Dr. Karen Judd Smith originally hails from Australia but has lived in the United States for more than 30 years. She holds degrees in Physics, History and Philosophy of Science, and Theology. For the practicum part of her doctoral dissertation, she developed the "Advocacy Algorithm," a 36 module online course for UN NGOs that offers them ways to navigate the UN and advocate for their programs in that context. Karen has spent her adult life developing and overseeing projects for which she adapted multiple business methods and social entrepreneurial strategies. She is the author of "Change !t Up," and "Making Your NGO's Advocacy Powerful" and now, "United Nations Unlocked: The Missing Link the UN Needs to Tackle Global Terrorism and the Coming Tech Tsunami." Over the years, Karen has spoken extensively in more than 20 countries promoting strategic and innovative social initiatives and currently consults for international NGOs and entrepreneurs who take their role as global citizens seriously. She currently serves as the NY Chair of the Alliance of NGOs of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. As one focal point of this NGO is the Alliance on Counter Terrorism and Cyberwar, she is involved in shaping projects designed to defuse violent extremism and engage the tech community in global security arenas. In the midst of all this seriousness, Karen balances her life with gardening, feeding the hummingbirds and wild turkeys that frequent her garden, fending off VR invaders with her grown sons, learning about the latest in biotech research from her daughter and competing with her husband in tennis and Mario Kart. Between colleagues, friends, and family, she enjoys a wide variety of political and tech banter, online around the world and in person over a cuppa. One item on her bucket list is to make her 20th skydive a full family affair.
