Karen Markel is a Professor of Management at the College of Business at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS). Her experience includes serving as Dean of UCCS College of Business as well as serving as Dean of the College of Business and Public Policy at the University of Alaska Anchorage, where she led all college academic programs and the Institute of Social and Economic Research. Markel was previously at Oakland University of Rochester, Michigan, from 2001 through 2018. While at Oakland, she held a variety of leadership positions including chair of the Department of Management and Marketing, Inaugural Provost Faculty Fellow for Diversity and Inclusion as well as Director of Strategic Initiatives and Business Programs.

Dr. Markel earned a B.S. in Business Administration and Management from Washington University in St. Louis, a M.S. in Sociology from SUNY at Buffalo, and a Ph.D. in Social Sciences - Human Resource Management and Labor Relations from Michigan State University. Markel has been widely published in leading management journals and has made significant contributions to human resource management and business practices. She holds SHPR and SHRM-SCP human resource certifications. She is also a Gallup trained Strenghfinder coach.