Executive Director URI and URI Foundation
Karen Volker was appointed Executive Director of URI, starting March 1, 2025.
Karen started at URI in January 2023 as URI’s Director of Partnership and Violence Prevention, and she has delivered on all counts. After 25 years as a U.S. diplomat and ten years at the international nonprofit Cure Violence Global, Karen has earned the much-deserved respect of all her colleagues and the URI Global Council.
Prior to working at URI, Karen’s impressive career included serving as:
- Director of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) in the U.S. State Department, offering strategic guidance and management of a $530 million assistance program focused on promoting pluralistic and prosperous societies in the Middle East and North Africa.
- The U. S. Coordinator for the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe, responsible for the development of U.S. policy toward the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe and the development of regional assistance programs in the Balkans.
- Vice President of Cure Violence Global, serving as the primary contact for the Board of Directors and introducing the health approach to violence prevention to several new countries and cultural contexts.
As URI’s new Executive Director, Karen will continue to build the strategic vision, collaborating with all URI stakeholders to mobilize resources and expand the contributions of newly integrated regional teams. She brings energy, enthusiasm, and a deep commitment to the purpose and principles of URI.
In Karen’s own words: “I am honored and excited to be taking on this leadership role at a critical time in URI’s history. As we celebrate URI’s 25-year anniversary, we will focus on growing our dynamic network and increasing our interfaith impact so that together we can achieve our vision of a world where peace, justice, and healing prevail.”
Karen Volker was born and raised in California, currently lives in Maryland, has two grown children, and loves spending time outdoors. In 2019, she summited Mt. Kilimanjaro and now looks forward to tackling her next big challenge: growing and energizing the world’s largest grassroots network of interfaith peacebuilders.
