Member Spotlight: Kari Kalgren

Learn more about Kari’s WIF experience, including what inspires her about the Spark Committee.

Can you provide a brief background on yourself for those who do not know you? 

I grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota after being born in South Korea and adopted as an infant, so I’ve always had a bit of a dual lens on community, belonging, and rural vs urban living.

I started my career as an occupational therapist and have spent the years since working across healthcare and life sciences, from early-stage startups to large global organizations, focused on how innovation actually reaches people in ways that are practical, scalable, and equitable. Much of my work today is spent focused on healthcare data, research, strategy and governance and of course, you can’t go through a day without hearing about AI.

More recently, I spent time back in the academic setting at NYU, studying health law, equity/ethics, and strategy. That experience has updated I think about the layers of access, policy, and systemness that shapes health outcomes (or lack of them, sadly).

Charlotte has been home since 2000, where I live with my husband, our two daughters, and, at any given time, two or three dogs keeping things fun.

What makes our purpose or mission meaningful to you? 

WIF brings together thoughtful, committed women who care deeply about this community and channels that into real, tangible impact. What stands out to me most is the leadership behind the work that  I see happening across Charlotte. Through my time on committees (especially the Spark Committee) I’ve had the opportunity to see not only the coolest most inspiring community organizations, but most exciting – the women leading them. There is incredible leadership across this community, who are doing meaningful work and showing up in ways that truly move things forward. 

I’m also impressed by the openness of our recent Board and EDs to new ideas. Seeing Spark evolve into something different and intentionally innovative reflects a willingness by the leaders of this group to make space for us to try, to listen, and to shape something new as it grows and develops. That kind of thoughtfulness and adaptability is not always easy in legacy organizations, and WIF did it very well in this instance. We’re now one of the few communities I know of nationally recognizing incredible women who are serving our community and need rest, renewal, and rejuvenation to keep doing the work they do so well. That 1000% is our mission in action.

What energizes/motivates you? It can be anything from a quotation, a song, a person, workout routine, etc.

I’m energized by momentum; seeing things move. It can be a startup gaining traction, a nonprofit expanding its reach, a health system improving outcomes, or even a small business opening its doors. I love watching ideas turn into something real and seeing people and organizations find their footing and grow. And on a day-to-day level: probably music energizes me most. If you saw Stephen Wilson Jr. recently on the CMAs, tell me that live performance doesn’t energize you? Or the musical performance of “I Lied to You” from Sinners at the Oscars with Brittany Howard, Misty Copeland and the others? Wow!

What has been your favorite WIF event that you’ve attended and why?

This is a big year in our house. My oldest daughter is heading to college and starting out studying abroad in Prague, which feels both exciting and surreal. She also just turned 18 and will be voting for the first time, which is something I don’t take lightly. Watching her step into her own independence and voice is probably what I’m most excited about, and she has a younger sister not far behind – so it’s really fun times. 

And on a completely different note, I’ve been learning how to DJ, which has been a fun way to do something totally outside of my day-to-day. It’s a great creative outlet after a busy day of meetings and “people-ing”. A friend has definitely pushed me well outside my comfort zone, and I’ll actually be playing a set at the Dottie Rose Foundation gala on September 17, which should be both exciting and a lot nerve-wracking.

What is your advice for making the most of membership in Women’s Impact Fund?

Find a way to engage that works for you. What I’ve found is that the more you put in, the more you get out of it, especially through committee work and getting to know people across the organization. That’s where you really start to see the depth of the work and the impact WIF is driving. At the same time, there’s flexibility. Some seasons allow you to lean in more, and others require you to step back a bit, and both are okay. That flexibility is part of what has allowed me to stay involved over time.

What is your favorite restaurant or activity in Charlotte?

So hard to narrow down because it’s my favorite activity to try out new places:

• A quick lunch (Phil’s Deli in Strawberry Hill and check out The Social Shop across the way if you’re waiting for your food to go)
• Dinner: Oshen, El Puro, Soul Gastrolounge (DJs!)