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Karen was
a founding member of Plenty in 1974, and is a current member of the
Plenty International board of directors. A mother of three grown children,
she is also an investigative journalist who has published numerous articles
on environmental and social justice issues, and a licensed vocational
nurse specializing in psychiatric nursing. Her work for Plenty has included:
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1976-present
— Coordinating fundraising events, delivering slide presentations,
and staffing information tables to support Plenty projects in Central
America. |
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1979-80
— Coordinating Plenty's H3 work visa program, which enabled
Mayans from Guatemala to come to the US to learn technical and organizational
skills. |
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1984
— Serving on Plenty's board of directors. |
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1998
— Helping coordinate Texas efforts to aid the victims of Hurricane
Mitch in Nicaragua—Plenty's program fed children one high-protein
and vitamin-rich meal a day for a year. |
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1998
— Conducted a medical survey of needs in the Toledo District
of Belize for Plenty International to determine how Plenty could
enhance medical care to the under-served. Assisted in introducing
solar food drying techniques to Toledo. |
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1998-present
— Founding member, director, and administrator for Plenty Austin. |
Karen has
also worked with other service organizations:
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1982-85
— Member of South Texas Aid to Refugees (STAR), assisting in
raising economic and material aid for Guatemalan refugees in southern
Mexico refugee camps, assisting in production of STAR newsletter. |
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1983-84
— Board Member of Central American Health Care Network. |
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1994-96
— Member of Technica, an organization aiding Nicaragua—participated
in a brigade to Nicaragua to help build classrooms for women's union,
assisted in fundraising events, and meeting coordination. |
In addition
to her work for Plenty, Karen is Regional Director of Drug Policy Forum
of Texas, which is a non-profit educational drug policy group. She is
married to Thomas, who also is active in Plenty
Austin.
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