Shepherding the Next Generation: A Conversation with Karen Isble

In this episode, we speak with Karen Isble—Vice President for College Advancement at Kalamazoo College.

Karen previously served as Associate Vice Chancellor and Campaign Director at the University of California, Irvine, where she helped lead the university’s $2 billion Brilliant Future campaign. Before that, she held senior leadership roles at the University of Michigan, contributing to the university’s $5 billion+ Victors for Michigan campaign.

She began her career in arts administration, with roles at the Chamber Music Society of Detroit, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Goodman Theatre—and today serves as chair of the board of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. A former president of Apra, Karen has been a national voice in advancement for many years.

We begin our conversation with a glimpse of where it all started—how her talking and singing as a child earned her the nickname “Radio” within the family, hinting early on at a life shaped by music and communication.