She was the founder Senior Producer of the BBC’s award-winning Digital Storytelling initiative. Later she became Director of The George Ewart Evans Centre for Storytelling at the University of South Wales, where she led oral history and digital story research programmes. She has held several positions in the third sector in Wales, including her position as Director of Communities and Inclusion at Cwmpas (formerly the Wales Co-operative Centre).

Karen’s non-executive appointments include currently serving as a member of the Board of Llais – The Citizen Voice Body for Health and Social Care (Wales) – and she served as the appointed Member for Wales on the UK Communications Consumer Panel and Committee for Older and Disabled People. She was Chair of Digital Leaders for Wales.

She holds a BA(hons) from Aberystwyth University, MA(Res) and PGDip from University of South Wales and a PgCE from Cardiff University. Originally from Pontypridd, she has lived in Cardiff for many years where she takes a keen interest in the history and heritage of her local area.