Penn State University

Upper Dublin High School

Co-Founder + Chairman, Dormify. Founder, at HZ

Co-creator and evangelist for the brand she co-founded in 2012 with her daughter, Amanda, after they saw a hole in the market for fashion-forward dorm furnishings. While Amanda was finishing her undergraduate degree, the duo incubated the brand inside Zuckerman’s agency.

A Creative Director by trade, the goal was create product and content that touch the hearts and minds of college students and their parents while creating the ultimate one stop shop. Seeing an opportunity to build a meaningful content platform for teens and young adults, Zuckerman helped develop Dormify’s omnichannel marketing strategy and invested deeply in the brand’s content and customer-first website. 
 
Today, the Dormify brand transcends commerce and creates space for young people to connect, share tips and navigate an exciting stage of life.

Dormify is the only décor brand for young adults that provides specialty products, style and inspiration
for the newest generation living in small spaces on campus or at home who want comfort and personal expression in an era where you space is the ultimate expression of who you are.

Dormify

Co-Founder

HZDG

Founder, CEO & Chief Creative Officer

As President and Chief Creative Officer, Karen leads both the creative and corporate vision of HZDG (HZ), the award-winning agency she launched from her basement in the late 1980s. More than 30 years later, she stays true to her mantra,“Just make it cool,” and has grown HZ into one of the largest, integrated creative agencies in the country. 

Over the years, Karen boldly expanded her talented design and account staff to include integrated teams of digital strategists, content creators, UX designers, web developers, media planners, SEO strategists, and social media mavens. With over 175 employees, in DC, New York City, Baltimore, and the Rockville MD headquarters, HZ continues to grow and serve as an all-in-one resource for creating truly integrated branded experiences.

Karen’s dedication and leadership have developed a rich company culture. The agency is known for its inspirational atmosphere—a place where creativity thrives, spontaneity is encouraged, and individual style is embraced. In fact, it is Karen’s pioneering ability that earned her the opportunity to speak at SXSW alongside the CEOs of Delivering Happiness. Karen participated in the round table “Spread the Happy, Save the World,” discussing the importance of happiness and culture in the workplace.

At HZ Karen combines large agency experience with the personalized attention of a boutique firm, focusing on the big idea and obsessing about the small details. Karen’s emphasis on building relationships and providing personalized service has attracted such high-profile clients as Volkswagen of America, Hilton Worldwide, NVR/Ryan Homes, Cuisine Solutions, Rockefeller Center, King Arthur Flour, The Washington Redskins, Penn State Football and Organic Valley. In July of 2018, Karen sold the agency to WPP and HZ became part of the BCW Group, a global PR and Comms powerhouse.

Karen Zuckerman