Karyn Polak serves on the Board for Avodah.
Karyn has served as a senior counsel, trusted advisor, and C-suite executive in her various roles in the investment banking, private banking, brokerage, asset management, insurance, and retirement businesses at Citigroup, PNC Bank, and most recently as Chief Legal Officer for Transamerica Corporation and Chair of the Aegon Transamerica Foundation. She also has over a decade of experience in corporate finance, securities, and M&A at three AmLaw 100 law firms, advising global financial institutions and multinational corporations.
Throughout her professional career, Karyn has actively engaged in local and national civic organizations and industry groups reflecting her core values of inclusion, equality, ethics, and service. Karyn serves on the boards of The 90/10 Institute (and its related Commission on Financing a Public Benefit Biotech Industry), the Legal Accountability Project, and Avodah; on the Advisory Boards for The Unless Project and Crowdfund Baltimore; on the Programming Committee of ImpactPHL; and as a mentor for InnovationWorks. She is a seasoned speaker and community advocate, having presented on financial and legal industry matters; corporate governance, leadership development, and talent management; and diversity, equity, and inclusion.