Karen served in the Womans Royal Naval Service (now part of the Royal Navy) from leaving school until 1982. This included working in communications at a large Naval air station, Culdrose in Cornwall. She then worked at NATO Headquarters in London for 18 Months and was subsequently based in Hong Kong as Assistant Naval Intelligence Officer.
Karen married Peter, a serving Naval pilot, and then worked for various Government Ministers in the Ministry of Defence Procurement department. She moved to Horsham in 1992 and became a teaching assistant at Holbrook Primary School for 16 years, in addition to being a school governor and a member of North Horsham Parish Council.
Karen was selected as a district councillor in 2015 and has been chairman of the planning committee and a variety of licensing sub committees as well as being Chairman of the Council.
Karen has been particularly active in preserving local infrastructure especially with the forthcoming Mowbray development, a move she strongly opposed, keeping our green spaces and retaining all parks and wild areas, with zero tolerance on litter.
Karen has a variety of interests including the Royal Naval association, attending various Armed forces veteran's clubs and drop ins. Meeting friends for country walks and lunches, watercolour painting and making various jams and marmalades