She became the Chancellor of the University of Portsmouth in October 2017. Early life  Blackett grew up in Reading with her mother who was a nurse, her bus conductor father and her sister. Karen Blackett is originally from the Caribbean, and her mum moved over to London to work in the Royal Berkshire Hospital as a nurse in the sixties. She grew up around a lot of people from Barbados and other West Indian islands. Education  Blackett went to the University of Portsmouth, she graduated in 1992 with a degree in Geography. Work  After university, Blackett applied for a job advertised as a media auditor with CIA MediaNetwork. "I got through the first interview and then they asked me to give a presentation on the pros and cons of Sky TV. I didn't get that job but they suggested I talk to someone in media planning. I think it's because I was so gobby." In October 1995, Blackett was promoted to the Broad of Directors of the newly merged MediaCom and The Media Business Group Board.
She became the Chancellor of the University of Portsmouth in October 2017. Early life 
Blackett grew up in Reading with her mother who was a nurse, her bus conductor father and her sister. Karen Blackett is originally from the Caribbean, and her mum moved over to London to work in the Royal Berkshire Hospital as a nurse in the sixties. She grew up around a lot of people from Barbados and other West Indian islands. Education 
Blackett went to the University of Portsmouth, he graduated in 1992 with a degree in Geography. Work 
After university, Blackett applied for a job advertised as a media auditor with CIA MediaNetwork. "I got through the first interview and then they asked me to give a presentation on the pros and cons of Sky TV. I didn't get that job but they suggested I talk to someone in media planning. I think it's because I was so gobby." In October 1995, Blackett was promoted to the Broad of Directors of the newly merged MediaCom and The Media Business Group Board.