Professional Headshot of Karen Schuler

Karen Schuler

Privacy & Data Protection National Practice Leader and Global Privacy & Data Protection Chair

CIPM, CIPP/E, CIPP/US, FIP, CDPSE, CFE, ADPO

Executive Summary

Karen has a broad background in managing businesses that provide governance, risk management and compliance (GRC) services. With more than 30 years of experience, she builds and manages organizations that provide data protection (privacy and cybersecurity compliance), digital forensics, cyber investigations, and data breach notifications, as well as having focused those teams and her career on providing subject matter expertise across the GRC spectrum.

As founder of one of the first digital forensics consulting firms in the 90’s, she quickly became a thought leader in the areas of e-discovery and digital forensics and focused on intellectual property, securities and insider trading investigations. Over the years she has authored wide-ranging information governance, data protection and e-discovery books and articles and has provided expert testimony for several high stake’s litigations, among being named an expert in more than 100 cases.  

Prior to BDO, she held senior level positions in the above specialties and worked as a Senior Forensic Examiner for the United States Securities & Exchange Commission. She has also held board positions with industry associations and information governance companies in the past.  

  • Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
  • International Association of Privacy Professionals
  • Irish Computer Society


  • M.S., University of Pittsburgh
  • B.S., University of Dayton