03/26/2026
With over 20 years of experience in advertising and media, and an even longer record of community involvement, Karen Lee Franz brings both heart and hustle to the AAF Fresno board. She first joined AAF to support the local advertising community and help raise scholarship funds, and continues to champion opportunities for the next generation of creatives.
Her professional path began in retail management, where she ran advertising for a rapidly growing local chain. That early experience as a General Manager, and one of Fresno’s largest direct radio buyers, led her into a successful career in radio management, including a pivotal role at 93.7 Kiss Country. Today, she serves as Director of Development for the Central California Women’s Conference, where she helps generate the support needed to host a world-class event and reinvest in the local community.
Her big break? Being trusted to lead a nine-store retail company early in her career. Her proudest job title, though, might just be “Franz 15”—a nod to her tight-knit family of 15, including her husband, three daughters, and their families.
Outside of work, you’ll find her at the beach, throwing down in a game of co****le, sipping whiskey in a tasting room, or cruising in her cherry 2002 Roush Mustang GT convertible—with only 26,000 miles on it. (Yes, really.)
Her advice to the young is straightforward: “Don’t be afraid, try it!”
