Experience
Karen is a Senior Director in Eckler’s Financial Wellness and Guided Outcomes (GO) practice. A Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and the Society of Actuaries, she brings more than 30 years of retirement industry experience spanning consulting and senior plan sponsor leadership. Karen has worked across defined benefit and defined contribution plans, giving her a broad perspective on the decisions employers make and the outcomes those decisions ultimately create for their people.
Before joining Eckler, Karen was Vice President, Pension Solutions at CAAT Pension Plan, where she led growth and employer engagement strategies and worked with organizations considering defined benefit pensions as part of their retirement and workforce strategies. Previously, she spent more than two decades with Willis Towers Watson, advising large Canadian organizations, senior executives and boards on pension strategy, plan design and transformation, governance, risk management and defined contribution programs.
Karen brings together actuarial expertise, strategic thinking and a strong understanding of the employer and member perspectives. She is particularly focused on turning complex financial questions into practical decisions and helping organizations connect plan strategy, financial wellness and member engagement. At Eckler, she brings that perspective to Financial Wellness and Guided Outcomes, supporting the firm’s broader goal of helping people make informed financial decisions and achieve better retirement outcomes.
Areas of Expertise
- Financial wellness
- Strategy & growth execution
- Defined contribution / CAP Consulting
- Defined benefit pension plans
- Retirement strategy
- Retirement readiness
- Pension plan design
- Governance & fiduciary oversight
- Pension risk management
- Member & employer engagement
- Change management
- Pension transformation
- Executive & board advisory
- Regulatory compliance
- Strategy & growth execution
Professional Qualifications
Professional Qualifications
- Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (FCIA)
- Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA)
- Honours Bachelor of Mathematics, Actuarial Sciences – University of Waterloo
- NACD (National Association of Corporate Directors) Directorship Certification (NACD.DC®)
Professional Activities
- Board of Directors – Society of Actuaries (2022–present)
- Chair, Governance and Policy Committee – Society of Actuaries (2025–2026)
- Council Member and Former Chair – Association of Canadian Pension Management (ACPM) (2014–present)
- Member, Governance Implementation Task Force – Society of Actuaries (2025–2026)
- Member, Exam Exemptions Task Force – Society of Actuaries (2024–2025)
Thought Leadership
Personal
Karen is a competitive dragon boat athlete who competed at the Club Crew World Championships from 2014 to 2024.
She is also a Certified Canadian Dragon Boat official and a Level 1 International Dragon Boat Federation official.