Staff & Leadership

Karen Parker, President & Chief Executive Officer 

Karen Parker is the President & CEO of Safe Alliance and has served for the past 32 years with governmental and societal justice organizations in North Carolina, Georgia and Texas. In January, Karen announced she was stepping down as President & CEO and her last day would be June 30, 2023.

In 2009, she was appointed by Governor Beverly Perdue to chair the North Carolina Domestic Violence Commission. She is also a past board co-chair of the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Currently, Karen is Chair of The Umbrella Center Steering Committee and serves on the board of Race Matters for Juvenile Justice. In 2017, she was awarded the Peter Gilcrest Lifetime Achievement award from the Crime Victim's Coalition. In 2019, Karen was honored for her equity and diversity work when she was recognized by Leading on Opportunity as an Inaugural Opportunity Champion and by the Charlotte Association of Fundraising Professionals as Outstanding Champion of Diversity. Most recently, in 2022, Karen was presented the Dogwood Award from Attorney General Josh Stein in recognition of her work to make communities safer, strong and healthier. 

Laura Lawrence, Chief Operating Officer & Legal Counsel

Laura Stone Lawrence, is the Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel for Safe Alliance. Laura joined Safe Alliance in 2011 and oversees all domestic violence and sexual assault programs. As announced in January, Laura will become Safe Alliance's President & CEO on July 1, 2023.

She was deeply involved in planning for and opening Mecklenburg County's pre-cursor family justice center, the Survivor Resource Center. Laura also serves on the Family Justice Center Steering Committee and The Umbrella Center Capital Campaign Committee which are planning for and raising $35M for Mecklenburg County's full service family justice center, The Umbrella Center.