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Karen Wells is Chair of the Advisory Board to the Family and Small Business Program at the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law. The Board serves as a strategic resource, providing guidance on curriculum development, research priorities, stakeholder engagement, and fundraising strategies. The Board also helps connect the Program with practitioners, policymakers, and other academic and industry leaders.

Ms. Wells is a leader in environmental health, legal education, and land conservation, directing strategic initiatives across three complementary organizations that protect public health and natural resources. She has a particular interest in how environmental issues and land preservation impact family and small businesses. She is a graduate of the law school. Earlier in her career, Ms. Wells worked in finance, including founding Wells, Canning & Associates (WCA), an investment consulting firm. WCA, a family-owned business, worked with financial institutions to help them develop, implement, and oversee their investments. In 2011, she negotiated the successful sale of WCA to Towers Watson, a global consultancy, and oversaw the successful transition of employees and clients.