Karen Schlusberg
Contact Information
Phone: 914-606-5632
Office location: Gateway 344
Email: karen.schlusberg@sunywcc.edu
Department/Division: Fashion Merchandising
Title(s): Curriculum Chair
Degree Information: MBA
Karen Schlusberg is a seasoned fashion educator, philanthropist, style industry executive and successful entrepreneur best known for her keen sense of style and community generosity. With both a Bachelor’s degree and MBA in Marketing from Iona College, Karen has harnessed her love of fashion into the field of higher education. While teaching fashion merchandising at Marist College, Karen created “Fashionology”, a fashion student run store. Most recently as interim curriculum chairperson of Fashion Merchandising at SUNY Westchester Community College, Karen has developed strategic partnerships with FIT and high school programs, and is considered a mentor among students during her six years as senior adjunct professor of fashion.
Karen has successfully parlayed her ability to grow the bottom-line as CEO and founder of 13-year old Maize Boutique, winning “Best of Westchester” for three years in a row. Additionally, Karen has partnered with both Eileen Fisher and Operation Prom to offer student opportunities to give back to the community and become socially responsible style leaders.
Prior to her entrepreneurial and teaching endeavors, Karen was an executive of product development at such major corporations as Liz Claiborne where she led design teams both domestically and abroad. Karen’s financial acumen was well known in the apparel industry where she consistently increased profit and was able to grow and develop new categories and opportunities for each of her companies.
Karen’s commitment to fashion at WCC is always a student-driven passion and includes such numerous initiatives as Miami Fashion internships, style newsletters and the exciting fashion shows and events on campus.