Karolina Belen is the director of membership engagement and professional learning at Advance CTE, where she leads national strategies to support and engage members through impactful, high-quality professional learning experiences. She works closely with education leaders, state agencies, and partners to strengthen the value of membership and build capacity across the Career Technical Education (CTE) community.

Karolina is a certified professional in training management (CPTM) with extensive experience designing and leading national training initiatives. Prior to joining Advance CTE, she served as the senior manager of professional development at SkillsUSA, where she developed educator-focused programs and facilitated large-scale workforce development events. She also held management and instructional roles supporting adult learners and English language acquisition. Her expertise spans strategic planning, adult learning, curriculum development, and creating learning experiences that empower individuals and help them build a strong sense of professional identity and create a sense of belonging.

In her free time, Karolina enjoys hiking and exploring state parks with her husband and two children. Originally from Lublin, Poland, she speaks Polish and Spanish and loves to travel and decorate her home in Frederick, Maryland.