Meet Your Team

We’re a small but mighty team that thrives on experimentation, new ideas, provocative conversations and seeing new relationships unfold.

Karen Barnes, Executive Director

A Winston-Salem native, Karen’s genetically pre-programmed to be an entrepreneur and started her first business when she was five selling organic vegetables from her dad’s garden in a little red wagon. Since then, she’s been a journalist, a marketer, founder of a boutique marketing and strategy consulting firm, and founding partner in a cognitive computing startup. She’s a prolific storyteller, insight harvester, golfer and dog fanatic. She and her wife enjoy travel, food, outdoor activities and their golden retriever.

Susan Morris, Program Director

susan@venturecafewinstonsalem.org

Susan Morris has been involved in the community in Winston-Salem for several years. Her career spans the spectrum of education, technology, marketing, the arts, and innovation. Susan has a degree in education from the University of West Florida in Pensacola. She and her husband Joe have a sweet pup named Winston.

Advisory Board:
Jim Holmes
Bruce Maxwell
Edwin Hamlin
Algenon Cash
Angela Wilder
Allan Younger
Bobbie Shrivastav