A Career Built on Connecting People and Technology

Karen’s professional story is one of steady growth across two fields that rarely meet: telecommunications and education technology. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from the University of Phoenix and a Master of Business Administration from Texas Woman’s University, and she has put both to work across more than a decade of project and systems management.

At Dell, Karen served as Senior Network Analyst for Graphic Packaging International, managing telecom projects across eighty locations and leading IT technicians nationwide. A vendor she recommended saved an estimated $400,000 a year, and circuit upgrades she coordinated saved another $192,000.

In 2012, Karen joined UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, first as a Communication Administrator planning network construction and departmental moves for hospitals and clinics, including the William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital. She moved into academic technology as a Business Analyst supporting Mediasite and Moodle.  Today is a Senior Business Analyst in the Research Academic Systems department. She manages Mediasite, Epic training environments, Exxat, and MedHub, turning stakeholder needs into technical requirements, coordinating testing, and training the people who rely on these systems.

Home, Heart, and King

Karen’s household is small and full of love. She shares her home with her 25-year-old daughter and with King, her 12-year-old Maltese. King is far more than a pet. He is her partner in crime, and he goes everywhere with her, from errands and road trips to scenic trails.

When the laptop closes, Karen’s calendar fills quickly with hiking, traveling, and time with friends and neighbors. She is the kind of person who turns a casual get-together into an occasion and a long weekend into an adventure.

The Christmas Spirit, Year-Round

Karen Ross has proven that a successful career and a joyful life are not competing goals. She brings the same energy to a project plan that she brings to a mountain path: curiosity, preparation, and a readiness to enjoy the journey. With her loyal Maltese at her side, her daughter close by, and technology working quietly in the background, Karen lives out her belief each day that life is far too short to wait for the holidays.

Because for Karen, every day is Christmas.