Love connecting dots, building community around shared values, and dreaming about Citizen Discourse. I care about a lot of things including fixing America’s broken and racist justice system, words mattering, fostering empathy, critical thinking and self-awareness through compassionate conversations.Native to Connecticut and raised in El Paso, I earned my Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and my law degree from the University of Houston Law Center. More from my bio: Karen's legal practice has been in criminal defense and criminal justice. In 2016 Karen worked as a staff attorney with the Clemency Project in Washington DC. There she not only represented individuals seeking federal clemency but also aided pro bono attorneys around the country in crafting and revising their petitions. Karen had the honor of serving as community director for the Austin Anti-Defamation League, a non-profit committed in mission to securing justice and fair treatment for all. She oversaw the strategic growth and development of the office including the launch and implementation of the Austin/Travis County Hate Crimes Taskforce. This community-minded initiative has the stated mission of reducing hate and bias throughout central Texas. Prior to law school Karen served as a policy director for an Austin City Council member. This position helped instill a faith in democracy and good government. Karen has been recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.