February 2017 Honoree
Karen L. King, PhD
Erie County Commission on the Status of Women, Executive Director
Karen King was appointed executive director of the Erie County Commission on the Status of Women by Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz in June 2016. She had served as the Commission’s co-chair and as a board member since 2013. She has also been closely involved in Commission initiatives and educational efforts such as Pay Equity and Women’s History Month. She is currently chairing the Women’s Action Coalition.
The Commission’s mission is to seek the elimination of discrimination in any form that may exist on account of gender; to fully utilize the potential of each citizen, regardless of gender, in order to preserve our democratic way of life; and to provide equal opportunities to all citizens, regardless of gender, in employment, education, health and mental health, housing, senior and social services, and before the law.
Prior to her appointment, King held several positions at the University of Buffalo, most recently as project director managing and overseeing projects and communications on Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership (ISEP) National Science Foundation Grant. UB partnered with the Buffalo Public School district, Buffalo State College, and the Buffalo Museum of Science.
She also held the positions of program assistant, Workforce Development, Center for Educational Collaboration and educational services coordinator while at UB.
King has a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy from UB, received her M.S. in Higher Education Administration from SUNY Buffalo State and a B.A. in Sociology from Ithaca College.
She was board vice president at the Family Justice Center, 2015/2016 and part of the presenting panel at the 2015 Equity and Social Justice Conference at SUNY Buffalo State.