and potential partners as well as plans for product/service dev, market entry, ops, mgt, and financing.
  
  RESULT: Org still operating 2.5 years later.
  
  Delivered training in marketing, fundraising, and sustainability to small biz's and assoc's:
  • Presented on sustainable dev at seminar for Counterpart International community reps
  • Created and presented 3 hour course on grant writing to 4 chapters of trade assoc
  • Led team of Peace Corps volunteers to write culturally-relevant marketing guide for small biz

• Program Analyst (MBA Intern)

  Kenan Institute Asia

  (Non-Profit; 11-50 employees; International Trade and Development industry)

  May 2003 — August 2003 (4 months)

  A 10-year-old organization with assets of $10 million USD working to promote sustainable development and competitiveness in Southeast Asia.
  
  Spearheaded total cost accounting study in Thailand for Social Accountability International:
  • Within 6 months: Recruited company participation, determined data analysis methods, gathered data via site visits, and provided recommendations to improve SA8000 implementation.
  
  RESULT: Created one of first comprehensive cost-benefit analyses of SA8000 international labor standard.

• Account Manager

  Ariel Research Corporation

  (Public Company; 11-50 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)

  July 2001 — July 2002 (1 year 1 month)

  An 18-year-old, privately-owned boutique firm acquired by Eastman Chemical and since sold to 3E Company. Provides global chemical regulatory data and compliance info. services to Fortune 1000 co's.
  
  Integrated into SAP and stand-alone software a database of 500K chemicals covering EH&S regulations in 55 countries:
  • P&L responsibility for Access data product w/ 30 clients and 5 partner software vendors.
  • Revived 10-12 client relationships -- securing $250-500K in annual revenue and positioning accounts to be up-sold. Established internal knowledge management system to improve client service.
  • Documented and improved product delivery and data integration procedures in close cooperation w/ vendors. Identified opp's for new vendor partnerships.
  
  RESULT: Ensured clients’ global regulatory compliance by increasing data accuracy to 99% and automating data maintenance -- saving largest manufacturers at least several million dollars per year.

• Business Analyst - Global Services

  Commerce One

  (Public Company; 51-200 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)

  November 1999 — April 2001 (1 year 6 months)

  Formerly a $21 billion USD leading e-commerce service provider and main competitor to Ariba; acquired in 2006 by Perfect Commerce.
  
  Led cross-functional teams to create, redesign, and market database-driven Websites for non-profit clients:
   Translated client requirements into tasks and projects for design, programming, and online marketing teams.
   Coordinated all phases of systems development: analysis, design, production, implementation and operation.
  
  RESULT: For primary client World Wildlife Fund, within 1 year: Doubled online membership processing (from 2100 to 5600 joins), site traffic (from 47 to 106 million hits), and online advocacy network users (from 15K to 28K activists). Tripled online donations.

• Marketing and Communications Manager - Design for the Environment Program

  US Environmental Protection Agency

  (Government Agency; 10,001 or more employees; Executive Office industry)

  July 1995 — November 1999 (4 years 5 months)

  A gov't-industry partnership which promotes cleaner production by identifying cost-effective chemicals/processes that are more environmentally-sound and safer for workers/the public.
  
  Designed and implemented partner marketing strategy leveraged via key EPA stakeholders to printing industries:
  • Defined value proposition for stakeholder segments, constructed partner kits, & solicited participation.
  • Orchestrated targeted mailings, trade show presence, & workshops in partnership with stakeholders.
  • Oversaw production of publications, training curricula, & software tools from concept to completion.
  • Supervised 4-6 contractors and grantees simultaneously. Managed budgets <$250K.
  • Established quant & qual metrics & evaluation procedures to monitor & assess project outcomes & impacts.
  
  RESULT: Reached 30,000+ printers in 3 years w/ information about enviro-preferable chemicals and processes, achieving progress towards goal of 25% VOC reduction in sector over 5 years.

Karen Seeh’s Education

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Kenan-Flagler Business School

  MBA, General Management, International Business, Sustainable Enterprise, 2002 — 2004

  • Received merit-based fellowship covering 50% of tuition
  • Independent study for IntraHealth proposing social-marketing solution to issue of syringe re-use in India.
  • Three-month European management program at University of Saint Gallen, Switzerland.

  Activities and Societies:

  • Co-Chair of Communications, Net Impact. Overhauled club Website and enhanced listserv management.

• USDA Graduate School

  Executive Leadership Program 1998 — 1999

  Selected by EPA senior management to be one of six Agency participants in management development program. Required five-month minimum commitment over one-year period while also managing home-office responsibilities.

• Indiana University Bloomington

  BA cum laude, Political Science and Environmental Studies, 1990 — 1995

  • Extensive coursework and research in meteorology and climatology. Post-grad research on effects of climate change on migratory bird populations and effects of vegetation on municipal water use.
  • Summer internship in Washington, DC with the Solid Waste Association of North America, SWANA, Researched and drafted the organization's first policy statement on environmental justice.

  Activities and Societies:

  Phi Beta Kappa,
  Pi Sigma Alpha,
  Golden Key,
  Hutton Honors College,
  School of Public and Environmental Affairs, SPEA,
  State/Regional Coord., Student Environmental Action Coalition, SEAC, forged alliances with other SEAC chapters across Indiana and midwest
  Director, Board of Enviro. Mgt., Expanded recycling program across IUB's dormitories, pushed for more vegetarian meal options in cafeterias, and educated students on simple things they could do to conserve environmental resources.

Additional Information

Karen Seeh’s Honors:

- Winner of AIESEC 2004 global corporate social responsibility case competition. Proposed public-private venture for Holcim addressing lack of adequate housing among Asia’s urban poor.

- Gold Level President's Volunteer Service Award, 2007
- MBA Enterprise Corps Alumni of the Year, 2007