The Virginia State Bar has been guided by the exemplary leadership of Karen Gould for nearly 15 years. Although she plans to retire this year, Karen’s commitment to the VSB and its members will have a long-lasting impact. Under her guidance, the VSB invested in evolving technology, including upgraded equipment and security systems. She also modernized enterprise content records management software that saved valuable resources by allowing some VSB departments to go paperless, and converted the Bar’s Rules and Regulations from a weighty print document to searchable HTML pages on the Bar website. Karen had previously served as the President of the VSB, and she was the first woman to serve as the Bar’s Executive Director and COO. During her tenure the VSB’s membership grew nearly 24% ushering the association into the modern age. She brought leadership to the Bar through the pandemic, steered the Bar through the 2008 financial crisis and budget cuts, and managed the relocation of Bar offices. Today she is a leader and mentor for bar association executives across the country.
