About Karen...
Karen, a retired faculty emeritus college instructor and program coordinator, taught Leadership and Peer Counseling courses at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA for 17 years, and has over 23 years experience in community college teaching and management. In her role at Cuesta College, she was responsible for coordination and supervision of a variety of student centered programs; the student center facility; advising student government; overseeing the service learning and peer counseling program; the academic certificate programs in Service Leadership and Leadership Studies, as well as grant writing and garnering support for the building of the Student Center.
For over 11 years, Karen had been a Live-Now Group Facilitator providing guidance to individuals, groups and families that helped them to program their life for success. Although Karen is no longer taking clients, she is available for free consultations.
She facilitated and coordinated the Morro Bay Book Discussion Group, a program of the Morro Bay Library for over 12 years from April 2006–May 2018.
She served on the Morro Bay Friends of the Library Board of Directors from January 2006–November 2011, as President for four years, Advisor for one year and 2nd Vice President–Membership for one year.
Karen loves to learn and values lifelong learning which is demonstrated in her own educational accomplishments: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Masters of Arts in Education with major emphasis in Organizational Leadership – Pepperdine University, and Certificate in Management Development from Harvard University. She also has professional training and Certificates in Success Strategies for College and Life; Compassionate Communication; Conflict Resolution & Mediation Skills; and, Facilitating Skills for Enhancing Self–Esteem. She wrote “Opening Doors to College Success” which was published by Kendall/Hunt in 1992. Awards include Cuesta College Board of Trustees Resolution for Outstanding Service & Innovation – Student Center; selected as an “Extraordinary Woman in the Community” by the Tribune, and Excellent Teacher Recognition for two years in a row through nominations from her students. She was also awarded the Volunteer of the Year Award in 2012 and 2007 from the Morro Bay Library staff and Morro Bay Friends of the Library, and the Volunteer of the Year Award for 2004–2007 from the Morro Bay Pups, a group of individuals who built a Dog Park in Morro Bay. In 2011, as President of the Morro Bay Friends of the Library for 2010, she was honored that she and her Board of Directors received the Volunteer of the Year Award for that year.
Through Summer 2020–early 2021 she facilitated weekly Zoom Spiritual Connection Calls for the Central Coast Center for Spiritual Living, where people could go for connection and a safe sacred space to share and be in community. She also led a Virtual Social Justice Book Discussion Group Experience during Black History Month, February, 2021.