Karen Paulina Poniachik Pollak (born 1965) is a Chilean journalist, consultant, and politician. She served as Minister of Mining and Energy during the first government of President Michelle Bachelet. Poniachik was born in Santiago. Her grandparents were Jews who came to Chile from Romania and Poland to escape the Nazi siege that was beginning to feel strong in Europe in the early 1930s. Once in the South American country devoted to commercial and industrial activities. Poniachik's father was an active entrepreneur who went through various activities, such as industrial, textile and financial field. Her mother was a housewife who, after having four children, studied law.