Karen Herson

==Karen Herson==
Karen Herson is a communications expert and serves as Founder and CEO of Concepts, Inc. (dba Concepts Communications), a certified disability-owned business enterprise (DOBE) and woman-owned small business (WOSB). She was awarded the FedFem Award in 2018 which focused on the contributions of women business owners and thought leaders whose work had an important impact on the government contracting community, market and economy.
==Early Life and Education==
Herson, whose parents were both in the entertainment industry, was born in New York, and grew up in Rumson, New Jersey. At the age of seven, Herson was diagnosed with dyslexia, later in her life she was diagnosed with Raynaud’s syndrome, and is a colon cancer survivor. Both of Herson’s parents were entrepreneurs and her mother inspired her throughout her childhood and early teens, and her father was a World War II veteran, which also inspired her work today. Herson attended The George Washington University, where she earned a B.A. in Speech Communications with a minor in Psychology. While attending The George Washington University, Herson worked on Capitol Hill and at a variety of public relations firms during her four years at the university.
==Career==
Commencing her career, Herson worked at Walcoff & Associates as a Communications Director, and worked for the U.S. Marshals Services Association as a consultant, both implementing and conceptualizing outreach campaigns in targeted communities. Herson also has international experience, having helped to implement USAID-funded small business development initiatives for clients in Africa, the Caribbean, and South America, as she has worked at Tri-World International and Allpoints International. At Tri-World International, she was a research analyst, and at Allpoints International she worked as a liaison of education and economics.
Herson is the Founder and CEO of Concepts Communications, a communication and public relations consulting firm located in Bethesda, Maryland. Herson’s firm works on veterans and disability issues, specifically related to employment and workforce diversity and inclusion. Herson has created various television public service announcements and other multimedia materials throughout her career, as she specializes in disability employment outreach initiatives. In addition, she manages several projects for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy and other federal government agencies.
==Other Activities==
Herson is a supporter of wounded warrior initiatives and has been a volunteer with the American Red Cross at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD, where she sponsored a variety of events for military families. She is a member of the Forbes Business Council, was a founding member of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) Disability Advisory Roundtable and 2Gether-International’s Advisory Board. Herson is a board member of the National Council on Independent Living, the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, and the Metro DC Disability:IN. Herson has been appointed a Commissioner on behalf of the Montgomery County Commission on People with Disabilities.
==Affiliations==
* Advisory Board Member of the Metro DC Disability:IN
* Advisory Board Member of National Council on Independent Living
* Advisory Board Member of the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind
* Advisory Board Member of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance
* Advisory Board of 2Gether-International
* Montgomery County Commissioner on People with Disabilities
* Member of Forbes Business Council
* Member of Black Veterans Empowerment Council
* Volunteer of Red Cross at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
==Accomplishments==
Herson has been featured and mentioned in over twelve magazines, videos, and interviews, since 2016. 
2017: The 100 Entrepreneur Foundation had Karen talk about Concepts Inc.
2019: Profiles in Success Magazine’s article titled The Accidental Entrepreneur 
2022: Forbes: Mental Health And The Workplace: Strategies For Small Businesses Going Forward
2022: Washington Business Journal: Concepts was the #10 Largest PR Agency in the DC Metro Area 
2022: Forbes: Four Tips For Including Disability In Your Company's Diversity Goals
2022: Concepts Joins Disability is Diversity Campaign
2022: ExclusiveBiz: Concepts Communications, DOL Partner on PWD Employment Efforts; Karen Herson 
2022: Forbes: 14 Tips For Safely Reopening Your Company’s Office
2023: Montgomery Municipal Cable: 1 in 5 people in the US has a Disability, Learn how to Include Them in Your Diverse Workforce
2023: Bethesda Magazine: Blazing Trails
2023: Forbes: Women’s History Month: Honoring Advancements In Entrepreneurship
2023: Anthem Award: The Campaign for Disability Employment
Category:People from New York City
Category:American people
Category:George Washington University alumni
Category:Founders
Category:Chief executive officers