Karen began her career in occupational therapy in 1981 and initially worked in acute, home health, outpatient, and adult day heath settings. She served as a rehabilitation clinical specialist in two of these settings and managed a multi-disciplinary staff of 16 occupational, physical and speech therapists and social workers. She became board certified in hand therapy in 1993 and that area of practice led her to lymphedema and she completed her lymphedema certification in 2003.

Karen’s passions in lymphedema practice are equipment invention and development, treatment of underlying fibrosis and inflammation, and assessment of complex and difficult cases. She heads a hospital-based outpatient clinic dedicated to lymphedema treatment and also has a private treatment and consulting practice.

Karen speaks frequently at academic, clinical and professional settings and performs clinical research that she presents and publishes nationally and internationally.