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United States Karen Attiah is an award-winning journalist and editor known for her contributions to international affairs, human rights, and cultural commentary, particularly during her tenure at The Washington Post.
Karen Attiah was a columnist and the founding global opinion editor for The Washington Post. She joined the Post in 2014, becoming an opinion columnist in 2021. She was later fired from the Washington Post in 2025 due to social media comments.
Karen Attiah became an adjunct professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs in March 2024. She taught a course on 'Race, Media, and International Affairs 101', which was later cancelled.
After graduate school, Attiah worked as a media consultant for the World Bank's Africa program.
Karen Attiah worked as a freelance reporter for the Associated Press while based in Curaçao.
Karen Attiah was born on August 12, 1986, in northeastern Texas. Her background includes a Nigerian-Ghanaian mother and a Ghanaian father who was a pulmonologist. She pursued her higher education at Northwestern University, earning a bachelor’s degree in communication studies with a minor in African studies. Following her undergraduate studies, Attiah was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship, which led her to Accra, Ghana. She furthered her academic career at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, where she obtained a master’s degree in international affairs in 2012. These early experiences provided a strong foundation for her career focusing on global issues and media.
After completing her graduate studies, Attiah began her professional journey as a media consultant for the World Bank’s Africa program. She also worked as a freelance reporter for the Associated Press while based in Curaçao. Her significant career milestones began in 2014 when she was hired by The Washington Post. In 2016, she played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Post’s Global Opinions section as its founding editor. Her work focused on race, gender, culture, human rights, and international affairs, reflecting her areas of expertise and passion. Her commitment to nuanced commentary gained recognition through her contributions.
Attiah garnered international attention in October 2018 following the disappearance and assassination of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi, whom she had recruited for The Washington Post’s Global Opinions section. She actively advocated for an investigation into his death, which resulted in her being recognized with the 2019 Journalist of the Year award by the National Association of Black Journalists. Alongside David Ignatius, she also received the 2019 George Polk Award in Journalism for their collaborative work related to Khashoggi’s assassination. In 2021, she was promoted to Opinions columnist at The Washington Post, a role she held until her termination in 2025.
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