Karen loved nature. As a kid, she rode her horse around the Orinda valley. As a young adult, she joined the peace corps in Chile. There were lots of hikes and camping trips growing up, including several high school summers where we toured national parks.

Karen's first career was microbiology, working for various county health departments. She moved to Cottonwood, CA after her kids moved out and started doing a lot more with animals, such as "Roots and Shoots", teaching kids about wildlife and did wildlife rehabilitation in Redding. Finally, she started her own TehamaWildCare organization and did wildlife rehabilitation from her house.