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Karen L. Konzelmann, M.S., Certified Health Education Specialist, received both her degrees from Purdue University. She has more than 30 years of experience in nutrition education and nutrition research at the local, state and national levels. Beginning her career in the 1970’s as a county extension educator she joined the Foods and Nutrition Department as the Indiana EFNEP Coordinator in the 1980’s. In 1993 she was asked to establish a partnership position with the Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service, CSREES, of USDA and Baylor College of Medicine at the Children’s Nutrition Research Center in Houston, Texas. Thus she became the first National Program Leader for Maternal and Child Health to be based in a research and medical center. Her focus in this position was to foster increased communication between nutrition research and nutrition education across the land-grant system. This she did via an electronic newsletter with international distribution and by planning and speaking at national meetings. She was the first national CSREES Coordinator for the Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program.
She has been recognized for her ability to work between research and education to design effective nutrition interventions, communicate scientific results in consumer language and for evaluating programs-- especially for families with limited resources. She is well known as the lead author of the Have A Healthy Baby Program and Professor Popcorn Explores the Food Guide Pyramid—both of which have been taught in hundreds of communities and schools across the country.
Karen has served on the Boards of numerous organizations including Head Start, March of Dimes and Councils on Aging. She chaired the task force that brought the first congregate meals to seniors in LaPorte County. She has served as an officer of numerous professional organizations.
In her “semi-retirement” Karen returned to Purdue as Interim CFS Program Leader. She continues to be a consultant for Baylor College of Medicine scientists in grants related to osteoporosis and women’s health, and nutrition education for Hispanics.
Karen has won numerous teaching and service awards including the Distinguished Hoosier Award from Indiana’s governor Evan Bayh for her work on behalf of moms and babies, the USDA Superior Service Award and the Secretary of Agriculture’s Honor Award for Reaching Diverse Audiences with Effective Nutrition Education.
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