Karen grew up in a career Navy family with a father that served 30 years in the US Navy retiring as a Rear Admiral. Her two brothers, mother and dad, moved every year or two during her childhood exposing her to the vast diversity of communities that are essential to the strength of our country. Through this experience Karen learned the meaning of service, respect, integrity and dedication to American values. Karen attended college at the University of Florida obtaining a Bachelor’s in Agriculture and went on to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Practicing veterinary medicine for over 33 years has further strengthened her belief in the power of compassion. She ran her own successful small business here in Colorado serving the community with excellence in veterinary care for 16 years. She is a problem solver at heart.
We are in the midst of a serious global pandemic and it is critical that we approach the health and safety of every human being using science as our guide. This means that we need to continue to wear masks to protect others. We must continue to maintain space between us, especially indoors, wash our hands often and stay home if we feel sick. Antigen testing needs to be readily available with results as fast as possible to minimize potential for spread. When a vaccine becomes available, our state should have a detailed implementation plan for those who need to receive it first. We should continue to assist businesses and push for a more robust federal response. People will engage in economic activity when they can trust that what we are doing is working to slow the spread of this deadly virus. We must listen to educators on how best to approach teaching our kids while keeping everyone safe. And we must learn from this experience to better prepare for the next serious pandemic. As a person of medicine and science that is my mindset.