Karen Tan believes communities thrive when young people are supported, connected and given real opportunities to grow. This belief guides her work as Senior Vice President of Community Engagement at Upbring, where she leads efforts to strengthen partnerships, increase community impact and expand pathways for youth and families across Texas.
A seasoned executive with more than 30 years of leadership in youth and family services, Karen brings a strategic, community-centered approach to advancing child wellbeing. As Senior Vice President of Community Engagement, she leads our Community Engagement pillar with a focus on strengthening statewide relationships, advancing our Child Wellbeing Zones and shaping the development of our third strategic driver—an effort aimed at improving youth wellbeing through experiences that build emotional health, confidence and opportunity.
Before joining Upbring, Karen served as President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas, where she strengthened organizational infrastructure, expanded community partnerships and improved youth development outcomes for young people across Dallas. Prior to relocating to Texas, she spent more than two decades with Child & Family Service in Hawai‘i, one of the state’s oldest and largest human service organizations. As President & CEO from 2017 to 2023, she led statewide strategy, program innovation, impact measurement and pandemic response, expanding reach, improving financial sustainability and elevating the organization as a leader in family-strengthening services.
She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Seattle Pacific University. She has completed executive leadership development through the Omidyar Fellows and the Alliance for Strong Families & Communities Executive Leadership Institute in partnership with the University of Michigan.
Outside of work, Karen enjoys evening walks with her husband and spending time with their dogs Moana and Lilo. She also loves to bake, especially during the holidays.
