Karen R. Jenkins is the president and CEO of KRJ Consulting, an organizational growth and human capital consulting firm specializing in people by transforming leaders, integrating cultures, and building organizational capacity. With over 35+ years of experience, Karen is a recognized leader, speaker, author, and leadership consultant, equipping professionals in both the federal and corporate space. In 2008, Jenkins founded KRJ Consulting with the driving factors of persistence and passion for leadership consulting. In 2020, KRJ Consulting was included in the Inc. 5000 list coming in at number 546 with an impressive growth rate during the three years prior to being listed. Jenkins leads KRJ Consulting clients to experience the same growth through her guiding concept of synergy leadership. With synergy leadership, Jenkins develops confident leaders who engage, enlighten and empower their teams. Jenkins believes synergy leadership includes igniting action through synergy and transforming energy into action. Jenkins is also a financial expert and has served as a financial media consultant for NBC affiliate WIS-TV in Columbia, South Carolina, and published her first book, “Nobody Told Me!” The Path to Financial Empowerment in 2010.
Jenkins is an active participant in her community. In 2023, she was named chair for the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. In 2022, she was also appointed to the SC Chamber of Commerce Executive Board of Directors where she serves as the Small Business Committee Chair. She was also named to the National Small Business Association Leadership Council in 2022. In addition, Jenkins is a member of the Women President’s Organization and Vistage.
Additional accolades include:
- 2020 Richland County Library entrepreneur-in-residence
- 2020 Columbia Regional Business Report Icon
- 2019 South Carolina Female Small Business Person of the Year, by the United States Small Business Administration South Carolina District Office
- 2019 Enterprising Women Magazine “A Woman of the Year”
- Graduate of Goldman Sachs 10000 Small Business Program
Jenkins received her Bachelor of Science degree in business management from the University of South Carolina and completed South Carolina Bankers School before gaining her MBA from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri. Jenkins has two children and currently resides in Columbia, South Carolina with her husband.