Karen Coy-Romano

Board President

Growing up in extreme poverty in the Black community, Karen had a front row seat to systemic racism, experienced homelessness, food insecurity and the impact of drug trafficking and incarceration. Karen was an activist in the 1960's civil rights movement. She has devoted her life as an ally and activist for racial equity and access, open housing, reducing barriers to employment, ending mass incarceration and stopping police overreach and misconduct. For over 50 years, Karen has served as a nonprofit leader and entrepreneur launching and expanding nonprofit organizations and social justice programs serving marginalized and disenfranchised individuals. In the mid-1970’s, in partnership with the DOC, Karen launched Milwaukee’s first pre-release center for women from Taycheedah correctional institution.
Karen is an internationally certified multi-million dollar fundraising and communications executive, president of the nonprofit consulting practice, SOLUTIONS UNLIMITED-leadership & transformational change management, and Founder and former Co-Chair of the Task Force on Criminal Justice Reform, a prior collaborative of over 30 leaders of organizations working to end mass incarceration through common-sense solutions to reduce prison admission, end crimeless revocations, and support and expand programs for successful community reintegration. Karen continues her life’s work in serving justice-impacted individuals and organizations.