About The Spectrum Circle

About The Founder

About The Founder

Born a 3rd generation entrepreneur, the word FOUNDER is familiar to Karen Maria Alston. In 2002, she founded her boutique marketing firm, Alston Marketing Group (AM&G Marketing Communications) and continued her family tradition of small business ownership. She is also active on social media advising many on marketing, advertising and branding under her @advertisingdiva brand.

While building her business, Karen was fortunate to meet and talk to hundreds of women whom shared their personal story’s of success and determination. Karen knew that the stories being shared with her one on one from women of all backgrounds where vital pieces of information needed for others in order to grow their careers, break the glass ceiling and gain empowerment in their personal lives.

From those conversations an idea was formed over the Christmas holiday of 2014. For three weeks, Karen unplugged from social media, her social life and most family commitments to work on her idea. To create a platform for women to share their authentic stories in a safe environment that would benefit others. From that place of deep creativity and thought, The Spectrum Circle was born and in draft as a concept document. Accelerate with Google was the first sponsor to support her vision and since January 2015 other sponsors have come on board to assist and grow The Spectrum Circle.

Because of her illustrious profession and business acumen, Karen has been featured in several publications such as the Baltimore Sun, Black Enterprise, The Washington Business Journal, Black MBA, Essence Magazine, Washington Examiner, DC Modern Luxury and the Baltimore Daily Record. Karen is also a sought after speaker for many marketing industry conferences on a range of topics such as digital media, traditional marketing, government marketing, and her favorite topic the “burdens of the superwoman” which was the pre-cursor to the founding of The Spectrum Circle.

In January, The Annenberg Center at Sunnylands asked Karen to participate on a panel of experts on emergency communications, alongside technology luminaries such as Vint Cert and Adam Clayton Powell, III. In March, Copa Style Magazine named her its inaugural “2015 Woman of the Year.” The title Karen is most proud of is FOUNDER. She loves the innovation, vibrancy and excitement of launching a new concept or product. She is a sought after speaker and loves to share the story of her journey.

Karen Maria Alston received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance from Howard University and an Executive Education Certificate in Branding and Design from Harvard University.