Karen, who is a social worker with 25 years of experience and a Professor, Department Chair, and Associate Dean in the College of Health Sciences with a secondary appointment as Associate Professor in the College of Social Work, brings a unique perspective of a researcher, practitioner, and administrator to her work with the Phoenix Society. Karen, who is a social worker with 25 years of experience and a Professor, Department Chair, and Associate Dean in the College of Health Sciences with a secondary appointment as Associate Professor in the College of Social Work, brings a unique perspective of a researcher, practitioner, and administrator to her work with the Phoenix Society.

Karen's social work experience includes direct practice in community mental health and private practice settings and at Shriners Burns Hospital (Cincinnati) as a medical social worker. She was also the manager of the Medical Division of Social Work at University Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio. Her responsibilities at the UK encompass the areas of administration, teaching, and research. Karen has been recognized through the UK Alumni Association Great Teacher Award (2013) and was also selected to represent the UK as a 2014-15 faculty fellow in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Academic Leadership Development Program. Her research interests have focused on psychosocial adjustment and support of survivors and their families following a burn injury, along with education/programming initiatives and evaluation. Karen has earned an undergraduate degree in music therapy from the University of Dayton and Masters and Ph.D. degrees in Social Work from the University of Kentucky.