Karen Green moved to Durham with her husband Andy in 2005 and now works as communications and marketing director at a research center at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She learned about InStepp through the Volunteer Center of Durham in 2014. At that time, she was looking for a way to use her communication skills with a nonprofit focused on helping women, and at the start of 2015, she began writing content for the InStepp website.
Karen is a native of Illinois and lived in Chicago and Champaign, IL, before coming to North Carolina. Her previous volunteer work includes tutoring new immigrants enrolled in English as a Second Language courses, leading a Girl Scout troop, and working at the Durham branch of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. In her free time, Karen likes to listen to live music, hike, swim, and cook meals for family and friends.
Developing content for the InStepp website is the perfect volunteer activity for Karen because it allows her to give back to her community and have a positive impact on the lives of women in need despite her busy and varied work schedule. “I love writing profiles for the InStepp website because I have the chance to learn about other volunteers, what they do, and what motivates them.” In the future, she hopes to be more actively involved in InStepp programs and to have the chance to tell the stories of women who have been helped by InStepp.
“Their courage and persistence inspires me,” she said.