Karen Gift
About Karen Gift
Karen Gift serves as the CFO and COO at Instil, bringing over 15 years of experience in global finance and operations. Her previous roles include Vice President of Finance at Cornerstone OnDemand and BlackLine, and Chief Financial Officer at AuditBoard.
Work at Instil
Karen Gift has been serving as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Instil since 2020. In this role, she oversees the financial and operational strategies of the company. Prior to her current position, she worked as a consultant at Instil for four months in 2020. Her experience in finance and operations contributes to the company's growth and strategic direction.
Previous Experience in Finance
Before joining Instil, Karen Gift held several significant positions in finance. She was the Chief Financial Officer at AuditBoard from 2018 to 2019, where she led all financial and administrative operations. Prior to that, she served as Vice President of Finance at BlackLine from 2015 to 2017 and at Cornerstone OnDemand from 2006 to 2015. Her roles involved managing financial strategies and supporting company growth.
Education and Expertise
Karen Gift studied at the USC Marshall School of Business, where she gained foundational knowledge in finance and business management. With over 15 years of global finance, accounting, and operations experience, she has developed expertise in leading companies through initial public offerings and scaling enterprise SaaS companies from early stages to public offerings.
Career Background
Karen Gift's career in finance began at NSBN LLP, where she worked as an Experienced Senior from 2000 to 2006. Following this, she transitioned to various leadership roles in finance, including her time at Cornerstone OnDemand, BlackLine, and AuditBoard. Her diverse background has equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of financial operations across different sectors.
Achievements in Financial Leadership
Throughout her career, Karen Gift has played a key role in leading companies through initial public offerings. Her leadership at various organizations has involved scaling operations and enhancing financial strategies, particularly in the enterprise SaaS sector. Her contributions have been instrumental in the growth and success of the companies she has worked with.