For more than 20 years, Karen Compton has served as the Founder and Principal of A3K Consulting, an integrated management advisory firm specializing in the business of practice. Her depth of field includes organizational priorities—growth, profitability, and cultural alignment—that aligns to key operational areas like systems, financial best practices, intellectual capital, and succession planning. Her consulting practice has been pivotal in shaping governance and succession for non-profit and for-profit companies and organizations.
A seasoned advisor, Karen works closely with C-suite executives on corporate governance, succession strategy, and business expansion initiatives. As a Board member herself – currently with a national architecture practice and formerly with a transportation planning firm – she has served and led various committees including Governance, Ad Hoc Search, Nominating, ESOP Plan, and Compensation.
As a nationally recognized speaker, Karen has served as presenter and facilitator to the AIA Knowledge Practice Community, the American Institute of Architects, the Society of Design Administration, the American Society of Landscape Architects, and PSMJ Resources. Passionate about environmental, social and governance issues, she served as Co-Executive Producer and Co-host of Breaking the Silence of Design in 2020 to explore the issues of race, justice and equity with the built environment. She has authored more than 300 articles and posts on the business and practice and served as contributing author for the Architects Handbook 15th Edition, Wiley & Sons Publications, as well as adjunct lecturer in professional practice at California Baptist University’s School of Architecture.
