Karen Brenner

Karen Brenner joined New York University Stern School of Business as an Adjunct Associate Professor in May 2007, became a Clinical Professor of Business in September 2008 and Executive Director of Law and Business Initiatives in 2012. She teaches Professional Responsibility in Law and Business, Ethical and Legal Challenges of the Modern Corporation: Law and Business, Corporate Governance in Law and Business, Corporate Turnarounds and Leadership in Law and Business, Professional Responsibility and Leadership and Business and Its Publics. Professor Brenner also serves as a corporate director.

Professor Brenner's areas of interest include corporate governance, professional ethics and leadership, and corporate turnarounds. Her recent papers focus on issues related to corporate governance: Stock Option Timing: Investigation and Implication, Shareholder Activism and Implications for Corporate Governance, and Corporate Investigations- Challenges in Corporate Governance.

Prior to joining NYU Stern, Professor Brenner served as a Chief Executive Officer and board member of public and private companies in a wide variety of industries including consumer products, food, healthcare, medical technology, service and industrial products. She served as chairman and chief executive officer of public companies and has chaired several board committees at numerous other public companies. With her extensive background in board governance and corporate restructuring and turnarounds, she has served as an advisor to private equity firms, venture capital companies, boards of directors and CEOs focusing on enhancing value of both public and private companies.

Professor Brenner has appeared on Business News Network, PBS's Nightly Business Report, CNBC Squawk Box, BBC Business News, Bloomberg and CNBC. Her comments have been published by Associated Press, Bloomberg Business Week, CBS News, Financial Times Agenda, Forbes.com, Fox Business News, Forexyard.com, Huffington Post, Investor's Business Daily, Newsweek and the Daily Beast, The New York Times, and The New York Times blog, Reuters, San Francisco Sentinel, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and Yahoo! Finance.

Professor Brenner received her B.S. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a concentration in finance and her M.A. from the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University with a concentration in ethics and leadership.

Research Interests

• Corporate governance
• Professional ethics and leadership
• Corporate turnarounds and leadership

Courses Taught

• Business and Its Publics
• Corporate Governance in Law and Business
• Corporate Turnarounds and Leadership in Law and Business
• Ethical and Legal Challenges of the Modern Corporation: Law and Business
• Professional Responsibility and Leadership
• Professional Responsibility in Law and Business

Academic Background

M.A., Ethics and Leadership, 2007
Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University

B.S., Finance, 1976
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania