Impactful Women of the 918: Karen L. Tilkin

Prior to joining CAP Tulsa in 2008, Karen Tilkin held leadership positions at The Bama Companies, Inc., and worked in international banking— jobs which took her around the globe to New York, Taiwan and China. Now CAP Tulsa’s Executive Director, a role she has held since 2019, Tilkin brings her skills as business leader and mentor to this nonprofit that serves early learners and their families.

“I derive great satisfaction from helping our community’s young children flourish,” Tilkin says. “In talking with our teachers and the parents of the children we serve, I know we are making a meaningful difference in the trajectory of their lives.” Furthermore, she continues, research backs this up.

Beyond working with the children and families who participate in CAP Tulsa’s programming, Tilkin’s leadership position means she is largely responsible for facilitating a strong organizational culture. “My greatest joy as a leader is helping others reach their full potential,” she says. “My leadership philosophy is informed by my mentor, Ms. Paula A. Marshall, CEO of Bama, who taught me that all employees want to be successful. When performance falters, 80% of the time it is due to management’s failure to set up the job for success…Instead of blaming the employee, management must first look in the mirror to identify the source of the problem.”

A self-proclaimed life-long learner, Tilkin recently earned her PhD in Organizational and Community Leadership from the University of Oklahoma and looks forward to teaching her first class at OU-Tulsa this fall. She has also served on the Board of Housing Solutions and is on the board of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa.