About

Kara is a result-oriented executive in Social Impact, Corporate Philanthropy and Environmental Responsibility with a 19-year track record of creating and leading best-in-class strategies across a $2 billion portfolio of programs that have driven transformative results for well-known organizations, including Goldman Sachs, SoulCycle and Away. 

At Palais Impact Advisors, Kara works closely with Executive teams to identify whitespaces, craft new strategies and partnerships, and provide strategic and operational leadership. The programs she has shepherded have been consistently featured at global convenings such as the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Aspen Institute, The White House and leading media conferences. She currently works with Fortune 500 and pre-IPO growth companies to connect their business missions to greater good across Social Impact, Environmental Responsibility and Diversity & Inclusion.  

As an expert in the sector, Kara is the host and producer of “Impact Studies with Kara Gustafson," a leading interview series in social impact committed to sharing best practices and original research to demystify this growing space. The series has generated over 100,000 total organic views since launch, with regular episodes bringing together a diversity of innovative, curious, and engaged social impact and business leaders. 

Prior to Palais Impact Advisors, Kara was the first Head of Community Impact at SoulCycle. In this role she led the design and launch of a new Impact platform and Diversity & Inclusion initiatives. She served as a member of the SoulCycle Diversity & Inclusion Council and Culture Committee, where she established new company-wide practices and activated the company’s first Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).  

Previously, Kara was a Senior Vice President in the Executive Office at Goldman Sachs. During her 15-year career, she worked with senior leadership to embed philanthropy and impact into the business strategy. As a founding member of the Corporate Engagement team, she served as Global Head of Strategic Partnerships and Chief of Staff, where she provided strategic and operational leadership to launch and scale the firm’s $2 billion global platform. These efforts have driven economic growth through innovative programs focused on women entrepreneurs in emerging markets and small business owners in the US and UK (10,000 Women and 10,000 Small Businesses).  

During her tenure at Goldman Sachs, Kara built comprehensive strategies and communications plans, led all aspects of executive engagement, and designed and negotiated key partnerships.  Kara also advised the firm’s top corporate, UHNWI and private foundation clients on philanthropic and impact strategy. Additionally, she served as a committee member of the Goldman Sachs Women’s Network and an LGBTQ Ally.  

Kara is Director on the board of Paid Leave for the United States. She earned her BA from Fairfield University, where she is now an Advisory Council Member for the Management Program at the Dolan School of Business.