Karen originally started to volunteer at The Clinic to gain experience for a job search. Two years later, she says she “can’t imagine working anywhere else.”

Karen attended Hunter College in NYC, graduating with degrees in art and education. She has held some challenging positions over the years, including being a substitute teacher in Harlem in the late ‘60’s. She has also worked in advertising, as a fabric designer, and for the New York State Council on the Arts. She and her husband lived in Basel, Switzerland for 2 1/2 years, during which she did a lot of painting and traveling. Karen is a skilled painter, and also enjoys faux finishing and collage arts.

After Karen’s two girls were finished high school, she thought about going to nursing school, but decided that putting two people in her family through college at one time was enough. Instead, she found a vocational program that focused on medical assisting. While she enjoyed the program, she states that “volunteering at The Clinic gives you a better education than any school out there.”

Karen’s typical duties at The Clinic might include bringing the patients to the exam room and assessing them, as well as taking their blood pressure, temperature, and pulse. She also does diabetic testing, immunizations, and EKGs. “Karen takes great pleasure in her work at The Clinic, and it shows,” states medical director Dr. Lorna Stuart. “Her calm and cheerful demeanor puts the patients at ease.”

“Karen is such a pleasure to work with,” states Anke DeLone, RN. “She is willing to come in at the drop of a hat if we need her, and is enthusiastic about learning.” In addition to her time at The Clinic, Karen also volunteers at a local animal rescue shelter. She walks the dogs and helps them to get socialized so that they are more easily adopted. A staunch vegetarian and fierce defender of animal rights, Karen has two dog-kids at home, Brandy and Trouble.

“I love working with the shelter animals,” states Karen,” but my heart is truly with The Clinic. This feels like home. This feels like where I belong.”