Karen Attiah – Age, Bio, Career, and Net Worth

Karen Attiah Biography

Karen Attiah (born August 12, 1986) is an American journalist, editor, and opinion writer. She worked at The Washington Post for 11 years where she built and ran its Global Opinions coverage and later wrote columns on race, culture, and international affairs. She became widely recognized for her role in the coverage of Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance and murder, as well as her outspoken commentary on race and representation in media.

Karen Attiah Age

Karen Attiah is 39 years old, having been born on August 12, 1986, in northeastern Texas, United States. Her birthday places her under the Leo zodiac sign, known for confidence, creativity, and leadership qualities.

Quick Facts

Career Overview

Karen Attiah joined The Washington Post in 2014 as an editor in the Opinions section. In 2016, she became the founding editor of the Post’s Global Opinions desk, giving a platform to writers and thinkers from around the world. By 2021, she was promoted to Opinion columnist, where she frequently wrote about race, gender, human rights, and global affairs.

She is most recognized for recruiting Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi to contribute to The Washington Post and later leading the paper’s coverage and commentary following his 2018 disappearance and murder. For this work, she and a colleague were honored with a Special George Polk Award in 2019.

Outside the Post, Attiah has lectured and taught courses, including a stint as an adjunct lecturer at Columbia SIPA. Her class on race, media, and international affairs later moved to an independent online format after Columbia canceled the scheduled course.

Washington Post Termination

On September 15, 2025, Karen Attiah revealed that The Washington Post had terminated her employment. According to Attiah, the dismissal followed her social media posts after the killing of commentator Charlie Kirk. She stated that the Post labeled some of her posts as “unacceptable” and cited misconduct, a characterization she disputes. Her termination quickly gained attention across the journalism industry and was widely covered by major media outlets.

Educational Background

• Undergraduate: B.A. in Communication Studies (minor in African Studies), Northwestern University, 2008
• Postgraduate: Master’s in International Affairs, Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), 2012
• Other: 2008 Fulbright Scholar to Ghana

Ethnicity

Karen Attiah is of Ghanaian and Nigerian descent. Her mother is Nigerian-Ghanaian, while her father is Ghanaian. She often draws from her African heritage in her work and writing, highlighting issues that impact both Africa and the global African diaspora.

Estimated Net Worth

Karen Attiah’s net worth is estimated to be around $2 million. This figure comes from her long career in journalism, her high-profile role at The Washington Post, speaking engagements, teaching roles, and other professional endeavors.

Notable Awards and Recognition

• 2019 Special George Polk Award (for coverage and commentary on Jamal Khashoggi)
• 2019 NABJ Journalist of the Year (National Association of Black Journalists)
• Recognition from NABJ for digital commentary through her video series TL;DR

10 Interesting Facts About Karen Attiah

1. She founded The Washington Post’s Global Opinions desk in 2016.
2. She personally recruited Jamal Khashoggi as a Post contributor.
3. She was one of the leading public voices after Khashoggi’s murder.
4. She received a Special George Polk Award in 2019 for her work.
5. In the same year, she was named NABJ Journalist of the Year.
6. She studied at Northwestern University and Columbia University.
7. She was a Fulbright Scholar in Ghana in 2008.
8. She has taught courses on race, media, and international affairs.
9. She runs a Substack newsletter called The Golden Hour.
10. She has consistently spoken out about the importance of Black voices in newsrooms.