Biography
Karen Sommer Shalett is the Director of Communications and Marketing for the Tulane School of Liberal Arts, where she develops and leads strategic communications, marketing, and storytelling efforts to support the School’s academic and community engagement priorities. In this role, she collaborates with faculty, staff, and leadership to elevate the School’s profile, strengthen audience engagement, and articulate the value of a liberal arts education.
Previously, Shalett served as Global Advocacy and Communications Director for Templeton World Charity Foundation, where she crafted and executed global communications and grant-making strategies to advance the Foundation’s philanthropic mission and research initiatives. She also held the position of Director of External Relations and Communications at Population Services International (PSI), overseeing strategic communications across a global health organization and supporting outreach for programs focused on health access and impact.
With roots in journalism and editorial leadership, Shalett’s work bridges narrative strategy and mission-driven communications. Her earlier media experience includes serving as Editor in Chief of DC Magazine, columnist for the Washington Post and a journalist for New Orleans' Times-Picayune. She is also the co-author of True Blood: Eats, Drinks, and Bites from Bon Temps, a cultural and culinary exploration inspired by the fictional world of the HBO show True Blood.