Kari holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Maryland. She is a former public-school teacher with early childhood certification. Most recently, Kari served as the director of children’s programming at Midtown Church. In that role, she managed numerous responsibilities similar to the ones she’ll have with us, including planning and preparing snacks, addressing food allergies and special needs, purchasing and organizing materials, and maintaining required health and safety procedures.

Kari grew up in Maryland with her sisters but got to Austin as fast as she could. She has lived in Austin since 2009, with a two-year hiatus in Tampa. Kari was a competitive cheerleader in college! She has been a foster parent for the past three years. In her free time, Kari likes to be with her husband and their four children. She also enjoys reading and playing board games.