Karen Sher

Vice President of Community Impact

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Jewish Federation of St. Louis.

Karen Sher is Vice President of Community Impact at Jewish Federation of St. Louis.

Karen serves as Vice President of Community Impact for Jewish Federation. Her work includes managing the Israel and Overseas investment and evaluation process, local needs assessments including the 2024 Community Study, plan/strategy development, investment of community resources, Jewish Federation Family and Supporting Foundations, and impact evaluation.  Her work also includes serving as the liaison for Federations government and public affairs work and overseeing the Israel Center which includes missions, shlichut program, Israel education and engagement, and teen initiatives.  Previously, Karen was the Vice President of Community Leadership and Engagement made up of programs for Families with Young Children and Teens, the Israel Center and the Millstone Leadership Initiatives where she developed and facilitated leadership development programs and community-wide initiatives.   

Prior to her work with Jewish Federation, Karen served on several boards within the Jewish community including the JCC, St. Louis Hillel at Washington University, Jewish Federation of St. Louis and was the founding President of Nishmah, the St. Louis Jewish Women’s Project. Karen is an alum of Focus St. Louis’ Leadership St. Louis program and the Mandel Executive Leadership program.   

Karen was a member of Jewish Federation of North America National Young Leadership Cabinet, received Jewish Federation’s Grossberg Young Leadership Award in 2003 and the Fred A. Goldstein Award for Professional Leadership in 2022. She is a graduate of the Baltimore Institute for Jewish Communal Service where she received her MA in Jewish Studies at Baltimore Hebrew University and MSW at the University of Maryland, School of Social Work. Karen attended Indiana University where she earned her BA in Sociology. She is married to fellow Hoosier Howie Sher and they have three adult’ish children.