Karen hails originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but has worked on campaigns and elections across the country. Karen is currently a Political Advisor for EMILY’s List recruiting and helping women candidates run and win campaigns at the Federal & Gubernatorial level. Prior to joining EMILY’s List, she was the Chief of Staff to Representative Debbie Dingell(MI-­‐12) where she oversaw all Congressional operations and political affairs. She previously worked for Reps. Harry Teague (NM-­‐2) and Peter Welch (VT-­‐AL).

Karen has managed a DCCC top-­‐tier Red to Blue, and she is a veteran of multiple statewide campaigns as well as then-­‐Senator
Hillary Clinton’s 2008 Presidential campaign, where she started in Iowa but was on the ground in nine different states. She also spent two cycles as a direct mail consultant producing award-­‐winning mail and advising on races up and down the ballot.

Karen has spoken on campaign and elections and women in politics at the Women’s Campaign School at Yale University, the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington, American University’s School of Public Affairs, Democratic Gain, the Women’s Information Network (WIN), the DC New Leaders Council, the Jr. League of Washington, and the Close Up Foundation.

She serves on the Advisory Council of Running Start, a national organization dedicated to helping young women run for political office and is a past member of the Victory Fund Campaign Board.

Prior to life on the campaign trail, Karen was the Program Director at American University’s Women & Politics Institute. While
at AU, she developed and directed Campaign College: AU Women to Win, a training program designed to increase the number of women in student government, which is now used as a national model to increase women’s participation at colleges across the country.

Karen is known for powering through even in the toughest of situations, including smiling through multiple marathons. She lives in Washington D.C. with her wife Liz, their new daughter Margaret, cats Zeva & Ginny, and dog Rosie. As residents of the
Navy Yard, they love to root for the Nationals.