Karen was elected to the HRC Board at the meeting of 12 November 2024.
Karen has taught in primary schools in disadvantaged areas including rural regions. She has also taught literacy, numeracy and work skills to adults who have disabilities. Further study equipped her to teach English as a Second Language to new migrants.
A move to community development in a neighbourhood centre then led to managing a project, seed funded by FAHCSIA, to ascertain the numbers of kinship carers and children involved in the Hunter. It was found there were large numbers of families affected, (mostly the result of drugs and alcohol) and they had no support services including financial support. Karen organized thirteen support groups across the Hunter and central Coast, then trained more than 70 volunteers to run them weekly. Advocacy for this cohort was imperative, so an organization was formed of carers and volunteers to address issues of injustice and lack of government support.
In retirement, Karen is now a working member of Kinship Australia Alliance which continues to lobby for awareness and action on injustices affecting kinship families. Karen is also a member of Hunter Community Alliance, Hunter Ageing Alliance and a local sustainability group which attempts restorative work in the local environment.
It is a privilege to be associated with the Hunter Restorative Community Practice network.