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Karen Obrien

Karen O'Brien


VP of Marketing



Professional Overview
Karen O'Brien is an accomplished marketing executive with a proven track record of driving growth and digital transformation for innovative technology companies. As the Vice President of Marketing at Ava Labs, she is responsible for spearheading the company's global marketing strategy, overseeing brand development, demand generation, and customer engagement initiatives. Leveraging her extensive expertise in emerging media and growth strategy, Karen also serves as a Growth Strategy Advisor and Angel Investor, contributing her strategic insights to support the success of promising startups.

Experience Summary

Current Role
As the VP of Marketing at Ava Labs, Karen is responsible for leading the company's end-to-end marketing efforts, with a focus on accelerating user acquisition, strengthening brand awareness, and driving revenue growth. She has been instrumental in shaping Ava Labs' go-to-market strategy, implementing data-driven marketing campaigns, and fostering strategic partnerships to expand the company's reach and market share.

Career Progression
Prior to her current role, Karen served as the Chief of Staff to the CMO at Ava Labs, where she played a pivotal role in aligning the marketing function with the company's overall business objectives. Before joining Ava Labs, she held the position of CMO at Community Labs and Surf, where she spearheaded digital transformation initiatives and delivered impressive revenue and user growth. Karen's early career includes roles as a Growth Advisor at Surf and Director of Emerging Media at Wunderman Thompson, where she honed her expertise in digital, social media, and mobile marketing strategies.

Academic Background
Karen holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of Washington, where she graduated with distinction. She is a lifelong learner, continuously expanding her knowledge and skills to stay ahead of industry trends and best practices.

Areas of Expertise
  • Digital marketing and growth strategy

  • Brand development and positioning

  • Omnichannel customer engagement

  • Data-driven decision making

  • Strategic partnership and business development

  • Cross-functional team leadership and collaboration


Professional Impact
During her tenure as CMO at Surf, Karen developed and implemented a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that resulted in a 45% increase in website traffic and a 37% improvement in lead conversion rates. At Community Labs, she spearheaded a successful rebranding initiative that increased brand recognition by 28% and drove a 22% uplift in customer acquisition.

Conclusion
With her deep expertise in marketing, growth strategy, and emerging technologies, Karen O'Brien is a strategic and visionary leader poised to make a significant impact in the technology industry. Her passion for driving innovation and her ability to translate data-driven insights into impactful marketing initiatives make her a valuable asset to Ava Labs and the startups she advises as an investor and growth strategist.