Karen Neitzel, Ed.D., joined Carney, Sandoe & Associates in 2018 after spending 30 years in public and independent school settings in Hawaii, Oregon and California. She is currently the International Schools Practice lead, leveraging her passion for the mission of International Schools as an alum of the International School of Brussels. Prior to joining CS&A, she served as the Associate Head of School, Director of Technology, and Dean of Students at ‘Iolani School in Honolulu, Hawaii from 2013 to 2018. ‘Iolani is a large, independent K12 day and boarding school with over 2,000 students, recognized for its academic excellence and innovative programs.

Prior to ‘Iolani, Karen was High School Principal at Hood River Valley High School in Oregon (2006-2013), a public high school serving approximately 1,200 students, where she led instructional improvement and school-wide initiatives. Earlier, she was Assistant Head of School and Director of Technology at The Archer School for Girls in Los Angeles (1999–2006), contributing to the growth and development of this brand new independent girls’ school. Her foundational experience includes roles as Technology Teacher and Coordinator at Sinai Akiba Academy and as a high school math and history teacher in Redondo Beach, California.

Since 2018, Karen has provided consulting and coaching services to international schools and senior leaders worldwide, including recent projects with Hong Kong International School, ASEICA in France, and Soong Ching Ling School in Shanghai. She is also a frequent presenter at major educational conferences, sharing expertise in leadership, technology, and school transformation.  She is proud of the relationships she has developed with many top schools around the world and is honored to have been selected as a key search partner for schools such as Hong Kong International School, The American School of Madrid, The American School of Paris, the International School of Brussels, The Bush School (Seattle), Concordia International School, Shanghai, and Seoul Foreign School in Korea.

Karen holds an Ed.D. from the University of California, Irvine/Los Angeles, a Coaching Certification from Columbia University, an M.Ed. from California State University, and A BA. from UC San Diego.