Person

Karen Robinson

Program Director, Human Rights Education

Karen Robinson has over 30 years of experience in human rights education, community and youth development, and community organizing.

Karen started her career in the field of community engagement and youth development at American University where she helped start what was then the Center for Volunteerism and Community Service. While at American University, Robinson initiated service-learning programs, linking classroom learning with direct service projects throughout Washington, D.C. She then moved to Amnesty International, USA where she served as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Deputy Director and Director of the Human Rights Education program. In that capacity, Robinson served six years as the Chair of the International Human Rights Education Coordinating Committee for Amnesty International globally.

As the first Director of Human Rights Education at Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, she led the creation of the first Speak Truth To Power Human Rights Education packet, which has been distributed to thousands of schools in the U.S. and internationally. She also has conducted numerous training and professional development sessions at educational conferences, within school districts and at educational meetings around the world.

New year, new us. Same mission.

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights is rebranding to honor the legacy of our founder and hero, Mrs. Ethel Skakel Kennedy. From now on, we will proudly be known as the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center

While our name is changing, our mission and work remain the same. We will continue to fight injustice, advance human rights, and hold governments accountable around the world in 2026 and beyond.