Our Principal

Karen comes from a diverse background with a Bachelors in Business Administration and Spanish.  She received her Masters in Teaching and began her career as a Spanish teacher in Yamhill-Carlton, Oregon and taught there for three years.  Following a move to Central Washington, she was able to get a job working in a brand new Alternative High School, where she worked with students from 7th through 12th grade for nine years, providing instruction in all subject areas, gaining endorsements in Special Education, Basic and Advanced Math.  During this time, she served as the campus Special Education teacher. When she moved to Central Oregon, she was hired as a Special Education teacher at Obsidian Middle School, where she worked for three years and completed her Administration Program through the University of Oregon.  

Karen has been at Edwin Brown Education Center, now called StepUP, since the 2016-17 school year.  In this time she has worked to completely redesign the programs and supports for Redmond school district’s students with the highest social-emotional and behavioral support needs.  At StepUP we believe that all kids do well if they can and focus on building specific skills to help students unlock their own potential.  We believe that collaboration with families and community partners is key to provide the most robust systems of support possible for all students in school and beyond.