Ms. Panton, the Executive Director for the Bahamas Protected Areas Fund (BPAF), is well known in the field of environmental conservation in the Caribbean and brings with her a solid background in conservation finance and protected areas management.
Her professional career has been built on financial and accounting services to a range of stakeholders including government entities and NGOs. She has supported environmental programs across The Caribbean, Latin America, and Mexico while based in both New Providence and Jamaica.
As Executive Director at BPAF, Ms. Panton works closely with the Board of Directors, the Government of The Bahamas and other stakeholders, to secure sustainable financing for protected areas and climate resilience. She is currently working to promote private sector participation in the conservation trust fund space. Prior to her role with BPAF, she was the former Director of Finance and Operations at the Bahamas National Trust, serving also as the Trust’s appointed director to the BPAF Board. Karen was also the Director of Finance for the Nature Conservancy’s Caribbean Program as well as the Financial Representative for the Caribbean Challenge Initiative. While at the Conservancy, Karen served on both the Best Practices and the Operations Advisory Groups.
Karen completed her undergraduate studies at the then College of the Bahamas and the University of Miami. She excelled at the University of Miami, advancing to the President’s Honor Roll. More recently, she attended the University of Liverpool securing an MBA with a concentration in Finance and Accounting.
Ms. Panton, is an Asvisor to Women in Ocean’s Science and also served as an Advisor to the Waitt Institute. She has one daughter, multiple dogs, and a keen interest in nation building, connecting people and supporting women’s interests.
