Karen Lashelle

Karen began working at Creative Action as a volunteer in 2003 and has helped the organization grow from serving 800 young people to its current reach. Karen was the 2015 Mission Capital Executive Director of the Year, a member of the 2010 Leadership Austin Essential Class, winner the “Austin Under 40” Arts and Culture award in 2011, and was a 2012 and 2013 finalist for the Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year. Karen is a member of 2015 Community Arts Education Leadership Institute through the National Guild for Community Arts Education, where she is a board member and an Ambassador for the state of Texas. She also chairs the National Creative Youth Development Membership Network and is the chair of a national partnership to develop the emerging CYD field. Karen was a member of the Create Austin Cultural Planning Task Force and sits on the Steering Committee for MINDPOP.

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