Karen has been a director and program officer for marine research and undersea technology at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research since 2005. Her activities have included oversight for the Aquarius undersea saturation laboratory, Hawaii’s Undersea Research Laboratory, and several other university marine research programs. She was the Marine Technology Society’s Vice President for Government Affairs from 2005-2010, and remains active as co-chair of the MTS Ocean Exploration Committee. Karen began her career as a U.S. Navy salvage diver, supporting 1000 FSW saturation dives at the Navy Experimental Diving Unit, and serving onboard USN and Canadian diving ships in the West Pacific, Caribbean, and North Atlantic. She became a NAUI instructor in 1989, and qualified as a pilot of the Pisces IV" submersible in 1993. She completed her Navy service as Navy Oceanographer specializing in international and environmental ocean policy and retiring in 2005. In addition to her NOAA activities she is working towards a PhD in Environmental Science and Policy from George Mason University."