Karen is passionate for education, young people and the world.  When these things intersect she gets really excited!  Karen moved to DC about 13 years ago from Idaho and realized that to understand what was happening in DC with young people she needed to put herself in a position where she could hear them.  Karen worked for a year and a half as a social worker focusing on housing and educational placements for homeless, runaway and at risk youth.  After hearing frustrations centered on failing schools and a disconnect with their own education, Karen decided to help open a new campus of an established charter school.  For the next six years, she worked as a classroom teacher East of the Anacositia River developing high educational expectations and a curriculum that met students where they were starting at and move them toward excellence.   Karen now works at Thurgood Marshall Academy PCHS and teaches seniors US Government and AP US Government.  She has had amazing opportunities to travel throughout the world and loves to see those lessons come back to her classroom.  Karen also get to play in the dirt with about 15-20 students after school each week as she tends her school garden and learn about how fun it is to see things grow and nourish the community.  Karen has a BS in Secondary Education and a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction.  

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