During the span of her nursing career she devoted twenty-two years to the care and advocacy of adults and children with developmental disabilities. While living through the mental health crisis in her own daughter’s life, she gained a deeper and more personal understanding of schizophrenia and the unique challenges patients and their families face. Her goal is to stimulate new interest toward the possibility of recovery and encourage families throughout the recovery process. Karen is a mental health advocate. She hopes to educate and affect positive change in the way people with schizophrenia are perceived by the public. Karen has shared her story at professional conferences and on SiriusXM Radio. She is a devoted Christian and the mother of two adult children. She lives in Ohio with her husband, David. Her memoir Flight from Reason is her first book, published in the summer of 2014.