After a career as a corporate and real estate litigator, Karen began a volunteer path in New York at UJA-Federation of New York and at Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services. From fundraising to marketing and communications to strategy, Karen served in various leadership and committee roles.

Starting in 2000 until June, 2017, Karen developed and chaired UJA-Federation of New York’s Government Relations Committee, Westchester’s Government Relations Committee, its Public Policy Committee, and its Annual Advocacy Mission to Washington. Whether on the local, state, or federal level, Karen met with elected officials and government administrators advocating and heightening their awareness for a wide breadth of social service, health care, and other domestic issues impacting New York social service agencies and New Yorkers. She is known by many elected officials for her tenacity and her deep breadth and depth of knowledge of the issues and any impact on New Yorkers.

Karen’s keen interest in the social service realm began in her teens when she served as a counselor at a camp for children with Down syndrome in Rochester, New York and continued in college where she went weekly to volunteer at a residence for adults with developmental disabilities.

She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of UJA-Federation of New York, the Jewish Board, the Washington Institute, and the JCPA. In addition, Karen and her husband served as chair of the Parents’ Fund at the University of Pennsylvania from 2004-2010 where their two sons attended college. She was also former President of the JCC of Mid-Westchester. Karen has been honored and received several awards including from UJA-Federation of New York, during the Centennial Year of Hawthorne Cedar Knolls of the Jewish Board, WJC, and the JCC of Mid-Westchester.