Who am I, and what do I do? 

I’m Kari Chen, partner to a Tuck ’21 graduate. I’m based in Bellevue, WA with my husband, Jesse, 3 cats, and mini-Aussie. Once upon a time, my partner was in the military, and I needed a career that could easily move with me. I was a small business owner in the wedding industry, and it was back then when I recognized the importance of regularly networking with other like-minded entrepreneurs to be able to help one another’s business grow. Jesse left the military to pursue his MBA at Tuck, and I went with him to NH and found a job within the Tuck Admissions & Financial Aid Team as their Events and Interview Coordinator, and then Operations. This was my introduction to the incredible Dartmouth community, and my role now allows me to get back to my entrepreneurial roots. 

The DEN City Chapter Leadership Team and I will do all the logistics for upcoming monthly events! These events could be any format (Fireside Chats, Roundtable Conversations, small group dinners for specific verticals, etc.), and each event will have a different topic. These events/topics are created by you all as alumni.

 

Regions we’re active in:

• Seattle Area (monthly)
• Los Angeles Metropolitan Area (monthly)
• Greater San Francisco Bay Area (monthly)
• Denver/Boulder Region (quarterly)

 

How are we defining an entrepreneur?

At the Magnuson Center, that definition is broad! We are here to bring together and provide resources to small business owners, investors, contract freelancers, founders, future founders, early-stage startup employees, social entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts for innovation. Whether someone is running their own physical therapy clinic, an actor in local theatre performances, building the next hit app, flipping shoes on eBay, or just dreaming of building something to change the world, we’re here to help build the community and share our available resources.

 

What can you do to help?

Help me best help you! I don’t know the backgrounds of every alum in the region, and I’d love to get to know you. You can share your background, interests, or check out opportunities to volunteer with me here, or set up some time with me to chat here.