Karen Shell Email & Phone Number

Karen founded Shell Photographics in 1990, quickly becoming well known for the peace of mind she delivers for clients as well as the quality of the images she creates. Photographing people and places for advertising clients, Shell Photographics has become a go-to resource for an impressive array of global, national, and regional brands including Banner Health, Bank of America, Hyatt Hotels, LifeLock, Marriott, PetSmart, Plexus International, and Toll Brothers. Karen has earned numerous industry awards, and her personal work has been exhibited in six countries. Combining her unique approach with a technical mastery of the craft, Karen references her incredibly rich and varied base of professional and life experience to make routine shoots a genuine delight and challenging shoots a successful adventure. Her positive energy brings a tireless work-ethic and uncompromising professionalism to every assignment.

Karen is the Founder and brainchild of the nonprofit Kids in Focus, and she was the passionate driving force as Executive Director for the first 11 years. Karen’s lifelong pursuit to help kids in need began in the early 1990’s, from which she founded Kids in Focus in 2012. Karen built KIF from the ground up and grew it to a well-known thriving organization having transformative impact in the lives of at-risk youth.Karen created the mission, strategic direction, brand and marketing, programs and curriculum, and supporting events. She established community-wide support, securing sponsorships, supporters, and program partners. Karen managed every aspect of the organization, including programs, marketing/communication, development, operations, budgets/finances, and administration. Karen led recruitment/hiring and training of volunteers and staff, and she was the passionate spokesperson of the organization, regularly speaking in the media and at events. At the heart of it all, Karen also spent time serving the kids on a variety of levels.Kids in Focus alters the course of troubled lives by providing highly-experiential, mentor-driven, evidence-based, no-cost programs that focus on building resilience, confidence, character, trust, and belonging. Volunteer mentors have spent tens of thousands of hours empowering thousands of youth to see themselves and the world in a new light. The kids experience profound improvements in behavior, attitude, and self-worth and are equipped with essential life skills to shift from surviving to thriving. When kids experience trauma, neglect, abuse, poverty, and homelessness, they disconnect from the world and themselves. Through the restorative power of photography and the guidance of dedicated mentors, the kids open their eyes to their own potential and build the resilience they need to overcome the challenges they face.