Karen worked for the Fresno County Library for thirty-seven and half years, and served as the Library Director from 2003-2010. Though she retired from the library, she did not retire from library work. She spent a year chairing the successful campaign to renew Measure B – a sales tax for Fresno County. In late 2012 she began working for Infopeople as a grant monitor with special focus on the statewide grant, Library Outreach to Veterans Initiative.
She serves on the Board of the Fresno County Federal Credit Union, is the Past President of the Valley Cultural Coalition after having served as its chair for 3 years, and is an engaged board member with several other local organizations.