About

Karen Arnold is the Head of Talent at Automattic, where she leads the teams responsible for recruiting, evaluating, hiring, and onboarding for all departments. With a focus on developing an efficient, productive, streamlined, and effective hiring strategy, Karen collaborates with recruiters, HR, and the Learning and Development team to provide a path to long-term success for employees. She is dedicated to seeing the work experience through the eyes of her department members and the candidates that apply to work at Automattic. Karen's purpose is to hire the best talent and help them succeed by fostering flexibility, possibility, and growth. Her cross-cultural background, having been born in Nicaragua and raised in Panama, Peru, and Costa Rica, makes her comfortable with diverse situations and attitudes. Prior to her role at Automattic, Karen was the Principal, Consultant, Webmaster, and Designer at K Design, where she designed, built, and maintained WordPress websites for small businesses. She also founded and organized the Birth Options Resource Network, a non-profit birth network based in South Dakota that worked with pregnant women and their families. Karen's education history includes a BA in Theology and Philosophy from the University of Sioux Falls, an AA in Liberal Arts from Bethany Lutheran College, and studies in Liberal Arts and Religion from Concordia University-St. Paul. She also completed the altMBA37 Udon Cohort in 2020. Karen's relevant experience spans over 15 years, and her tech stack includes design skills. Overall, Karen is a talented and dedicated leader in talent acquisition and management, with a passion for employee growth and development.