Karen’s career spans the private, nonprofit, and public sectors. She retired in May 2023 as Director of Human Services for Salt Lake County, overseeing Aging & Adult Services, Behavioral Health, Criminal Justice Services, the Health Department, Youth Services, USU Extension, and Indigent Legal Services. Despite significant challenges during COVID, these programs continued providing essential services to Salt Lake County residents.

From 2001 to 2014, she served as President and CEO of Voices for Utah Children, a child advocacy organization. She played a key role in expanding children's health care access through CHIP, securing funding for all-day kindergarten, advancing legislation on intergenerational poverty, and successfully opposing efforts to repeal in-state tuition for undocumented students in Utah.

Her leadership extended to board service with Utah Community Action, the Utah Board of Juvenile Justice, the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT Steering Committee, the Utah Nonprofits Association, Utahns for the American Dream, and Envision Utah.

Karen began her career with Sears Roebuck & Co., spending 18 years in administrative and management roles at local, regional, and national levels. After returning to Salt Lake City in 1990, she took time to focus on family and community engagement. She chaired the Emigration Community Council, served on the Emigration Township Planning and Zoning Commission, and led a successful referendum to place fluoride on Salt Lake County’s 2000 General Election ballot. These experiences led her to run for the Salt Lake County Commission in 1998 and Salt Lake County Mayor in 2000.

She is honored to contribute her voice to the Utah Citizens’ Counsel.