Meet Karen

Biography: Born Houston, Texas, October 20, 1957; married; 5 children, 6 grandchildren.

Education: Kirkwood High School (Kirkwood, Missouri), 1976; B.A. in Spanish, Truman State University, 1980; Diploma in Comprehensive Nutrition, Huntington College of Health Sciences, 1994; M.S. in Biochemistry, University of Saint Joseph, 2017; M.P.H., George Washington University, 2024.

Occupation: Nutritionist; owner of Karen R. Hurd Nutritional Practice, 1994–present; restaurant owner, film producer, served in the U.S. Army 1980-1984 (Military Intelligence) retiring with the rank of Captain.

Member: American Legion Post 118 (Thorp)

Former member: Fall Creek Valley Housing/Fall Creek Retirement Housing (board member, former president); American Legion Post 376 (color guard commander, chaplain); Fall Creek Public Library Trustee; Fall Creek Lions Club; Fall Creek Historical Society; Faith Evangelical Free Church (director of music, worship leader, Sunday school teacher, women’s bible study leader).

Recipient: Army Service Medal; Air Assault Badge; Marksmanship Badge; Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development (BILLD) graduate, 2023; State Legislative Leaders Foundation (SLLF) Emerging Legislative Leaders Program graduate, 2023; Wisconsin Towns Association Friends of Towns Award (2023-2024); Dairy Business Association (DBA) Legislative Excellence Award (2023-2024); Wisconsin Community Action Program William Steiger Human Services Award (2024).

Previous office: Fall Creek Village Trustee, 2021–2024.

Current office: Elected to the Assembly 2022 and 2024.

2025 Committee assignments: Joint Committee on Finance