Karen served as the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of Alexandria Renew Enterprises (AlexRenew) for over 17 years before her retirement in 2023. She started her career working as a civilian for the Department of the Army followed by several years at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. She began her own consultancy in 2023, to catalyze strategic action in the water sector. Karen holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master’s in Business Management from Texas A&M Texarkana. She is a Registered Engineer in Virginia, earned degrees in Chemical Engineering and Business Management, is a Board-Certified Environmental Engineer, a WEF Fellow, and holds a Class I Wastewater License. She has received numerous awards from water sector groups and has served on a variety of water and public sector related boards of directors.