Karen Abbs
Chief Thriving Officer
Karen Abbs has over twenty years of international experience across the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, working with humanitarian and development organisations. She specialises in staff wellbeing, safeguarding, and mental health, with a focus on designing and implementing comprehensive frameworks, policies, and training programmes that combine both innovation and alignment with global standards and best practices.
A UK-registered psychotherapist and counsellor, Karen’s clinical expertise includes trauma, gender-based violence, stress and resilience, and critical incident response. She has developed global mental health, psychosocial, and staff wellbeing programmes, as well as survivor-centred, trauma-informed safeguarding toolkits that strengthen organisational practice and promote safe, ethical, and accountable environments.
Karen holds a Master of Arts in Expressive Arts Therapy and Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology. She brings to her work a deep appreciation for cultural contexts of wellbeing and safeguarding along with a passion for co-creating systems that enable individuals, teams, and organisations to truly thrive.
Outside of work, Karen enjoys exploring the world with her family, discovering new cultures, and finding restoration through yoga, reading, and time with friends.
Karen is based in South East Asia
