Karen Otto’s (she/her) grasp of the leadership requirements of healthcare and education clients — paired with her skill in identifying up and coming leaders — make her an effective consultant who finds and attracts the most qualified executives in academic medicine. With over 30 years of executive search experience, Karen reinforces the importance of timeliness and enthusiasm as she actively promotes the benefits of the client organization, resulting in retained candidate interest. Above all, she uses her knowledge of the academic healthcare landscape to recruit the brightest leaders across her clients’ clinical, education and research enterprises.

Based in Oak Brook, IL, Karen recruits national leaders on behalf of preeminent hospitals and health systems, academic medical centers, medical schools, faculty practice plans, health science centers, colleges and universities, public institutions and community service organizations.

Earlier in her career, Karen was a manager in the executive search practice of a major management consulting firm in Chicago. Her previous assignments feature placements at consumer products, financial and professional services organizations. Karen frequently speaks on board recruitment, development and career planning topics. She has served on the faculty of Executive Leaders in Academic Medicine (ELAM) since 2008.