Alumni of the Year 2024
Karen Conde graduated in 1979 from the University of Arizona in fashion merchandising and promotion, now under the Norton School of Human Ecology. In a successful career overseeing a national professional staffing firm focused on the information technology industry, Karen has proven herself as a leader, innovator and mentor, all while generously giving back to her community and the university.
In 2003, after a successful 25-year career in the corporate world, Karen founded Conde Group Inc., one of the leading woman-owned technical recruitment firms in the U.S. Conde Group focuses on building world-class technical teams for clients such as Facebook, Toyota, Airbnb and PayPal, and it quickly earned recognition for its fast growth. As CEO, Karen has been recognized repeatedly with honors including Fastest Growing Private Company in San Diego and the Women Who Mean Business Award.
Always a Wildcat at heart, Karen seeks out Arizona alumni as potential hires, collaborators and clients, and in 2020 she joined the Norton School’s advisory board. Since then, she has generously donated her time and expertise to guide and grow the school through alumni engagement and industry connections. In 2022, Karen made a gift to establish a scholarship endowment that honors her parents, supports veterans and active-military students, and encourages women to pursue leadership roles within professional and service careers. Karen plans to serve as a mentor to the students who receive scholarships. Her career success, service and generosity are exemplary and inspiring.