Meet Us

Meet our team and learn about the North Stars that guide our work.

Karen Davis

North Star: Passionately linking arms with other changemakers to create a kinder and more equitable world for all of humankind.

Karen, CEO of the North Star Impact Group, is a leader, idealist and executor in the social impact field having spent her entire career working to make the world a better place. She has over 20 years of experience leading Hasbro, Inc.’s global award-winning philanthropic efforts. As president of the Hasbro Children’s Fund and SVP, she oversaw global grantmaking, product donations, cause marketing, philanthropic partnerships, and employee engagement. She has been a lecturer at the University of Rhode Island, facilitated Georgetown University’s New Strategies Program, and held numerous civic board positions, including currently serving on the RI Board of Education. A passionate advocate, she has presented at the White House and the United Nations. In 2019, she co-founded North Star Impact Group, which collaborates with companies and nonprofits to develop social impact strategies, supports nonprofit boards and their members, and works to address pressing global and local community challenges. She is a certified nonprofit board consultant and a coach.

Melinda Bostwick

North Star: A belief in the power of "we" as the way forward on any journey.

Melinda is a nationally recognized influential leader in Corporate Social Responsibility with demonstrated success in building relationships, partnerships, and organizations. She has expertise in domestic and international grantmaking and volunteer programming. Innovative and entrepreneurial approach to problem-solving. Able to operationalize the big picture. Known for being purpose-driven, inclusive, trustworthy, and results-oriented. Melinda is a Master Certified Professional Coach and works with CSR professionals to support their journey.

Betty Ann Kearney

North Star: Connecting people from all walks of life to ignite collective action through connections and create a more just and equitable world.

Betty Ann has dedicated the past 25 years to nonprofit development, building on successful careers in social work and sales. Her extensive experience spans small and large organizations in healthcare, education, and the arts, providing her with a deep understanding of diverse development needs. Betty Ann excels in strategic thinking and meticulous planning, essential for successful development leadership roles she held. Her expertise includes board development, strategic planning, comprehensive development planning, and capital campaign execution, ensuring robust and effective nonprofit growth and management.

Jackie Liao

North Star: Daring greatly: I am committed to being “in the arena” with everything I do and believe that sharing the journey of challenges and successes with others is what makes life meaningful.

Jackie is known as a strategic thinker with more than 25 years of experience developing and leading global social impact initiatives and teams. Her career began with financial services companies where she established community and employee programs. This work provided a solid foundation for Jackie for her career at Starbucks Coffee Company where she was able to create, sustain, and lead in social impact for more than 20 years. She works with both corporate and nonprofit clients as a strategist and leadership coach.

Kathy Saulitis

North Star: Using my passion and energy for good, helping people be more connected and having a positive impact on the lives of others. Give customers a reason to do business with you.

Kathy brings over 20 years of multi-faceted executive leadership experience and success in the non-profit sector. Kathy’s talents are fueled by her passion for the development of caring and compassionate children to become lifelong champions of service. She is skilled in relationship management, campaign creation & implementation, strategic planning, and marketing.