A lecture by Karen Jenkins, Chair of the Board of Directors of the League of American Bicyclists, called “Why We Need Riders” at the Devils Gear.
Learn more about how to get involved in the League of American Bicyclists: http://bikeleague.org/content/call-league-board-applications
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Karen Jenkins' Biography
Karen Jenkins has over three decades of executive positions with NGO/nonprofit and higher education organizations. She received her M.A. in International Relations from Yale University and a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law. Her undergraduate work was at Fisk University.
Ms. Jenkins is currently an independent consultant specializing in fundraising and board development for organizations with international missions. Her leadership positions include:
• Executive Director, African Studies Association, the premier organization in higher education in the US and abroad focused on the study and dissemination of research and information about the continent of Africa.
• President, BCA Study Abroad, a non-profit consortium of higher education institutions that operates international education programs with a peace and justice focus. During her tenue as president, new programs were opened in Cuba, Ireland, New Zealand and India.
• Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) where she oversaw the launch of a successful fundraising strategies to foundations, corporations, and governments.
She has had extensive experience in international education (St. Olaf College, Dickinson College and The College of New Jersey) where she was recognized nationally for her leadership. Current and past consulting assignments have included Roots of Development, the US State Department, Oxford Study Abroad Programme (OSAP) in Oxford, United Kingdom, Ford Foundation, and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to name a few.
From 1983 to 90, Ms. Jenkins worked in Zambia on programs and projects intended to build local institutional capacity and improve the quality of life for those who are poor, marginalized, persecuted, or force to flee as refugees. In Zambia, she served as the Resident Representative for Africare, a US NGO and then as the Executive Director of New Development Applications (NDA), a consulting firm that served public and private clients throughout southern Africa. With NDA, she administered community development funds for Barclays Bank, the Government of Canada and for clients such as Pew Charitable Trusts, the Franklin Zoological Society and Salesians Missions. She taught at the University of Zambia and then for the School for International training in Vermont.
Karen Jenkins served as the founding editor-in-chief of the Journal of Studies in International Education and wrote regular columns on International Education for Diverse Issues in Higher Education. She has published on International Education, International Development and recently on issues related to biking and walking. Additionally, she has made numerous presentations before large and small audiences and has extensive experience in public relations and managing large complex events in the U.S. and abroad.
Ms. Jenkins currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the League of American, which at 137 years is the oldest bicycle advocacy organization in the world. She is also a League Cycling Instructor (LCI), a national certification. From 2010 to 2014, she served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition, a state-wide advocacy and education organization. Previous board service includes the International Education Research Foundation (IERF), Model UN/HBCU of the United Nations Association, Scandinavian Seminar, and Minnesota International Health Volunteers. She served on the founding committee of the New Brunswick Ciclovia and for three years was responsible fundraising.