Karen Swanson

Karen Swanson's dedication and involvement with education have always extended well past the school's doors. Swanson takes an active hand in the local and national educational community. From 2009 through 2013, Swanson served as the Chairperson for the Iowa Tech Prep Coordinators — where she coordinated the state-wide group of community college coordinators for high school programs and technical preparation groups. She has been involved in several state-wide organizations. She has been in all officer positions of the Iowa Association of Career and Technical Education (IACTE), dedicated to advancing education that prepares youth and adults for careers. Karen has also been active as a state team member with the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE). NAPES's STEM Equity Pipeline project equipped Karen with the skills to positively influence and increase the number of female students participating in Project Lead the Way courses. In addition, she has advocated for CTE on Capitol Hill during NAPE's annual public policy day initiatives.