AI Strategy · Professional Services · Inclusive Leadership
Different minds. Stronger teams. Better futures.
I’m Karen Ferrero, a professional services and go-to-market executive with 20+ years at Microsoft, Cisco, Box, Trellix, and EY-Parthenon. I’ve owned P&Ls up to $54M, scaled global delivery, and led inclusive, high-retention teams that consistently beat their numbers.
$54M
services P&L owned, 100+ person delivery org (Cisco)
134.5%
attainment of a $1B+ quota, FY23 (Microsoft)
370%
year-over-year growth in service delivery (Trellix)
100%
team retention, with a “thriving” team (Microsoft)
The problems I’m brought in to solve
I sit where strategy meets delivery: turning new technology into offers customers buy, services that scale, and teams that grow. Here’s what that looks like in practice.
Your AI capability isn’t turning into pipeline.
At EY-Parthenon, I built a unified AI go-to-market framework with the Europe West CTO office, plus the playbooks and sector assets that let country leads actually sell it.
Services delivery can’t keep up with demand.
At Trellix, I scaled Health Watch delivery 370% year over year: about 2,000 engagements in 2024, more than the previous two years combined.
Strategic accounts and renewals are at risk.
I secured a $34M, two-year renewal for Trellix’s Google Reverse Engineering program and drove an 87% renewal rate on Health Watch.
Your partner ecosystem has stalled.
At Softura, I signed and onboarded AI partners (Vantiq, Palantir), revitalized the Microsoft partnership and co-sell, and closed a $1.1M net-new services deal.
Margins are thin and delivery won’t scale.
At Box, I built the Chicago consulting hub, hit 110% of regional services quota, and improved delivery margin 22% with a new offshore delivery model.
Great people are burning out or leaving.
At Microsoft, I kept 100% team retention with zero attrition, a 100% “thriving” score, and a 96% work-life flexibility score (+25% above the company average).
She has been more of a leader, than just a manager. Her coaching style, knowledge, and respect for us, has driven our team to be the most successful team I’ve ever worked on, while maintaining the highest morale I’ve ever had.
My why
My life changed the day I heard the words, “your son has autism.” It forever changed again six months later, when my husband was in an accident that left him paralyzed.
Those moments reshaped how I see work and leadership. Every person brings a different mind, a different load, and a different kind of strength. When leaders make room for all of it, teams don’t just feel better. They perform better.
That belief has guided me through 20+ years of leading teams and customers through change, and more than a decade serving on boards for autism and disability organizations. For me, inclusion is non-negotiable. And more diversity means more success.
Read my storyHow we can work together
Lead or scale your professional services, AI go-to-market, partnerships, or delivery organization. Open to full-time, part-time, and fractional roles.
Explore rolesPractical, human talks on neurodiversity, inclusive leadership, caregiving and careers, and inclusive AI adoption. Virtual or in person.
See talksAI go-to-market and services advisory for leadership teams, plus career coaching for neurodivergent professionals, caregivers, and the managers who lead them.
Learn moreIn their words
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Latest insights
Why neuroinclusive hiring and management practices make every team stronger, and five small changes any manager can make this quarter.
Big numbers, constant change, and people with full lives outside work. Here’s the unglamorous rhythm behind 100% retention and a “thriving” team.
Most organizations have AI capability. Far fewer can sell it. Lessons from building AI go-to-market frameworks, playbooks, and partner motions.
Whether it’s a leadership role, an AI go-to-market push, or a talk for your ERG, a short, free call is the fastest way to see if I can help.
