Karen LaGraff has a B.S. in Education from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and a M.ED. from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She has worked for UTC as a student teacher supervisor and for the state of Tennessee under the Early Intervention program evaluating pre-school children. She taught elementary school for eighteen years before retiring. She now does volunteer work for the Ronald McDonald House, the Hart Gallery, and Bridge Refugee Services. She enjoys reading, writing, traveling, exercising, gardening and spending time with family and friends. She has three grown sons, two grandsons, and lives in Chattanooga with her husband.