Karen Snider Leiva

MEDIA/ DIGITAL MEDIA LEAD

Karen is a seasoned communications professional with nearly 20 years of experience working in fast-paced non-profit environments, specializing in media and social media. She approaches work tasks with enthusiasm and dedication, developing creative solutions for special events, creating media opportunities or by adopting trending social media activities in order to meet measurable objectives. As a passionate public relations practitioner, she stays abreast of changing trends in the industry, particularly around the use of digital tools and methods of story-telling. She is an early adopter of key changes in communications practices.

Her success as a social media strategist is long running. In 2010, she was recruited by Canada’s leading disaster response charity, Canadian Red Cross, to launch its first-ever social media strategy, implement policies, and provide training around the use of social tools.

International Leadership

Karen’s drive and commitment to social justice is reflected through her role as the founder of the Nzirambi Education Fund for orphaned children in Uganda. The Nzirambi Education Fund was created to ensure education for those a part of The Nzirambi Orphan Talent Development Centre (NOTDEC), an family-run centre, primarily funded by NOTDEC UK, that has 160 orphaned and vulnerable children who range in age from newborns and up. Many of the children lost their mothers in childbirth and their fathers could not, or would not, care for them. Karen spearheaded the scholarship fund, raising over $100,000 to fund 10 children from the orphanage for university, college, vocational programs, as well as senior levels of high school. Higher levels of education are especially critical for these children, giving them additional resources to become leaders in their communities and break free of the cycle of poverty that has defined their families for far too long.