Karl is an economic development consultant and senior lecturer at MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning with expertise in the preparation of economic development plans and strategies, the design, management, and evaluation of development finance and economic development programs, and the financing and supervision of complex development projects. His experience encompasses work in metropolitan areas, rural regions and communities, cities and urban neighborhoods, and medium-sized cities. He has also overseen public and stakeholder participation processes for over 25 economic development, downtown, and real estate development plans and projects. Relevant experience includes design, strategic planning, and evaluations of federal, state, and local economic development programs, preparation of 20 local and regional economic development plans, conducting market analysis and formulation of six downtown revitalization plans, and market, feasibility, and financial analysis for over 20 real estate projects.

Karl is also senior lecturer in Urban Studies and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he teaches Economic Development Finance, Economic Development Planning, and Revitalizing Urban Main Streets. He is a former CFO/Deputy Director of MassDevelopment, a state quasi-public affordable housing and real estate finance agency, where he oversaw new program development, program operations and financial operations, and helped design and implement agency strategic planning efforts.

Karl holds a master's degree in public policy from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and a bachelor's degree in political science from Amherst College.