PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Captain Karen Baetzel supports clients with her strong and diverse experience in complex, multi-year program management and strategic advising. She is an accredited and award-winning consultant and public speaker in the fields of organizational development, leadership and diversity. She serves as a lead program manager and teaching instructor for the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program.

Prior to joining The SPECTRUM Group, Captain Baetzel served as a national training team leader for the Navy Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officers Proficiency Course, as well as Commanding Officer of the Command Leadership School. In her 30-year military career, Captain Baetzel served as the military liaison between the DoD and all other federal agencies for multiple national disasters, including Hurricane Katrina. She retired as one of the Navy’s most senior female Naval aviators.

Captain Baetzel’s leadership and educational teaching expertise spans both applied and academic arenas. She previously served as an Associate Professor at UNC, Chapel Hill and as an Adjunct Associate Professor at North Carolina State University, both in Economics. She is a published author and trained mediator.

KEY POSITIONS

• Senior Project Manager, National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program
• Commanding Officer, Command Leadership School
• Associate Professor, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

EDUCATION

• M.A., National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College
• B.A., Economics, Hood College