Karen Roth is an experienced Department of Defense leader in cyber, artificial intelligence, and digital engineering. Roth has taken her proven skills in strategic thinking, communication, and partnership development to create a global ecosystem for the Air Force and to be a trusted fiduciary for the nonprofit boards she has served.
Roth is one of five senior leaders for the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate. Serving as chief engineer, she ensures technical excellence across the $1.5 billion portfolio on an international stage. She directs programming and focuses on strategic external partnerships to accelerate change and technical impact to the Air Force, which has resulted in the creation of the Innovare Alliance. Innovare is an impact-driven global community of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs converging on Air Force technology interests through specialized facilities and programming for technology transfer and open innovation.
Roth has a zeal for supporting women in STEM. Her commitment has led to her participation on several not-for-profit boards, including the Society of Women Engineers, where she has served as treasurer and director of professional excellence. She serves SWE in a personal capacity. Roth serves as an advocate for women in other organizations, such as the Girl Scouts and the regional engineering executive council.
She holds an executive MBA from Indiana University Kelley School of Business. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in software engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in systems engineering from Cornell University. She is currently completing an executive certificate in public leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
