Positively impacting international education alongside passionate professionals around the world.
A Life Shaped by People, Places & Possibilities
My passion for international education, cultural exchange, and connecting people began long before my professional career. Growing up with parents who served in the Peace Corps, our home was often filled with exchange students from around the world. Those early experiences sparked a lifelong curiosity about people, cultures, and the many ways we learn from one another.
For more than 25 years, I've had the privilege of living, studying, teaching, and working internationally, with experiences spanning Czechia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and beyond. Along the way, I've built a career in international education, supporting students, educators, and institutions in creating meaningful opportunities for learning and exchange.
With a master's degree in International Education, my work brings together a love of teaching, experiential learning, mentoring, and design thinking. I'm especially passionate about helping people discover possibilities, build connections, and approach life with curiosity and purpose.
Whether I'm working with students, facilitating workshops, exploring a new country, or having a conversation over coffee, I believe some of life's greatest lessons come from the people we meet and the experiences we share.
M.A., International Education
2001 – 2003
Trainer, Coordinator & Consultant
2003-2015
International Education Advisor
2005 – 2015
REAC: Regional Manager for the Middle East and Central Asia
2015 – Present
Professional Organizations
NAFSA: International Education Association
Middle East Interest Group Co-Chair | 2017 – Present
International Association of Career Advisers
Certified Career Adviser (CA) | 2021
The CollegeBoard
International Advisory Committee Board Member | 2019 – 2021
Designing Your Life - Design Thinking
Participant & Member | 2021
Coach | 2026
About Karen
Resume
Design Thinking Certified Coach
Article | A Journey of the Heart
Podcast | Non/Native: Life as an American Woman in the Middle East
Book Chapter | Entry Points to US Education “Design Thinking to Support International Students’ Planning”
Podcast | TTELT: Teaching Tips Resources for English Language Teacher and Working with EducationUSA.
International expert, senior-level higher education professional, and collaborative leader with over 25 years in the Middle East and Central Asia, bringing an extensive global skill set. Experienced with international education organizations, diplomatic missions, ministries, and higher education institutions. Regional expert on recruitment, strategic institutional partnerships, exchange development, and international student counseling. I am passionate about connecting and building relationships between the United States, the Middle East, South, and Central Asia.
Improving institutional capacity through innovative solutions, integral stakeholder relationship cultivation and strategic partnership development are motivators for me. This is evidenced through an impactful career abroad as a manager, consultant, advisor, and coordinator in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two dynamic globalizing countries discussing the future of education. These roles have required a high level of success in leading and cultivating global teams in dynamic environments. As a life-long student of culture, history, and people, I’ve traveled for professional or personal purposes to 35+ countries and possess a strong cultural proficiency.
Advances international student mobility to the United States through training, promoting, and collaborating with U.S. higher education institutions, and providing expert advice and recommendations on international student mobility and higher education engagement.
Develops programs, procedures, and guidance to advisers and counselors around the admission process to colleges and universities in the United States.
Design and deliver training and workshops, in-person and virtually, tailored to industry advising standards. This includes career counseling and professional development opportunities to continuously enhance individuals' performance.
Facilitates partnership cultivation with the U.S. higher education community to increase student mobility, working with local partners.
Serves as a resource, providing expert advice on international student recruitment and retention to U.S. higher education institutions and organizations;
Provides advice and recommendations in the development of educational advising programs.
Develops and maximizes the use of innovative tools and resources to help clients reach more diverse audiences when promoting U.S. study abroad.
Enables people around the world to show the best of U.S. higher education and the many opportunities that await international students in the United States.
Designing Your Life . . . Because we only get one
Designing Your Life is another way I bring together my passions for education, design thinking, and meaningful conversations. Through this Stanford University-developed framework, I enjoy connecting with students, college counselors, and international education professionals to explore life's possibilities, spark curiosity, and reflect on what matters most at every stage of life. There's no single perfect path, just many opportunities to learn, grow, and design a life with purpose. Learn more about my Designing Your Life journey and coaching HERE
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?
I believe in a modern world of cultures colliding. Traveling, studying, and living in a different place other than home is often the best opportunity to learn about oneself. I preach lifelong learning and teach design thinking principles that can affect the way we live and see life.
“We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience
.”
- John Dewey, Educator and Philosopher
Testimonials
“I had the privilege to work with Karen for just under seven years. She inspired me every time we discussed an issue on every level. She helped me grow on both a professional and a personal level. Karen taught me the true meaning of being a team player and has a skill of connecting people together.”
— Alia Alkhraisha, EOL Coordinator Higher Education, U.S. Embassy, Amman, Jordan
“Karen has been an inspirational mentor to me for almost 10 years now. She is an exemplary leader with exceptional organizational and time management skills. I have always admired her ability to juggle an overwhelming workload- while making each advisor feel special at the same time. Additionally, Karen is a wonderful public speaker, and her ability to synthesize material and to present it in a way that is digestible is something that I have learned a lot from. Karen has been a tremendous source of support to me. She is a gem, and truly an asset to any team.”
— Monica Ibrahim, Director of College Counseling, French American School of New York
“Karen is an inspiring role model who leads by example. She is an amicable and diligent leader who has supported over 60 advisers from 26 countries in two different and demanding regions. Despite a very busy schedule and tight timelines, Karen always had the open-door policy in action and was always very supportive and approachable. It was an absolute pleasure to have worked with Karen.”
— Nawal Qutub, Policy Advisor, The Education and Human Resources Council | United Arab Emirates
Together we can inspire individuals and build international teams, making a positive impact around the world.
Contact
Karen M. Bauer
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
San Francisco, Califirnia
karen@karenmbauer.com
+971-52-679-1897 UAE Mobile + WhatsApp
+1-415-283-5396 USA Mobile