Karen has dedicated herself to advancing the use of technology in education at the local, regional, state, and national levels. She began her career as a math teacher. After earning her graduate degree in instructional technology at UT-Austin, Karen was an educational technology director at the Texas Education Agency for over twenty years. After retiring, she helped with a grant as manager for online learning at ESC Region 18. Now, Karen designs and builds online digital resources and mentors learners in using technology tools.

Beginning in graduate school, Karen embarked on a quest to find the most amazing tools for educators. When she found Canva, she realized its potential and created the TCEA online course Canva Educator to share its many features and demonstrate its applications in the classroom. In this Lunch and Learn session, Karen will share discoveries from her latest quest to find new ways to use Canva in the classroom.