Born in Ohio, Karen moved to Palestine with her Palestinian husband and raised their five children as Palestinians. Responding to the needs on the ground, in 2008, she established a community center on the first floor of her home in Tulkarem, Palestine. From the beginning, she offered English to local teenagers and prepared them for international dialogue and cultural exchange programs. Around the same time, she became active in dialogue programs herself, first as a participant, then as a project leader, and finally as a program coordinator. Trained as a dialogue facilitator, Karen has created two programs for Encompass Trust in which she multi-tasks as regional coordinator, logistical manager, and dialogue facilitator. Karen’s center offers an environment of support, active learning, and civic engagement for teenagers, young leaders, and for educators. Even during the most difficult times, she has been an active leader of women committed to building a more just, humane, future. She says that her greatest legacy is preparing and supporting young people to be change-makers in their respective communities. Nothing makes her happier than to see her mentees following in her footsteps and exceeding her accomplishments.
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