Karen Kauffman

Vice President/ Chief Human Resources Officer at Metropolitan Transit Authority (Houston METRO)

Karen Kauffman is the Vice President of Human Resources for the Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO). In this role, she has leadership responsibilities for the human resources function for approximately 3,600 non-union and union employees.

Karen has been a state Board member of the Texas Diversity Council since 2012 and was the Vice President of the Gulf Coast Chapter. She has been a member of the Gulf Coast Diversity Council Advisory Board since 2004 and was recognized by the Texas Diversity Council with the Diversity CHAMPION award.

Karen joined METRO in 2003 and has held various leadership positions in the Human Resources and Compliance departments. She leads the development and oversight of METRO’s EEO/Affirmative Action Program and plays an active role in supporting METRO’s diversity and inclusion efforts. Her additional responsibilities as Vice President of Human Resources include leading the following divisions within the HR Department: Diversity; Staffing; Compensation; Benefits, Pension & Wellness; Labor Relations; Employee Relations; EEO; Organization Development; and HRIS. She also has oversight responsibilities for the Title VI and VII regulatory requirements for METRO’s Compliance programs.

Prior to joining METRO, Karen had extensive human resources and business experience in leadership roles for a variety of industries including manufacturing, real estate development, oil and gas, financial, and education. She also taught corporate business courses at the University of Houston and served as a corporate consultant in Houston and Oklahoma City.

Karen earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education / English from the University of Houston and has also completed graduate level studies in Business and Accounting. She is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and completed the SHRM Human Resource Management course at Rice University.

She is actively involved in the community and is a member of several professional organizations, including SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management); HR Houston; and ATD (Association for Talent Development). She has also served as a Consultant for the Junior Achievement program since 1995.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) is the region’s largest public transit provider, offering safe, reliable and affordable transportation services. In addition to operating more than 1,200 buses, METRORail consists of three light-rail lines: the Red Line (North), Green Line (East End) and the Purple Line (Southeast), totaling 22 miles of rail. METRO’s services also include: Star Vanpool, METROLift, HOV lanes, HOT lanes, Bikes-on- Buses/Trains program, Park & Ride, and road improvement projects.