Karen is a former health care executive who left the corporate world to form a non-profit entity called Shoes for the Soul. The only daughter of a first-generation American family deeply steeped in their faith and charitable undertakings, Karen started on her path with a career in the area of immigration law focusing on consular visa, asylum and refugee work in the U.S., Turkey, Pakistan and Europe. Karen's early career included time at two of the country's top law firms, Patton, Boggs & Blow and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius in Washington, D.C. In the spirit of giving, Karen has long pursued philanthropic interests. She has volunteered in Turkey for both the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and Amnesty International. Her volunteer work includes Special Olympics, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, The American Heart Association and Habitat for Humanity, as well as charitable committee endeavours with Food for the Poor and Catholic Charities. In the Spring of 2002, Karen took a leave of absence from the corporate world to pursue other endeavours. Shortly thereafter, she founded Shoes for the Soul, Inc., an organization where she serves as President and Executive Director, responsible for the introduction, development, management and operations of this innovative, grassroots non-profit, whose mission is dedicated to placing a new pair of shoes on the feet of economically challenged children in South Florida. Via her initiative and partnering with Broward County Children's Services and the Homeless Education Program, Shoes for the Soul's first program was "Shoes for Homeless Children" which services children in 15 homeless shelters in Broward County, Florida. In January of 2005, Karen was a recipient of Family Circle Magazine 7th Annual Halo Award "Women Who Make a Difference" in recognition for her extraordinary efforts to help others, which has led to interest of chapter affiliates in several states. Since launching the organization, Karen's initiatives...
Karen is a former health care executive who left the corporate world to form a non-profit entity cal...
