Karen Shaw
About Karen Shaw
Karen Shaw serves as the Physical Activity Senior Officer at Mind, where she focuses on integrating mental health initiatives into sports organizations. With a background in human resources and employment consulting, she has held various roles in organizations such as One Family, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, and RSPCA.
Current Role at Mind
Karen Shaw serves as the Physical Activity Senior Officer at Mind, a position she has held since 2021. In this role, she focuses on leveraging sports and physical activity to promote mental health advocacy. She plays a key role in developing mental health policies and strategies within sporting organizations, collaborating with various stakeholders to integrate mental health initiatives into sports.
Previous Experience at Mind
Prior to her current role, Karen worked at Mind (Time to Change) as the Employer Engagement Manager from 2016 to 2020. During this four-year tenure, she was responsible for engaging employers in mental health initiatives and promoting workplace mental health strategies. Her experience at Mind has contributed to her expertise in mental health advocacy within various sectors.
Professional Background in HR and Consulting
Karen has a background in human resources and consulting. She worked as an HR Manager/Consultant at One Family for 11 months in 2013, based in Brighton, United Kingdom. Following this, she served as a Senior Employment Advisor/Consultant at Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust from 2014 to 2016. Her roles in these organizations involved advising on employment practices and supporting mental health initiatives.
Volunteer Management Experience
Karen's early career includes a significant role at the RSPCA, where she worked as the Volunteer Recruitment & Development Manager from 2000 to 2006. In this position, she was responsible for recruiting and developing volunteers, contributing to the organization's mission through effective volunteer management.
Education and Academic Background
Karen studied at the University of Sussex, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Psychology from 1992 to 1995. Her academic background in psychology has informed her professional practice, particularly in the areas of mental health and employment.