In addition to her service on Council, she ran a Music & Memory Program for patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia for seven years. She's witnessed first-hand the challenges of those in long-term care and of their caregivers. This experience and expertise gives her a unique perspective of the healthcare industry, elder care and public health policy, particularly Medicaid and Medicare.

As a professional choral singer and conductor, Karen has been a featured soloist with notable choirs such as the Michael O'Neal Singers, All Saints' Episcopal choir, and was a Choral Director for the Greater Atlanta Girls' Choirs from 2009 to 2012. Residents of Chamblee since 2003, Karen and her husband, Jonathan, have two teenagers, Evan, who is currently at Chamblee High School, and Hailey, a freshman at Kennesaw State University. Karen previously served as President of the Chamblee Middle School Education Foundation and the Director/Co-Director of the Chamblee Fun Mud Run for many years. She currently serves on the Board of the Dresden Elementary School Education Foundation. Karen graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1997 from Eastern University (formerly Eastern College) in St. Davids, Pennsylvania.