Karen moved to Northwest Arkansas in 2025 from Orlando, Florida. Born in California and raised in Texarkana, she is a graduate of Texas A&M University–Texarkana, where she earned a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree.
Her career in sales, marketing, and business development spans the nonprofit, healthcare, and hospitality industries. These experiences led her to the Texarkana USA Chamber of Commerce, where she served as a Blue Blazer (Chamber ambassador), graduated from Leadership Texarkana, and served on the Leadership alumni board. She eventually joined the Chamber staff as Director of Partnership Development. After relocating to Florida, Karen continued her chamber career as Director of Membership & Business Development for the St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce.
In her spare time, Karen enjoys exploring Northwest Arkansas, reading, taking beach trips to the Florida Panhandle, cooking and catering for friends and family, spending time with her daughter and son-in-law in Fayetteville, and visiting family in Texas.