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A Santa Clara University Center of Distinction
Miller Center Community
Karen Runde

Karen Runde

Karen Runde is Program Director at Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship located at Santa Clara University where she manages the operations of the center's accelerators that help social entrepreneurs and alumni scale their impact. Karen is particularly passionate about supporting women-led enterprises and the power of Women's Economic Empowerment to transform the world. Prior to joining Miller Center, Karen worked at As You Sow, promoting corporate social accountability around conflict minerals and cotton. Karen holds two Master of Science degrees in Environmental Studies & Sustainability Science from Lund University and Roskilde University and a BA from UCLA.

In her spare time, she teaches livestream classes at Pure Barre Burlingame and enjoys spending time at the beach with her husband and two kids.

Written Articles

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Blog
Karen Runde - November 9, 2017

Eleven / Eleven: Watch 11 Social Enterprises from Cohort 11

More than three-quarters of Ugandans depend on agriculture for their livelihood, but only 31% of the arable land in Uganda is in use. Smallholder farmers make up over 80% of the farming community in Uganda, but it’s nearly impossible for them to get loans: only 1% of commercial lending in Uganda goes to farmers. In addition to lacking credit, these farmers face a number of issues that threaten their survival.
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Blog
Karen Runde - April 17, 2017

Watch 12 Entrepreneurs Uplift and Inspire

In Pakistan, 80% of the population lives in rural areas and does not have access to health care. In India, pregnancy is commonly life-threatening instead of life-giving. In Mexico, low-income children are at risk of delayed development due to poor childcare services.
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Blog
Karen Runde - April 17, 2017

Introducing the 2017 GSBI Accelerator Cohort

“When I heard, “And the winner is Wendo Dorcas” that evening I took the trophy to my room, sat on my hotel bed and cried until my ribs hurt. I cried for the woman who did not have confidence in herself, who considered herself inferior, who was fearlessly afraid, who was so proud of herself for doing something she had never done before. She had pitched and won. Yes! The villager as I commonly, proudly, refer to [as] myself, had won $10,000 plus a trophy.”
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Blog
Karen Runde - April 17, 2017

Announcing 17 GSBI Online Social Enterprises for 2017

ANNOUNCING 17 GSBI ONLINE SOCIAL ENTERPRISES FOR 2017

Graffiti artists, egg farmers, and soccer players couldn’t possibly have anything in common – could they? When it comes to fighting poverty they can! Social enterprises from all over the world, working with people from all different kinds of backgrounds, overlap in that all of their missions focus on doing good through business.
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