Karen Gifford

Karen Gifford is active in the start-up world as an investor and advisor on policy and regulatory issues relating to financial technology. Previously, she worked as an attorney in the private sector and at the New York Fed, where she was Counsel and Officer in the litigation and enforcement group. Her work there included the successful defense of a claim by the Central Bank of Iran for over $1 billion and co-heading an investigation into misconduct in the sales and trading of leveraged derivatives at Bankers Trust. She later worked as a consultant at Promontory Financial Group, advising global banks and financial companies on regulatory issues and conducting investigations. She subsequently headed the compliance and regulatory relations functions for Ripple, Inc., where she continues to serve as Special Advisor for Global Regulatory Affairs. Karen is active in the start-up world as a founder, investor and advisor. She is the author, with Jeena Cho, of The Anxious Lawyer: An 8-week Guide to a Joyful and Satisfying Law Practice Through Mindfulness and Meditation.She holds a J.D. from Yale Law School and an A.B. from Vassar College.