“Strategic Solutions That Align What You Do Best with Those Who Need It Most.”
With over 27 years of transformative leadership in marketing, brand strategy, and business development, Karine Malzahn is a powerhouse of innovation and operational excellence in the technology and SaaS sectors. Her career has been defined by a relentless pursuit of growth—for brands, for markets, and for people. Karine’s unique value lies in her ability to fuse strategic vision with data-driven execution, bringing clarity to complexity and momentum to opportunity. Whether scaling startups or reinventing legacy organizations, she has consistently delivered results through deep insight, strong leadership, and a sincere commitment to aligning products with the people they serve.
Karine’s journey began with a degree in Business Administration and Marketing from California State University, Fullerton. Even in her early roles, she demonstrated a rare mix of creativity and rigor, overseeing marketing communications at Conexant Systems and leading through the complexities of integrating 18 acquisitions. From these formative years, Karine developed a deep understanding of how to communicate across diverse audiences while keeping a brand’s core values intact. She didn’t just market products—she told their stories with authenticity, purpose, and measurable impact.
Her entrepreneurial drive took center stage when she built the marketing function at Networks in Motion (NIM) from the ground up. As the architect behind its white-label marketing approach, Karine positioned NIM for a $170M acquisition—the largest VC-backed IT firm sale in Southern California at the time. This landmark moment underscored her ability to drive not only brand visibility but also business valuation, proving that when marketing is done right, it becomes a revenue multiplier rather than a cost center.
From there, Karine played a pivotal role at TeleCommunication Systems, where she led product marketing for navigation and locator apps in partnership with industry giants such as Verizon, Toyota, and Mercedes Benz. Her work helped solidify TCS’s presence in the connected car ecosystem, launching innovations that debuted on the Apple App Store and reshaped how consumers interacted with mobile navigation. These achievements reflect Karine’s consistent ability to stay ahead of the curve and identify opportunities before they become trends.
At Verizon Connect (formerly Telogis), Karine launched a new $22M OEM channel and forged strategic alliances with companies like Ford, GM, and John Deere. She helped bring the Hino Telematics Standard Fit to life and was instrumental in crafting competitive brand positioning to support the fleet intelligence market. Her success here was grounded in a deep understanding of both enterprise partnerships and the go-to-market motion required to activate those channels.
Her tenure at Spireon marked a phase of sophisticated marketing operations leadership. As VP of Marketing and Revenue Operations, Karine led the development of the MarTech stack from scratch and built out full-scale marketing automation infrastructure. Under her guidance, the team delivered 4x more leads and a 65% growth in lead conversion—results that contributed over $20M in annual revenue. She also earned a seat on Spireon’s Elite Council and Governance Committee, further validating her influence on corporate performance and strategic direction.
At MeridianLink, Karine again demonstrated her command of growth marketing by establishing the company’s first automated lead generation architecture. She built a Demand Gen team that not only scaled marketing-generated revenue by 50% but also introduced multi-touch attribution and campaign source tracking, transforming marketing into a key revenue-generating function. Her analytical mindset and process-oriented leadership made her an invaluable asset during a period of significant growth and digital transformation.
Karine’s most recent executive role at Conexiant (formerly BroadcastMed) capped her corporate leadership trajectory with distinction. There, she unified six companies into a singular brand identity, built a new marketing and revenue operations team, and launched a marketing research initiative critical to the company’s 2025 expansion strategy. She led with empathy, accountability, and vision, consistently exceeding quarterly goals while fostering a culture of collaboration and performance.
Now, as Principal Consultant at Coastal Collective Inc., Karine helps organizations architect go-to-market strategies, build marketing infrastructure, and scale operations that drive real impact. Her consulting practice is rooted in decades of hands-on experience, but it’s also guided by the fresh perspective of someone who is unafraid to pivot. Karine is also exploring new personal ventures, including launching her own baking business, underscoring her belief in lifelong learning, creativity, and passion-driven pursuits.
Outside of her professional accomplishments, Karine is a mother, a dedicated volunteer, and an active community member. Her involvement with organizations like One Heart Source and the Miracle League of Orange County speaks to her core values of compassion, service, and empowerment. Whether mentoring future leaders or helping children with developmental challenges play baseball, Karine leads with heart—and that same authenticity permeates every role she takes on.
Karine is now exploring board opportunities as a way to give back, influence future innovations, and leverage her experience in a meaningful, strategic context. With the time and flexibility to contribute deeply, she is seeking the right opportunities where she can bring her voice, perspective, and proven track record to the table. Her combination of executive acumen, operational discipline, and marketing vision makes her not just a qualified candidate—but an exceptional one.
Character:
Karine exemplifies authenticity and purpose in every role she takes on, consistently leading with empathy and integrity. Her passion for mentoring, volunteering, and connecting people speaks to a value system rooted in service and collaboration.
Knowledge:
With nearly three decades of experience across industries and company stages, Karine brings encyclopedic expertise in marketing, operations, and business strategy. She bridges technical systems and human insights to create meaningful results.
Strategic:
Karine has a unique ability to see the full picture and align marketing efforts with long-term business outcomes. From startups to Fortune 500s, her vision has driven measurable growth, market expansion, and multi-million-dollar channel development.
Communication:
A natural storyteller and compelling presenter, Karine excels at shaping narratives that move people and markets. Her communication style builds trust, simplifies complexity, and turns strategy into execution.
