Karen was born in Fords, New Jersey and has lived in Fords all her life.  She attended School 7, Fords Middle School and graduated from Woodbridge High School.  Her father was a veteran of World War II where he served as a combat medic in the 3^rd Infantry Division in North Africa and Italy.  He was a paid firefighter in Fords and also served as the fire company’s Fire Marshall and arson investigator and was a member of St. John’s First Aid Squad.  Her mother was a registered nurse, graduated from Charles E. Gregory School of Nursing and worked in Perth Amboy General Hospital (now Raritan Bay Medical Center) for many years.  Her mother then furthered her education and became a teacher at Keasbey School and Fords Middle School.  Both of her parents were actively involved in the community through the Red Cross, Masonic Lodge, Shrines, Order of the Eastern Star and church activities.  Volunteerism and community service was instilled in Karen throughout her life.

After graduation from Woodbridge High School, she attended Monmouth University, graduating with a BA degree in Educational Psychology and secondary education.  While at Monmouth, Karen played on the girl’s varsity softball team.  She also joined Delta Zeta Sorority which is a national sorority that supports many charitable groups, including Galludet University in Washington, D.C. , which is the only four year liberal arts school in the world devoted to the needs, instruction, and training of young people who are deaf.  Upon graduation, Karen began teaching Language Arts at Woodbridge Middle School.  During her teaching career she has taught seventh, eighth, and ninth grades.  It is very gratifying for her to now teach the children of former students.  It is also very rewarding to see former students gain success in our community as firefighters, police officers, and elected officials.  Karen has been an adviser for several clubs in the Woodbridge Middle School including the Early Act Club which is a service learning club.  Students in the club collected Toys-for-Tots, organized the Math-a-thon benefiting St. Jude Children’s Hospital, food drives and Empty Bowls luncheons that raised money for the Trinity Church Soup Kitchen.  She also had students help serve at the soup kitchen to raise their awareness of needs in their community.  The Early Act Club also organized a fund drive which raised over $1.700.00 for the 9-1-1 relief fund.  A Veterans Day activity involved students interacting with veterans who attended Woodbridge High School during World War II.  This activity raided over $1,700.00 for the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.  She has been honored with a standing invitation extended by the founder of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, Diane Carlson Evans, to speak on Memorial Day and Veterans Day to share her activities with her students that develops their appreciation of our veterans.

She is an Elder, Deacon and Clerk of Session at the First Presbyterian Church of Fords and serves as interim minister for the congregation.  Karen is also a Past Matron and Past Grand officer of The Order of the Eastern Star, Mt. Zion Chapter, in Metuchen.

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