Karen has been the CEO of OPTIMUS Health Care since January 2022, providing leadership for the the mission of improving health equity in communities across SW Connecticut.
Before rising to CEO, she served as Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel, and chair of the OPTIMUS Foundation.
Karen is an operations leader with a unique combination of academic preparation and professional achievement in the law, health care, and management.
She has 10 years of nursing experience working at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Harvard teaching hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.
She has nine years practicing regulatory and corporate health care law and medical malpractice defense litigation, and four years in risk management in teaching hospitals.
She is an innovative, strategic, and progress-driven professional with extensive experience and a track record of success improving the clinical and financial performance of health care organizations.
A mission-focused executive with the proven ability to launch new and enhanced programs, she also resolves operational issues and builds consensus and shared vision among staff on all levels.
Karen holds a Juris Doctorate degree from Boston College Law School and an MBA from Boston College, where she also obtained her Bachelor of Science degree as a registered nurse.
As OPTIMUS CEO, Karen is responsible for the administrative and financial responsibility of OPTIMUS operations. These management functions include planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and executing the policy directives of the board of directors while guiding and developing short- and long-range strategic plans, monitoring and affecting applicable legislation and ensuring the financial health of the organization.
Other key duties include fundraising, marketing, and community outreach.