Karen Johnson Shaheed serves as Executive Vice President and General Counsel and Chief of Staff at Bowie State University. She manages all legal matters for the University, providing advice and counsel to the President and campus administrators on a variety of legal and policy issues affecting the university. She also oversees government relations, working to advance the university's mission and interests as its principal liaison to local, state and federal agencies and officials. She has served on an interim basis twice as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for the university. With over 30 years of experience in law, higher education, legislative affairs and public administration in the state of Maryland, Karen has served as Secretary of Higher Education and CEO of the Maryland Higher Education Commission, the statewide coordinating agency for postsecondary education, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, and Assistant Attorney General and Assistant Secretary for Regulatory Policy and Programs at the Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation. She began her career as a litigator at a major law firm in Baltimore. She has served as an adjunct professor of legal writing and advocacy.
Karen has been a NACUA member since 2004. She has served for several years on the NACUANOTES Editorial Board. She previously served on the Committee on Membership and Member Services. She currently serves on the Committee on Strategic Planning. Karen has also spoken at several NACUA events.
Karen received her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and her J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law. She has been with Bowie State University since 2007.