Karen and her husband Bill moved to South Portland from Burlington, Vermont, in 2021, to be closer to their children who live in South Portland and Massachusetts. She retired after 44 years from an academic career at three different colleges - Simmons, Stonehill and Saint Michael's. As a professor she taught courses in biology, environmental science and marine biology, and carried out research focusing on adaptations to extreme temperatures. She believes strongly that the best way to learn about the environment (or anything for that matter) is to be immersed in it, and to study it first-hand. So, at each of her colleges she designed and led numerous academic study trips to such destinations as Bahamas (marine ecology), Cuba (coral reef ecology), the Everglades (human impact on a unique ecosystem), and the Sonoran desert (art and the environment). She was involved in establishing the Center for the Environment at Saint Michael's College, as well as preserving a 400 acre natural area adjacent to the campus. Two major interests are the preservation of natural environments and education about global climate change. The South Portland Land Trust seems to be a perfect fit to work on both of these goals. She enjoys birding, camping, hiking, kayaking, snorkelling/scuba diving, vegetable gardening, travel with her husband Bill, and taking care of her new granddaughter Addison. Karen loves the small town character of South Portland - the friendliness of neighbors, strength of community, and the opportunity to contribute to local businesses and organizations like SOPLT. Living in coastal Maine is pretty cool, too.