I was a student of Karen. I decided upon returning to school to get a degree in design that I really didn't need another bachelor's degree, so I transferred from a four-year program to Tri-C. It was an honor of mine in 2005 to fill in for her sabbatical year and then continue teaching adjunct beyond that.
I learned she had pretty big shoes to fill for one so petite (she often made light of herself as being vertically challenged). And, a representative from Knoll, who will remain anonymous, once told me that he remembered first meeting Karen nearly 20 years ago and said, What a little Hottie! Karen has a certain je ne sais quoi (I love that phrase)!
Karen's strength was in introducing her students to a myriad of resources that inspired us to grow and create. She gave us latitude and never looked over our shoulder and when she did, it was with a tough love that pushed us to continue exploring possibilities. She is a person of class, style, and she has the coolest shoes too!
Karen retired as director of the interior design program at Tri-C in Cleveland, Ohio, this past spring not long after I moved to Santa Fe. I miss her and the school, and yet, have the best memories of my times there. Just this past week I was identifying individuals during the course of my life that I see as a 'believing mirror' reflecting myself: Karen is on my list. Lucky me, that she came into my life. Thank you, Karen, for all you mean to me and to so many others as well.
