Staff

Executive Director

Karen Sullivan, an Eastern NC native, is a graduate of East Carolina University. Karen spent the first part of her career in corporate marketing and branding but found her passion in nonprofit work. She has worked as the Marketing Director for international nonprofits in hunger relief at Rise Against Hunger and clean water access with Wine To Water, and also locally, leading the Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County. Karen briefly left nonprofit work to take over the family business in Goldsboro, NC for six years but felt the pull to go back to nonprofit work. She became the Executive Director of Swiss Bear, Inc. in 2024. She also serves on the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the downtown New Bern MSD working group. Karen lives in New Bern with her faithful sidekick, her morkie Ruby.

Events Director

Ann Marie Byrd, originally from South Bend, IN, is a graduate of Michigan State University (B.A., M.A.) and the University of Colorado at Boulder (Ph.D.).  Ann Marie moved to New Bern in 2021 and joined the New Bern Magazine team as their feature writer and photographer, and subsequently began her role as the Events Director with Swiss Bear, Inc.  She also serves on the Board of Directors for New Bern Civic Theatre, and directs for both the Civic and Rivertowne Players.  Ann Marie has been a theatre professor, director, actor and scholar for nearly 20 years.  She is married to Danny Byrd, and enjoys spending time with her husband and their pets, Nyko and Lily, at their home in New Bern.