Paul H. O’Neill
School of Public and Environmental Affairs

Phone:

(812) 856-7404

Email:

kgahlmil@indiana.edu

Room Number:

410P

Areas of Interest:

Philanthropy

,

Strategic revenue development

,

Board governance

,

Leadership

,

Cultural policy

Curriculum Vitae

Karen Gahl-Mills facilitates learning to drive systems change. She is a visiting clinical associate professor at the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University and a lecturer at Harris Public Policy at the University of Chicago.

She came to teaching after a career as a public and nonprofit sector leader, including CEO roles at Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, a large grant making organization in Cleveland, Ohio; the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra in upstate New York; and the Westchester Philharmonic in suburban New York City. She applies practical lessons from her distinguished career to teaching courses in nonprofit governance, leadership, strategy, fundraising, and public policy.

Professor Gahl-Mills’ independent consulting practice is focused on helping nonprofit boards evolve to meet the needs of 21st century nonprofit organizations. With extensive experience as both a trustee and as an executive director, she connects with trustees and staff at a peer level and is uniquely positioned to help boards navigate change.

She has received numerous awards and honors, including Crain’s “Who’s Who in Northeast Ohio”, Crain’s “Women of Note” and the Business Council of Westchester’s “40 under 40.” In 2018, she was the recipient of Indiana University’s Excellence in Teaching award.

She serves on the board of the Old Town School of Folk Music and the campaign cabinet for Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from DePaul University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She lives in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood with her husband.