Karen Spar Kasner

Karen Spar Kasner began a volunteer path in fundraising, marketing & communications, and strategy at UJA-Federation of New York and the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services (JBFCS) after a career as a corporate and real estate litigator. From 2000-2017, she developed and chaired UJA-Federations’ Government Relations and Public Policy Committees and led its Annual Washington Advocacy Missions. Today, she serves as Co-Chair of JCRC of New York’s Shared Society Committee (CR cohort), Co-Chair of JBFCS’s Adult and Family Residential Committee, Co-Chair of the Jewish Federations of North America’s Advocacy Corp. and WashCon, and member of UJA-Federation’s Agency Accountability Committee.

Karen is the former President of the JCC of Mid Westchester, former Chair of the University of Pennsylvania’s Parents Council, and former board member and co-chair of the Development Committee of the Human Services Council. She was instrumental in developing and leading conferences on poverty, criminal justice reform, and gun control and safety at UJA-Federation of New York.

Karen is widely known for her advocacy in a range of areas, including social services, community relations, security, and support for Israel and other regions around the world.