Karen Clark Cole

Karen Clark Cole serves as a council member of the National Women’s Business Council, advising the President of the United States, Congress, and the Small Business Administration on policy initiatives that impact women entrepreneurs across the nation. As the co-founder and former CEO of Blink UX, the first UX design company in the United States, Cole spent 25 years shaping the future of UX design.

Under her visionary leadership, Blink grew to five offices and achieved $40 million in annual revenue, delivering groundbreaking work for clients from startups to Fortune 50 companies. In 2019, Cole successfully led Blink to an acquisition for over $100 million, cementing her legacy as a leader who transforms industries.

Cole is a thought leader in cultural transformation, digital innovation, and user-centered leadership, with a deep belief in the power of design to bridge the gap between technology, people, and purpose. An influential speaker, Cole captivates audiences with her compelling talks on entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership.

Her popular keynotes inspire audiences to embrace bold risk-taking, create transformative cultures, and build sustainable growth through design-thinking leadership. In addition to her corporate achievements, Cole is the founder of the Heaven on Earth Animal Retirement Sanctuary, where she integrates her passions for animal welfare, human health, and climate solutions.

Cole also serves as chair of the board for St. Margaret’s School in Canada, where she is driving vital financial and cultural transformations. Cole’s academic journey includes executive education at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and ongoing PhD work in values-driven leadership at Benedictine University. Her mission is to inspire leaders to think beyond what’s possible and step boldly into the future with courage, resilience, and compassion.