Karen Clark
Karen Clark & Company
Boston, MA USA
"I don’t think people regret having done things. What they regret most is not having done things. So be fearless out there."
Career Roadmap
Karen's work combines: Numbers, Technology, and Accomplishing Goals
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Working in this industry was something I had honestly never even considered early in my career. If you had told me back then, that this is what I would be doing, I wouldn't have believed you. I had to discover that the things I was interested in fit perfectly in this industry.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Economics, General
Graduate Degree
Economics, General
Boston University
Graduate Degree
Business Administration and Management, General
Boston University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Earned a bachelor’s degree in economics.
2.
Upon graduating, she had two intriguing job offers: to work for an investment bank, or to work as an economist for the United States Department of Energy.
3.
Ended up moving to Washington, D.C. to take the economist job—only worked there for a year, says she was “bored out of my mind.”
4.
Not knowing what to do next, she decided to go to graduate school—attended Boston University where she earned a dual master’s degree in economics and business administration.
5.
While in graduate school, she worked as a research assistant in the finance department, where she helped program statistical models—says it was there she discovered what she loved to do.
6.
She took a job at an insurance company, working as a research associate in their research and development department.
7.
Her first project was developing models to determine hurricane risk, which became a topic she has since dedicated her life to.
8.
She is now widely known as the pioneer behind developing the first catastrophe model and founding the first catastrophe modeling company.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
I don't want to work in insurance.
How I responded:
Working in this industry was something I had honestly never even considered early in my career. If you had told me back then, that this is what I would be doing, I wouldn't have believed you. I had to discover that the things I was interested in fit perfectly in this industry.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I've been laid off of some great jobs for a variety of reasons, but I never let that dishearten me. I just always focused on my next step.