Karen M. Phillips served as executive director and publisher at Words Without Borders from 2013 to 2024. Prior to joining WWB, Karen worked at the Americas Society, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and as a consultant to international cultural organizations including Germany’s UNESCO Commission. Read More She holds an MPA from NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service and a BA from Smith College, where she studied Spanish literature. A lifelong student of languages, Karen speaks fluent Spanish and is conversant in French, Portuguese, and German.