Speakers Profile - The GPS Girl - Karen Jacobsen










Travels From:
Brisbane

Fee Range: B


When Karen Jacobsen walks on stage you know she belongs there. Her presence charms you right away, and then you hear her voice.

Back in 2002 Karen Jacobsen spent almost fifty hours in a recording studio speaking every combination of syllables possible into a microphone. The result was a voice system called "Australian Karen" and the beginning of Karen being known as "The GPS Girl".

Karen's speaking voice features in GPS systems by many leading manufacturers in many millions of cars around the world giving directions. Her parents say she started talking when she was 9 months old and never stopped, so it's perfect really that her voice is literally everywhere.

During her career Karen has appeared on network television in both the US and Australia and her speaking voice is now used in voice systems worldwide. In addition to the Garmin GPS System (Worldwide), Tom Tom, NavMan and Mio GPS Systems, Karen has contributed countless voice overs for clients including, Aussie Hair Care (US), KFC, Snuggles, E*Trade (US), Greater Union Cinemas, Mobile One (Singapore), Telstra Talking Text (Australia) and Vodafone (Australia).

She is also an accomplished Singer and Songwriter. Karen's songs are catchy, melodic, timeless pop, kind of like Billy Joel would sing if he were a tall, blonde Australian woman.

Originally from Mackay in North Queensland and often based in New York, Karen has shared the stage with Norah Jones, Christopher Cross, Jars of Clay, Three Dog Night, Deborah Cox, Cyndi Lauper, Spyro Gyra and her songs have been heard on Dawson's Creek and NBC.

Karen has entertained across the US, Australia, Germany, England, Malaysia and Thailand alone at the grand piano, with a full band and a capella singing the anthem at major sporting events including the TriNations for the Wallabies Vs South Africa at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

As an MC Karen knows her job is to be a facilitator, to keep things running smoothly so focus can be maintained on the material to be covered. As a Speaker, at a Corporate Event or in an Education setting, she is dynamic, inspiring and refreshingly honest, sharing her experiences "navigating her way from the Great Barrier Reef to the Big Apple", staying positive in a negative world and taking charge of the future.

Her corporate clients love having "The GPS Girl" give directions to executives on and off the stage, and as an MC her most recent clients include the National Conference of the Institute of Hospital Engineers (Australia), the Connecticut Nurse of the Year Awards (USA) and Garmin (USA).